nolentem trahunt fata

As anyone reading the news knows, President Obama has declared the H1N1 (swine) influence a national emergency (http://www.wtop.com/?nid=106&sid=1793721; http://www.flu.gov/professional/federal/h1n1emergency10242009.html). As reported, this is to allow "hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect noninfected patients," or "to set up an alternative screening location for patients away from the hospital’s main campus," among other uses.

In answer to the question of "Why do this now?" the government has answered: "The H1N1 epidemic is moving rapidly.  By the time regions or healthcare systems recognize they are becoming overburdened, they need to implement disaster plans quickly." However, I find myself asking, "Is the epidemic really moving that quickly?" CBS investigator Sharyl Attkisson researched the actual N1H1 statistics state-by-state. The overall conclusion she drew was "only a small fraction of cases that doctors flagged as most likely to be swine flu actually tested positive for swine flu at state labs. The vast majority of cases were negative."

Keep in mind that a couple months ago the CDC advised states to stop testing specifically for H1N1 (http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/reportingqa.htm). According to the new recommendations, states should count all cases of influenza (not just H1N1) whether or not they are confirmed or probable. That means no one really has a handle on the true numbers of those infected with H1N1. Yet statements like "Of patients who have tested positive for flu this summer, 98 percent have been found to have swine flu," are still being published (http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/article1022338.ece).

Again, let us have a moment of perspective. First, the United States appears to be ratcheting up its response to H1N1 while other locations are pulling back. For example, Finland downgraded its response to H1N1 because "bulk of patients appeared to recover well without medication or hospital care" (http://newsroom.finland.fi/stt/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=22386&group=General). Second, the World Health Organization has stated that as of 17 October 2009 there have been about 5000 deaths due to H1N1 out of about 415000 confirmed cases (http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_10_23/en/index.html). I only hope that the WHO has better testing protocols than the CDC.

Compare those statistics with another disease, for example malaria. Anywhere from one quarter to one half of a billion people are infected with malaria annually, with one million dying from it annually (http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/facts.htm). That works out to am average of 2700 deaths from malaria every day. So, in the past two days more people have died from malaria than the WHO has admitted died from H1N1 so far this year.

I am glad to see someone in the media finally speaking out against vaccines. Here is a clip from Real Time with Bill Maher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB5DLf1Qt78. Of course, the commenters believe it is unethical for Bill Maher to talk against vaccines. However, I believe it is unethical for the government to force something into our bodies against our will.

I wonder whether or not there is an unspoken reason for all of the fear mongering by the government. Will hospitals really need to make room for an overwhelming number of patients when there has been no flood of sick individuals?

Even though I despise conspiracy theories, there is still a part of me that thinks about them. Think about the fact that the National Emergencies Act of 1976 allows for the revocation of the constitutional rights of habeas corpus and the right to a grand jury for members of the National Guard when in actual service (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Emergencies_Act). Also, remember that an emergency declaration allows FEMA to manage the situation, the same group that blundered so well after hurricane Katrina. If FEMA handles the swine flu they same way they managed the hurricane aftermath, we might all need emergency triage.

Maybe I am paranoid, but I cannot help but worry what the future may hold. Is this simply just a case of the government being prepared? Considering how I believe the government has been corrupted by the money of large corporations, I do not think that is the case. Will the emergency triage tent villages be turned into interment camps for those of us who refuse the vaccine? I hope not, but who knows for sure? Once production is stepped up again will the rest of us be forced to submit to vaccination against our will? What will happen remains to be seen, but let it be known that the current pattern scares me to death.