By Dr. Mercola
H5N1, aka the bird flu, doesn’t spread easily among humans, but its capability to mutate has scientists worrying whether it could mutate enough to cause a human pandemic. According to the featured article in The New York Timesi, a 10-year old Cambodian girl died on May 27 after being infected with the H5N1 a week earlier:
“The girl was the most recent documented victim of the influenza virus H5N1, a strain that has caused 606 known human cases and 357 deaths since it re-emerged in 2003 after a six-year absence.
H5N1 can race through bird populations, and the World Health Organization suspects the girl was infected while preparing chicken for a meal.
While humans are not ideal hosts for H5N1, bird flu viruses do sometimes manage to adapt for easy transmission from human to human, and the results can be devastating. In 1918, one such transformation led to the Spanish flu pandemic, a global outbreak that claimed an estimated 50 million people.”
It’s déjà vu all over again folks, and they’re using the same tired old examples to hype the fear, namely the 1918 Spanish flu. This despite the fact researchers have since questioned the cause of that pandemic, suggesting its lethality may have had more to do with bacterial strep infections than the flu virus itself.
Déjà vu: One Profitable Flu Hoax After Another…
In recent years we’ve seen a number of hyped flu pandemics that never materialized. While it’s prudent to be aware that a pandemic could occur, what we’ve repeatedly seen is that this slim possibility is massively over-sold, allowing drug companies to rake in billions of dollars for inadequately tested vaccines and other dangerous and/or ineffective anti-viral drugs.
Sadly, each time a greater number of people tend to end up being harmed by the drugs and vaccines than succumb to the alleged “pandemic” virus…
•The non-existent 1976 swine flu pandemic: In 1976 the U.S. acted out the first swine flu pandemic scare, devising a vaccine program in which FORTY FIVE MILLILON people were vaccinated for the swine flu that had already disappeared. The hastily contrived vaccination program resulted in hundreds of Guillain Barre Syndrome paralysis victims and 25 deaths for a flu pandemic that never actually materialized. Within a few months, claims totaling $1.3 billion had been filed by victims who were permanently disabled from the vaccine, and more people died from the vaccine than from the virus itself.
•The 2005 bird flu hoax: Headlines warned the U.S. was facing a cataclysmic extermination event, with a calculated two million Americans succumbing to the bird flu. The best case scenario called for the death of 200,000 Americans. Then, as now, constant references to the tragedy of 1918 heightened the fear factor to a fever pitch, despite the fact that the scientific data did not support any of these hyped claims.
At that time, they mysteriously translated the minuscule number of deaths of bird handlers that had occurred worldwide into an impending extermination-level event from a virus that did not—and still does not—readily spread from birds to humans, nor between humans.
Most of the people who acquire the infection were, and still are, bird handlers in continuous contact with sick birds. How anyone in their right mind could envision similar circumstances among the general population of the United States is a mystery, but it goes to show that it’s unwise to throw common sense to the wind…
•Bird flu hoax repeats: In 2006, 2007, and again in 2008, hyped warnings over the bird flu were repeatedly exposed as little more than a cruel hoax, designed to instill fear and line the pocketbooks of industry and various vested individuals.
•The 2009 swine flu hoax: After four consecutive years of bird flu warnings that just refused to come to fruition, the H1N1 swine flu became front-page news again. This turned out to be yet another faux threat that cost tax payers billions, and in which hastily concocted vaccines wrought havoc across the world. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine was the most reactive flu vaccine ever created, and just like its 1976 predecessor, it harmed far more people than the virus itself.
Bird Flu Mutation Possible; Renewed Calls for Fast-Tracked Vaccines
In recent weeks, we’ve heard renewed fears about the potential of the H5N1 bird flu to cause widespread death and destruction, and the need to stock up on pandemic vaccines. The calls for fast-tracked pandemic bird flu vaccines are in response to the publication of two studies detailing the successful mutation of the H5N1 virus into a more virulent and airborne strain. Both studies were published in the June 22 issue of the journal Scienceii, iii.
According to their findings, it only takes five mutations for the bird flu virus to become more easily transmittable. So here we go again…According to a recent article in USA Todayiv.
“Knowing that the H5N1 bird flu can mutate into a form that can be easily transmitted, researchers have redoubled efforts to quickly create a vaccine should a pandemic strain emerge.
