The Bird Flu: Preparedness Planner

by Grattan Woodson, David Jodrey (Editor)

Why Take the Chance? The Bird Flu is real. It's deadly. And it's spreading. Within the next year it could threaten your home, your livelihood, your family and even your life. It may not become the pandemic many experts now fear, but do you really want to take the chance of being totally unprepared? This book is not hype. It's not scare tactics. It's the what avian influenza is and what it can become from a physician who understands not only the bird flu, but what you realistically can and should do to protect your loved ones. Inside you'll There’s no better preparation than information. Before you make any decisions, get the facts from the doctor who knows.

84 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2005

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grattan Woodson wrote the brief book, "The Bird Flu Preparedness Planner," ". . .to prepare his patients for a possible catastrophic event. . ." (page 83). The book, as the title suggests, is a nuts and bolts volume, giving readers a brief introduction to avian flu (with a focus on H5N1) and how to deal with it if a pandemic breaks out.

There are introductory chapters about the nature of avian flu and why it could be so destructive of human life. The chapter beginning on page 21 is where this becomes a useful "how to do it" manual. This looks at "pre-pandemic" preparations, including preparing stockpiles of medicines and supplies that one might need if pandemic strikes. There is also am listing of nonperishable foodstuffs that are worth collecting beforehand.

The chapter beginning on page 41 speaks of home flu treatment advice. The author notes that one of the single most important pieces of advice is to (page 41): ". . .make sure [people:] have plenty of fluids. Dehydration must be prevented, as this can be fatal in a patient who would otherwise survive." Diet recommendations for those afflicted with flu are enumerated as well.

One of the more sobering presentations in this book is a set of maps showing how rapidly that the 1918 pandemic swept across the United States. From a small outbreak in mid-September, we see the entire country infected by October 13th.

For those interested in a brief introduction as to what one might do to prepare, this is a useful volume. Of course, the brevity is also a problem if one wants much more detail. But if what one wants is "quick, dirty, and brief," this is a volume worth looking at.

[Nytetyger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not up to date -- they still list Tamiflu which is pointless now, but a good, basic guide to preparing yourself for the coming flu. I found it amusing, to be honest, as you can try to prepare all you want, but the reality is that there really is NO way to plan if it does come.