Think Like a Freak

by Steven D. Levitt

LEVITT: One of the things for sure we should worry a lot less about is terrorism. Taking off our shoes in the airport and stuff like that. It’s a lot of nonsense. But something I think we should worry about more—but I might be wrong—is pandemic. We have a great faith in the health system and the knowledge of doctors in medicines. But when it comes to things like really bad flus, like the 1918 flu, if one of those came, it would just ravage the world in a way that people can’t even comprehend. I think the entire health system would shut down in a way. HARI: How much of this is a hunch or do you have actual data to see? LEVITT: So it’s an informed hunch based on fact. One of the things we learned is that ERs recirculate air so if something really bad, such as spores or whatever, were to be floating around the air, the ER will need to be evacuated.

Wow