In the 1970s, the federal government attempted to vaccinate every American against the swine flu. It did not go well.
What can be done to improve the hurry-up-and-wait reality of vaccination approval when it comes to more dangerous pandemics?
I think we need to change the phrase "breed like rabbits" to "breed like humans," as no other species on this planet even comes close to the human reproduction rate. As our population grows, available land shrinks and more and more people are forced to live in crowded, urbanized environments, a situation ripe for the easy spread and emergence of infectious agents.
We could blame Ike for starting the Korean War, knock George W. Bush for not stopping the USS Cole bombing, accuse Bill Clinton of not stopping the L.A. Riots of 1992 or even blame Reagan for the 1980 recession. Or presidential candidates could learn to see when the job that they aspire to actually begins.
Calm down, people! Yes, Ebola is devastating, and it may continue to gnaw at Africa and the developing world, but it won't turn into an American catastrophe. Let me explain why I believe we will win this battle.
In her riveting debut young adult novel Pandemic, Yvonne Ventresca tells the story of Lilianna, a traumatized teenager struggling to survive a bird flu pandemic.
Breeding pigs spend most of their lives in crates only inches larger than their bodies. Crushing boredom and depression cause compulsive behaviors like head-banging. Do you really want your choices to support such a system?
