SARS has been sharing the headlines with Stand Off Iraq. First, there was ebola virus, and then AIDS, now this.
How can these little guys re-invent themselves to become more resilient versions of themselves... better equipped to survive and remain in existence? How do they work together, to propagate and evolve and surprise us all yet again? We thought we knew everything we had to know about pneumonia. We thought we had it collared, tamed and defeated. We've taken it in stride... just another specie we have to co-exist with, but one to whom we wouldn't even give the time of day. And although some people still die of pneumonia, it's often due to patient negligence than failure of treatment.
But now it's back with a vengeance and it's got us all going bonkers. We don't know the first thing about it and it's getting really scary. At least I know it's got me scared. It's difficult enough to control contagious diseases. Whereas ebola is transmitted through contact with infected animals and the secretions of infected people, and AIDS is transmitted through blood, this virus, if indeed it's a new pneumonia strain, should be airborne by nature. It's just in the air... how do you contain that?
And why should it show it's ugly face now, of all times? I have a feeling these little guys have been sitting smugly for the past 100 years... biding their time, watching. In the meantime, they did everything that was right... had the proper diet, worked out, got enough rest, studied hard, partied less, stayed away from drugs (every now and then I come up with really witty puns, don't you think?)... and now they're a better generation of pathogens. Maybe, with everything that's been going on, they decided that the time is ripe. They could even be a little sarcastic about it. 'Since you people are so bent on exterminating each other, why don't we just give you a hand? We could make it so much easier for you. All you have to do is breathe.'
I bet they're getting colossal mirth from their handiwork. Do they think they're being clever?
How can these little guys re-invent themselves to become more resilient versions of themselves... better equipped to survive and remain in existence? How do they work together, to propagate and evolve and surprise us all yet again? We thought we knew everything we had to know about pneumonia. We thought we had it collared, tamed and defeated. We've taken it in stride... just another specie we have to co-exist with, but one to whom we wouldn't even give the time of day. And although some people still die of pneumonia, it's often due to patient negligence than failure of treatment.
But now it's back with a vengeance and it's got us all going bonkers. We don't know the first thing about it and it's getting really scary. At least I know it's got me scared. It's difficult enough to control contagious diseases. Whereas ebola is transmitted through contact with infected animals and the secretions of infected people, and AIDS is transmitted through blood, this virus, if indeed it's a new pneumonia strain, should be airborne by nature. It's just in the air... how do you contain that?
And why should it show it's ugly face now, of all times? I have a feeling these little guys have been sitting smugly for the past 100 years... biding their time, watching. In the meantime, they did everything that was right... had the proper diet, worked out, got enough rest, studied hard, partied less, stayed away from drugs (every now and then I come up with really witty puns, don't you think?)... and now they're a better generation of pathogens. Maybe, with everything that's been going on, they decided that the time is ripe. They could even be a little sarcastic about it. 'Since you people are so bent on exterminating each other, why don't we just give you a hand? We could make it so much easier for you. All you have to do is breathe.'
I bet they're getting colossal mirth from their handiwork. Do they think they're being clever?
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