The following is an excellent oview despite the date is still relevant, I found some interesting observations. The PDF file is easy on the eyes with good use of graphics to break down the numbers. If this has been posted previously, please delete.
OCTOBE R 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Sherry Cooper is a Canadian economist
(excerpts)
“The Philippine government, for instance, has no Tamiflu stockpile….”
“So where will the cancer testing, biopsies and chemotherapies and radiation occur? What about heart surgery, maternity wards, prenatal care, and infant ICUs? What about visitations and hospices for terminally ill patients? The medical questions are endless—we got a taste of this during the 2003 SARS outbreak in Toronto.
“The full effect of pandemic on inflation (for goods and services in short supply) and deflation (as demand for some goods and services plunge), and commensurate movements in interest rates, gold prices, currencies and stock prices would depend on the length and severity of the pandemic.
“…only two American companies produce health-care particulate respirator and surgical face masks. 3M is one of them, but it does not produce masks in the U.S. and it uses Chinese rayon in their production. Face masks would fl y off the shelves and restocking would be impossible.
Black markets in face masks (as an example) would develop and crime would become a serious problem. The military and National Guard, as well as police and fi re fi ghters, would be needed to maintain the peace, and yet their ranks will be depleted by illness.
Just as residents of New Orleans had lived through lesser hurricanes, and therefore ignored or denied the risk of a monster hurricane, many react similarly to the threat of a flu pandemic.”
Closed to maintain Forum speed.