How False Rumors Can Cost Lives

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Steven J. Davidson" <davidson () pobox com>
Date: April 27, 2009 12:07:04 AM EDT
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: How False Rumors Can Cost Lives

Dave--for your list if appropriate.

I have said that spreading false rumors in time of epidemic costs  
lives. People have asked me how.
[snip]

Now consider our own universe again. We are facing a flu outbreak. It  
seems most likely that it started at an overcrowded pig farm in  
Veracruz. I estimate it has about a 40% chance of going pandemic, a  
59% chance of fizzling like SARS, and a 1% chance of something else  
entirely. It’s in a critical stage right now; in the next month or so,  
it could go either way. [snip]

http://canonical.org/~kragen/costs-lives.html
Regards to you and your list. /Steve
--
Steven J. Davidson, MD, MBA, FACEP, FACPE
Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine
Maimonides Medical Center, 4802 10th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11219-2916
Office/Fax: 718-283-6030/6042






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