| There has been a lot of buzz about bird flu | | | | Hospitals see surge in flu patients |
| or the avian influenza and how it could | | | | overwhelming staff and supplies, only those |
| become a global pandemic. What would a | | | | most likely to live given access to limited |
| pandemic really mean? The federal government | | | | available ventilators |
| just launched a 7 billion dollar program to | | | | |
| help the prevention and out break of a bird | | | | Healthcare workers and first responders out |
| flu pandemic. There have only been 83 deaths | | | | sick or stay home to care for ill family |
| from avian flu worldwide since 2003. Health | | | | members |
| experts have not yet seen evidence of human | | | | |
| to human transmission. So what does it mean? | | | | Public events are canceled and schools are |
| And why is everyone so worried about a | | | | closed |
| pandemic?This new strain of flu virus would | | | | |
| be more resistant than other normal flu | | | | Government offices closed, non essential |
| strains and if it turns into a form that | | | | services shut down |
| passes easily from person to person, we would | | | | |
| have little immunity to it. Millions could | | | | Social services reduced or eliminated. |
| become ill and millions would die. Once it | | | | Services still functioning are overwhelmed |
| starts to spread it could move rapidly around | | | | |
| the world infecting millions and affecting | | | | Public transportation halted |
| the lives of everyone. The World Bank, which | | | | |
| has estimated that a bird flu pandemic | | | | Air traffic halted due to air traffic |
| lasting a year could, cost the global economy | | | | controllers, airport staff and flight crews |
| up to $800 billion. The economic toll on the | | | | out sick |
| world economy will be catastrophic. What is | | | | |
| the worst-case scenario and how might it | | | | Interstate commerce greatly reduced with |
| develop?Here is how a bird flu pandemic might | | | | truck drivers, warehouse and rail workers out |
| unfold:Outbreaks of avian flu in birds | | | | sick |
| continue in several additional countries | | | | |
| outside of Southeast Asia including Russia, | | | | Food deliveries, gas deliveries, other |
| Africa and the Middle East | | | | essential supplies all reduced or eliminated |
| | | | |
| Human cases of bird flu increase | | | | Grocery stores close due to shipments being |
| | | | eliminated |
| Health experts confirm first human-to-human | | | | |
| transmissions | | | | Food distribution chain from farm to stores |
| | | | breaks down |
| Flu screening is stepped up at airports | | | | |
| around the world for passengers coming from | | | | Travel restricted, quarantines mandatory, |
| infected countries | | | | enforced by National Guard |
| | | | |
| Health care workers show signs of increased | | | | Widespread looting and riots over food |
| exposure | | | | shortages and access to healthcare |
| | | | |
| Air travel spreads virus to all corners of | | | | Local, State police and National Guard |
| the globe within 3 months | | | | overwhelmed |
| | | | |
| First confirmed human transmission cases | | | | Social structure breaks down |
| appear in Europe Russia, and the United | | | | |
| States | | | | Domestic violence increases as people are |
| | | | forced to stay home |
| Outbreaks continue, becoming more widespread | | | | |
| reaching epidemic status | | | | Loss of workers affects all businesses |
| | | | across the economy, including finance, |
| Regional stockpiles of antivirals quickly | | | | sanitation, utilities, internet, |
| dwindle, new high volume production and | | | | distribution, energy, retail, tourism and |
| distribution is 6 months off | | | | travel |
| | | | |
| International flights are reduced or | | | | Utility outages increase as coal shipments |
| eliminated to help contain spread of the flu | | | | are reduced and minimum required staffs at |
| | | | power plants and water plants are out sick |
| Billions are lost on international commerce, | | | | |
| affecting millions of jobs around the world | | | | Funeral homes are overwhelmed as bodies |
| | | | stack up |
| US imports from Asian factories halted as | | | | |
| Asian workers fall ill, US inventories drop | | | | 2nd wave of pandemic bird flu hits |
| | | | |
| International trade devastated | | | | Global economy will take years to recover |
| | | | from catastrophic losses and loss of trained |
| US economy feels effects of loss of | | | | employees who diedDoes the above scare you? |
| productivity due to millions of workers out | | | | Think it won't happen? Well this is the exact |
| sick | | | | scenario your local, state and federal |
| | | | governments are training and planning for. |
| Financial markets hit by panic selling, gold | | | | How would you survive? It has always been |
| prices soar | | | | recommended to keep 3 days of supplies on |
| | | | hand to survive a natural disaster. We have |
| Run on banks as investors convert to cash | | | | seen how the federal government handles |
| | | | natural disasters. |