Well, news came out on CNN today that the CDC (Center of Disease Control, Atlanta, GA) is putting a committee together to decide who should get the Swine Flu, er, H1N1 vaccine should it prove to work in the next week or two. Seems like the vaccine will work, but they can't make enough of it, and with school starting back up, people sticking around home after summer vacation, and Midwesterner huddled together to stay warm this "Summer of 70s", they are worried that the virus could spread quickly....and be even more deadly! Don't even get me started on the scare tactics used or the fact that the media finally moving on from Michael Jackson and needs a new "top story", but history shows that diseases can be deadlier the 2nd time around. http://www.homeland1.com/Public-Health/articles/498101-1918-flu-epidemic-worse-second-time-around/ This link shows that the flu epidemic of 1918 was here in Spring but was mild. It got really bad in the fall....right about the time school started up. So, the CDC has to decide who should get the vaccine. Basically, who should live and who should die. Well, I thought I would help them out. Here are my choices....
Healthcare professionals: OK, that's a given. I remember my wife telling me that when pregnant with Jack she would sometimes have to leave the room to throw up. Her patients would always ask and Reagan would say it was morning sickness. Sorry, but if my doc is throwing up when I am getting my physical this fall, I'm out of there. So, give the docs, PAs, nurses, drug reps that sneak around the halls, whoever is there, the vaccine. I want them to be healthy. If they are the only ones to live through the "next epidemic" (or at least whatever is happening during Sweeps month for TV), we could end up with an interesting healthcare plan. Which reminds me....that means no vaccine for health insurers. Sorry if you are one, but if the docs live, you can't. The two of you would fight and kill each other off, thus ending the world.
Teachers/Counselors/School workers: OK, I'm selfish, I want in. Then again I never get a flu shot since I don't believe in them. Then again, I get sick every Christmas. Hmmm.....if you keep on doing what you are doing, you keep on getting what you are getting. I guess I will take the vaccine if offered. Maybe the vaccine could be offered to teachers who produce students with good test scores? A vaccine for performance idea? Sorry...I had to.
From there, its really a crapshoot. I am thinking nutty celebrities should be in the mix along with the people that work for TMZ and Perez Hilton. This apparently is America's only form of entertainment, so we would need them as much as I hate to say it. Don't give it to my KC Royals, they are already sickening. Give it to one newscast team in each local TV area, but base it on whoever has the most accurate forecast. Tell you what, we would have the most accurate weather forecasts ever! With a news team around to report the news, we should probably keep some people to be in the news. That means we need the politicians (seriously...they probably have the vaccine already but haven't told us). Without these people, we wouldn't have any news on fighting, wars, affairs, money laundering, theft, or dinners that cost $500 a plate!
Wow, that's quite a group and I haven't even got to the common people. I am likely pretty close to being out of vaccine, so I would offer the rest up to the lottery system. Open up Powerball to all states for the next few months (you know, before the "Epidemic of 2009 II: This time its personal, I mean, even more personal than last time"). You still win the jackpot if you match all 6 numbers, but now if you match 3 or more, you win the pitiful $7 you normally get for defying the 1 in 360 odds (1 in 787 for 2 numbers plus powerball), but now you also get the vaccine. Considering my Dad has been buying 2 tickets per draw twice a week for 20 years or so now and has hit this winning combo about 6 times, I think this will be a hard enough task for the common person. A side benefit would be the amount of money the lottery would make and give back through schools, public works, etc. Because we all know that when "you play the lottery, you are actually helping yourself and your neighbor through giving". Huh? Anyway, with the remaining vaccines rewarded, the rest of us will have to just hope this 2nd epidemic of 2009 goes like the first one (well, minus the 5000 or so deaths worldwide....don't worry, the U.S has seen 20,000 people die of the regular flu so far in 2009, so 5000 worldwide due to H1N1 is not so bad). All I care about is seeing 2010. My favorite shows "LOST", "24", and "Spiderman 4" start up again then and I would hate for some pig flu to kill me off before the the LOST series finale and those other shows.
With that, I sign off for awhile. With a beer tasting party, er, Open House this weekend and a trip to New York City next week, my summer is closing with a bang. I am already training for school by waking up early and trying to do something school related everyday, but I am nowhere near ready. I hope to still do some blogging in August and maybe even some here and there during the school year. But my new profession has multiple confidentiality laws and rules, so I may just continue to make fun of myself and talk about silly things I do such as nearly knocking myself out twice in 5 minutes with just our vacuum yesterday. And yes, 24 hours later, still a little dizzy from that event. Take care and enjoy more of the cool summer (if you live in the Midwest!).
Love&Prayers,
Ben
3 things to leave you with:
1) Which beer will take home the title as "Best beer according to a sampling of Barry friends, coworkers, and family" this year? 2007's B.O.T.Y (Beer of the Year) was Boulevard Wheat. In 2008, a year focused on darker beers, the award went to Newcastle Brown Ale. I am entering 3 beers this year and we expect as many as 20 beers to vie for the title this year. I might comment below as to what won the August 1st contest. Feel free to leave a comment if you have a beer you think should be entered.
2) OK, I finally watched the wedding video that everyone is talking about. Pretty good. Click here and enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
3) Pictures of the house will be posted in a special blog tonight. I have to figure out how to post lots of pictures, but some of you have emailed me wanting pictures. I finally took some. House is not completly ready yet (may finally be where we want it by 2013), but close. Hopefully, many of you can see it this weekend at the Open House.
2 comments:
This flu stuff really freaks me out. I'm with you on the teachers getting vaccinated. But I've heard that pregnant women are on the priority list, so I'm cool with that!
Healthcare personnel and pregnant women were the 2 mentioned tonight on the news, so you are in good shape. With all the scare in the schools, you can bet staff and students might be considered as well.
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