Economic Recovery Threatened By H1NI Virus

Just as we are getting some positive reports of the recession easing off, plans for economic recovery may be scuttled as governments scramble to prepare for the coming global pandemic. Equally disturbing are the reports that a strain of the virus known as H1N1-B, has mutated and crossed over to poultry.

"As you have heard the public health experts say before, H1N1 influenza is a cause for concern, but not a cause for alarm." one Governor stressed. "Prevention is the best medicine for ensuring that workplaces stay productive, schools stay open, and most important, that families are safe. We are diverting funds that were earmarked for economic recovery in order to prepare for this."

Symptoms of the H1N1 Swine flu (and the H1N1-B Poultry Flu) are similar to seasonal flu: fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headaches and body aches. People with H1N1 also reported vomiting and diarrhea. People are advised to be prepared to be sick for a week or more. They should also avoid contact with others while sick. As previously reported, it is not necessary to ram a wooden stake through the heart of infected people to keep them from 'returning from the dead'. It was found later that the infected people were just getting better, and not returning as some kind of undead creatures. If you see any rumors of this kind on Facebook, you should ignore them.

In Vancouver, the Winter Olympic Games for 2010 may have to be called off, because it is in the middle of flu season. Too many people in a close proximity could spell a disaster. Ticket sales are way down, and it is expected to run up a multi-billion dollar loss. The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is planning to sell special Olympic branded sub-micron surgical face masks in a number of styles to help combat the spread of the virus. A number of projects have been put on hold as funds have been diverted to H1N1 influenza preparation.

Since the discovery of the H1N1-B strain of the influenza, we no longer advise switching from regular ham to turkey ham for your sandwiches. It is now time to move to lettuce and tomato for your sandwiches, and try soaking the lettuce and tomato for a few minutes in vinegar, which is a natural sanitizing product. After soaking, they can be rinsed and used safely.

Several school districts are prohibiting all kinds of body contact, in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. This includes shaking hands, and high fives. Failure to comply may result in suspensions, for as long as the flu season. School districts are preparing to increase staffing for home school and online teaching support.

In some cities, authorities are installing sprinklers in transit systems to spray airborne sanitizing anti-viral agents. Passengers will be warned over the public address systems, to cover their face moments before it happens. There will be eye wash stations installed on all train and bus stations as a precaution. Of course the additional costs will have to come from somewhere, and may further impact the economic recovery.