Post #120516 by Geeky Tiki on Tue, Oct 19, 2004 11:36 PM

Best way to make people demand flu shots is to tell 'em they can't have 'em.

Brilliant.

The viruses follow a network TV schedule.

I think West Nile was only used as a summer replacement fear mongering item, and the new flu fall season of fear mongering has started.

If things get really slow, they'll start with reruns of Flesh-Eating Strep or Ebola outbreaks.

SARS will return late winter if flu ratings are down.

One of the more interesting things to check out is how flu strains get whipped up.

Turns out that people and pigs can get the same flu, but not ducks.

Pigs and ducks can get the same type of flu, but not people.

Where you have pigs, humans, ducks, and poor sanitation, the flu viruses can meet in the pig and then do virus humping to make a brand new genetic strain that then can gets transmitted to people.

Et viola! A new flu!

That's why they always have flu names from Hong Kong and China and other third worldish places, 'cause that's where those conditions exist to create the strains.

If ya like that, check out parasite life cycles!