Re: Swine flu and Torchwood

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:59:03 +0100, "Ivan" <ivan'H'older@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


"Peter Duncanson" <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:64gp55tgmo4actkho27tdeggqapo0mb6i2@xxxxxxxxxx
On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:11:23 +0100, Roderick Stewart
<rjfs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In article <h3hp7r$2rv$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Ivan wrote:
I think the major fear with flu is that it
could very quickly mutate and become a completely different and much
more
deadly ball game within a very short space of time.

It could mutate into something different in several ways, but why would
this
become more widespread than the one that is already out there? Wouldn't
natural selection favour the relatively benign form that didn't kill its
host?

I think that would be better as "the relatively benign form that didn't
kill its host *immediately*".

A lethal form can exist and spread if the host is infectious for long
enough to infect other hosts before it dies.

|
Let's hope that our politicians have a master plan in place for the
eventuality of millions of key workers in potentially dangerous areas of
work, such as nuclear power stations, oil refineries, chemical works etc.
being abruptly taken out of the equation, IMV any industry representing a
serious hazard to the population or environment should be able to be very
quickly shut down and safely mothballed for 'at least' 6 months.

It is not a simple situation owing to the "the fundamental
interconnectedness of all things"[1]

Closing down nuclear power stations, oil refineries, chemical works,
etc. would cut off or seriously reduce the availability of some
essential supplies to the population.

We live in the era of Just-in-Time and Continuous Flow in which buffer
stocks of goods are not maintained.

[1] "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency", by Douglas Adams.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Gently
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Swine flu and Torchwood
    ... It could mutate into something different in several ways, ... kill its host *immediately*". ... enough to infect other hosts before it dies. ...
    (uk.tech.digital-tv)
  • Re: Swine flu and Torchwood
    ... It could mutate into something different in several ways, ... kill its host *immediately*". ... enough to infect other hosts before it dies. ...
    (uk.tech.digital-tv)