A Gathering Storm Sheds New Light...

The momentum in bird flu preparedness took on new steam with the draft for a government-wide planin the case of a flu pandemic; and with last week's announcement that research teams have deciphered the genetic sequence of the devastating 1918 influenza virus.

While all of this may highlight our lack of preparedness, at least we can start to do something about it.

The draft of the U.S. government's final plan, which was leaked to The New York Times, reports that a large outbreak beginning in Asia would likely reach the U.S. within a few months, or even weeks, due modern travel patterns. A worse case scenario might see 1.9-million dead and 8.5-million hospitalized.

More than ever, governments and scientists are aware of the daunting scale of preparations we need to undertake. And, with preparations only just beginning, individual contributions truly count right now. One Intent's 20 x 10,000 campaign was launched to help the Royal Institution World Science Assembly (RiSci) urgently accelerate its key role in converting the growing awareness and concern into quick, tangible action. Some of the actions that RiSci will promote include: research; and increasing the capacity to develop, manufacture, and fairly distribute required medicines (which, at the moment, as we all know, are in woefully inadequate supply).

RiSci has been invited by leading NGOs and governments to help them reach businesses, scientists, and other NGOs, as well as the media and you the public at large, to ensure necessary preparations are undertaken in earnest; and to build co-ordination networks between countries. Right now, two-thirds of all countries have no pandemic action plans, and most of those who do, have implemented little or no steps in their plan.

The blogosphere had dedicated October 3rd - 9th as Pandemic Flu Awareness Week, but let's not limit ourselves to only being aware for a single week. Please check back here for regular updates, and help spread the word to those you care about, so they will be on the lookout for news as well, can join the battle, and, most importantly, can be safe and ready too.

Other blogs you can visit are:

• Crawford Kilian's H5N1
• The Flu Wiki
• Effect Measure
• Melanie Mattson's Just a Bump in the Beltway
• Epidemica
• Avian Flu

– Norma Owen, Avadon; and Carolyn G. Wallace, One Intent (Flu Preparedness Team)