H1N1... testing, testing...

I'm Just Wondering when we are going to get serious about emerging infectious diseases.

H1N1 "swine flu 2009" was just a dry run for the really really nasty 'next one' coming... we got off very, very nicely with a flu that acts basically like the normal seasonal flu that kills ONLY 1 out of 1000 people that get it.... we found the genome quick, able to replicate it for vaccine, it stayed a STABLE virus (not always the case)...

So... what is the Church going to do in the face of an overwhelming pandemic disease in 2010 that has no vaccine, has no medicine to treat it, is highly infectious within the general public, and has a high mortality rate??? Is every "Bible - believing Christian" going to board up their houses and keep people away with a shot-gun security system??

As a healthcare worker, I am struck with the fact that (reportedly) half of the physicians that entered medical practice in the 1800's contracted Tuberculosis, many of these docs dying of the disease. I am struck by the history of foriegn missionaries who suffered a near-50% mortality within the first 5 years of foreign service, usually due to malaria, yellow fever, typhoid and dissentery.

More than the data, I am struck that so many people, knowing that reality, chose anyway to practice medicine and become foreign missionaries... they counted the cost, and followed Jesus into the place they were called by Him... fearless, it would seem...

Hmmmm....