Back in 2005 and 2006 – People were in panic mode about the new avian influenza. Here are the top ten questions asked at our educational forums: 1. What is the “Bird Flu?” 2. Do domestic birds spread the contagious disease? 3. How many human cases have occurred? 4. How do people become infected? 5. How serious is the current risk for world wide impact? 6. What drugs are available for treatment? 7. Can a pandemic be prevented? 8. Is the world adequately prepared? 9. What is the local plan for preparedness? 10. What can we do to protect our family? Today we can substitute the “Corona” virus for the “Bird Flu.” The fear that grips people when they don’t have the information they need to make common sense decisions is the same. But this fear too will pass and we will be all the more wiser and better prepared for the next novel disease. We are being asked again to present our educational programs where we teach our young children the “Flu Buster Song” and the “Shaka Shake Song” to help them remember how to stay healthy. Today, many people on Kauai have forgotten their fear of chickens in 2005 and the tourists actually think the wild chickens everywhere on the island are cute. Lessons learned.