The good news is that there now exists technology that makes creating vaccines much faster than in the past, says Rino Rappuoli, global head of vaccines research for Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, in Siena, Italy… Fast and increasingly inexpensive machines allow the genomes, or genetic blueprints, of newly evolved flu varieties to be quickly sequenced. Instead of needing to ship live virus to vaccine manufacturers, today researchers only need to e-mail a computer file containing the genetic code.
Scientists can then simply buy short strands of genetic code from commercial DNA synthesis companies and stitch them together in the correct order to synthesize a copy, creating a virus “seed.” This can quickly be grown in cell cultures to produce vaccines. It is a process that is much faster than the current one, which involves injecting the actual virus into chicken eggs to grow. “The hurdle will be only to change the regulatory process,” Rappuoli says.”
As I’ve discussed on numerous occasions, there are tremendous hazards inherent with fast-tracking vaccines. By their very definition, fast-tracked vaccines are those that have received very little safety testing prior to being used, and US regulations already place ALL the risk on the public receiving the vaccine, regardless of whether the vaccine is mandated or voluntary. Vaccine makers can more or less create a lethal vaccine and get away scot free at this point; they’re that well protected against liability for adverse events of pandemic vaccines.
The Great Bird Flu Hoax
In 2006, I became so convinced by the evidence AGAINST the possibility of a bird flu pandemic that I wrote the book The Great Bird Flu Hoax, detailing the massive fraud involved. The book went on to become a New York Times bestseller. In it I explained how:
•Multi-national drug companies and food corporations pour billions into manipulating your perception of health and the daily news, just to increase their profits, and the health threats (and ethics breaches) they are really responsible for
•Scientists are bought by drug companies and other big business to report whatever “research findings” they have been paid to report
•Government is more than just complicit—it actively works with the drug companies and other stalwarts of the conventional healthcare paradigm, and are directly responsible for raising false alarms in order to draw your attention away from the real public health and safety issues they perpetuate
Right now, we’re seeing these tactics in full swing again. On June 26, Reutersv reported that the 2009 swine flu outbreak was 15 times deadlier than initially reported, according to a newly published study in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.vi The study came to this conclusion using statistical modeling:
“The swine flu pandemic of 2009 killed an estimated 284,500 people, some 15 times the number confirmed by laboratory tests at the time, according to a new study by an international group of scientists. The study, published on Tuesday in the London-based journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, said the toll might have been even higher – as many as 579,000 people.
The original count, compiled by the World Health Organization, put the number at 18,500. Those were only the deaths confirmed by lab testing, which the WHO itself warned was a gross underestimate because the deaths of people without access to the health system go uncounted, and because the virus is not always detectable after a victim dies.”
Please… Let me draw your attention back to an explosive CBS News investigation published in October 2009, which clearly showed that the vast majority of “swine flu cases” were not any type of flu at all, let alone H1N1! Rather, based on lab testing, the vast majority of people who reported flu-like symptoms had some other type of cold or upper respiratory infection. It’s also worth noting that the lead researcher of this Lancet study, Dr. Fatimah Dawood, works for the CDC—an agency that has a very clear interest in justifying the actions taken in response to the alleged swine flu pandemic, as well as justifying any future actions to a perceived pandemic, such as the now hyped bird flu.
Sharyl Attkisson was the investigative reporter behind the groundbreaking CBS News study that found H1N1 flu cases were nowhere near as prevalent as feared. I interviewed her about this last year. If you missed it then, I highly recommend reviewing it now, to learn how the CDC managed to paint such a contrary picture of reality.
Major Fraud Alert
This latest Lancet study appears to be little more than abject fear mongering, designed to reinvent history and ignite concerns that maybe, just maybe, the 2009 swine flu debacle was a real event after all. Nothing could be further from the truth. There were deaths from the flu, yes. People die from complications of the flu every single year. But the 2009 H1N1 “pandemic” was actually one of the MILDEST flu seasons in recent years with the fewest number of reported deaths.
