Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 4
Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
Very worried—“The virus may soon develop the ability to transmit from one human to another… This is of great concern. Earlier birds… then it started affecting mammals and now the virus has evolved and developed the ability to infect humans…” @WHO Farrar
2) “We have to make sure that the H5N1 does not come across humans as it can easily develop the ability to transmit between humans.”
3) Last year, scientists warned of a key mutation that would help supercharge human transmission down the road — the critical “E627K” mutation in the virus’s RNA polymerase PB2 gene. ➡️Well, guess what effing appeared in a CDC report for the first time last month in an infected Texas man? ⚠️That very goddamn E627K mutation! This is mammalian adaptation. This is why WHO is warning we are maybe approaching the brink of human adaptation.
4) This was precisely my worry last month when I also warned about this key mutation when it was found in the Texas man who got infected. Later studies show that the mutation seemingly arose just in the man.
5) Notice how much the CDC tried do downplay this E627K mutation when they found it last month. Yet a year ago, the Science article from 2023 warned it was one of the most worrisome mutations for avian flu to acquire for human danger!
6) Again, the new E627K mutation was specifically “Acquired in the patient”!
7) Translation—this mutation is NEWLY EVOLVED. It’s not been seen much in birds or cows before. This specific strain with E627K seems to have emerged in the Texas man. This is why we are worried. The virus is evolving and this mutation is being favorably selected (unfortunately)
The human got infected by close regular association with cows. Our eyes may be good receptors. The theory behind the cows getting infected is that evidently the sweepings off chicken house floors and scat are mixed in with other cow feed and fed to the cows.
No. of Recommendations: 1
It's a question of "when", not "if". There will be a repeat of the Spanish Flu. Just a matter of time.
COVID was only 4% lethality. The flu, when it happens, likely will be much higher. Expect mass graves and bonfires of bodies.
No. of Recommendations: 3
IIRC the Spanish Flu was tracked back to the USA. I think it was called the Spanish Flu because they didn't limit their broadcasts about it.
No. of Recommendations: 2
It probably didn't originate in Spain. I've seen articles asserting it was from the US. Could be. Boot camps became hospitals as new recruits fell ill almost immediately.
I've also read assertions that the flu ended WW1 because nobody could field troops by 1918.
