Early action, proactivity, and preparation are key.

Take the 1918 pandemic, for example.

There is a very interesting article in the New York Times today telling the story of how different cities reacted differently to the news of the 1918 pandemic -- also known as the Spanish Flu. For example, St. Louis, due to its quick action (ie. they immediately quarantined those with flu symptoms), had half the death rate of Philadelphia – who did not take proactive actions to quarantine the virus.

Why are we focusing on this now?

Yes, the furor of a possible pandemic has died down, but the threat of a widespread pandemic from a mutated form of the bird flu still exists – and we need to be prepared. As was the case in the 1918 pandemic – timing is everything. Our government needs to be prepared for such an emergency – but each one of us should do our parts. How? By being knowledgeable about what is occurring. The official pandemic flu site is a great resource for up to the minute information. CareTALK will also have video pods and further information regarding how you can prepare yourself and your loved ones for a possible pandemic.

If you want further information regarding the 1918 Spanish flu, you can watch "Remembering the 1918 Pandemic" on the CareTALK channel on YouTube.