The only reason they managed to keep the pandemic charade going as long as it did was because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised states to STOP testing for H1N1 flu, and they also stopped counting individual cases in late July 2009. Their rationale for this, according to CBS News, was that it was a waste of resources to test for H1N1 flu because it was already confirmed as an epidemic. So NO lab tests were done for anyone for the bulk of the “epidemic,” and anyone with a viral illness like a simple cold was classified as having swine flu.
What this meant was that virtually every person who visited their physician with flu-like symptoms since late July 2009 was assumed to have H1N1. If anything, this will tell us that the numbers of infection and subsequent deaths will automatically be grossly overstated, not understated, as WHO claims. And this is exactly what the three-month-long investigation by CBS News revealed. After reviewing the actual lab results across all 50 US states performed prior to the CDC ending all testing, they discovered that:
” The vast majority of cases were negative for H1N1 as well as seasonal flu, despite the fact that many states were specifically testing patients deemed to be most likely to have H1N1 flu, based on symptoms and risk factors, such as travel to Mexico…. “If you’ve been diagnosed “probable” or “presumed” 2009 H1N1 or “swine flu” in recent months, you may be surprised to know this: odds are you didn’t have H1N1 flu. In fact, you probably didn’t have flu at all.”
Again, to be clear, the Lancet study claiming the 2009 swine flu pandemic killed 15 times the number of laboratory-confirmed H1N1 cases came to this conclusion using statistical modeling, whereas the CBS investigation looked at the results of actual lab-testing conducted across the 50 states. If as little as one to two percent of all flu-like illnesses were due to H1N1, then it stands to reason that the death toll due to H1N1 was quite insignificant, and the risk of it having been “grossly underestimated” is slim…
This strategy is tobacco science at its finest. It’s very effective, yet it continues to amaze me how this bastardization and perversion of the scientific process is not more carefully scrutinized. Especially in light of the massive collusion and revolving doors between federal regulatory agencies and the vaccine industry. For example, the former head of the CDC, Julie Gerberding, is now the president of Merck’s vaccine unit, which is the largest producer of vaccines in the worldvii.
Vaccine Makers are Not Liable for Damage Resulting from Pandemic Vaccines
As calls for fast-tracked vaccines are escalating, it’s important to remember that the U.S. government has granted vaccine makers total legal immunity from any lawsuits that result from any new fast-tracked pandemic vaccine. Drug manufacturers got a major boost in protection and were granted unprecedented powers to experiment on the population with the passing of the 2006 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (the PREP Act). This law allows the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to invoke almost complete immunity from liability for manufacturers of vaccines and drugs used to combat a declared public health emergency.
The PREP Act removes your right to a trial jury unless you can provide clear evidence of willful misconduct that resulted in death or serious physical injury. But that’s not all. First you must apply for and be granted permission to sue by the DHHS Secretary.
The most problematic aspect of the PREP Act is that it removes all financial incentive to make a safe product.
In fact, vaccine makers now have a negative incentive to test it for safety, because if they are aware of problems, then they could potentially be held liable for willful misconduct! As long as they can prove they “didn’t know” of any problem, they will not be liable for damages. Hence it’s in their best interest to know as little as possible about the adverse reactions it might cause. It seems unimaginable, but you and your children are now being enlisted as an unpaid human trial subjects for experimental, fast-tracked vaccines like the swine flu vaccine, and any soon-to-come bird flu vaccine.
How to Protect Yourself Against the Flu Without Vaccination
While the media is sure to continue hyping the bird flu, I’d like to remind you that a healthy immune system is your best and primary defense against any viral threat. Following these simple guidelines will help you keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you’re far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with.
•Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I’ve previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds. This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng/ml year-round.
An inexpensive option to get your vitamin D levels checked on a regular basis is to join the GrassrootsHealth D*action Project.
•Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.
•Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you’re tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.
•Have Effective Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness. If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as the Emotional Freedom Technique, which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma.
•Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.
•Take a Good Source of Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.
•Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap for this — antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.
•Use Natural Antibiotics. Examples include colloidal silver, oil of oregano, and garlic. These work like broad-spectrum antibiotics against bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in your body. And unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, they do not appear to lead to resistance.
•Avoid Hospitals. I’d recommend avoiding hospitals unless you’re having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to any new bug. Also keep in mind that virtually all vaccinations will LOWER your immune system (this is the main job of the vaccine adjuvants), NOT make it stronger!