And here in the US, I’ve also got to worry about the tariff shortages 🙃

  • collapse_already@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    17 hours ago

    We are getting rid of the people who detect and report pandemics. First, you will only notice high absentee rates at the office. Then you’ll start getting large numbers of invitations to funerals for people who seemed perfectly healthy the last time you saw them. Then, you’ll develop a scrachy feeling in your throat. Good luck…

  • hOrni@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    51
    ·
    2 days ago

    It won’t be a pandemic. The rest of the world isn’t stupid enough to appoint an antivaxer as secretary of health.

    • eldain@feddit.nl
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      2 days ago

      When the measles get to out-evolve the vaccine in the US petridish, shit could get nasty.

    • amino@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      1 day ago

      even if you achieve herd immunity, there will always be breakthrough cases, as with all pandemics. vaccines without respirators, contact tracing, purifying the air, etc etc will lead to the same catastrophic results as covid.

      most countries abandoned basic health measures for covid, and that should alarm everyone for the next pandemic

      • owsei
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        2 days ago

        WHO defines it as “an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries…”

        • entwine413@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          2 days ago

          It usually doesn’t say it has to be, it just uses multiple continents as an example of a large geographic area. Of course, there are multiple different definitions out there.

          Regardless, it’s silly to assume the virus would stay in the US.

    • 9point6@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      55
      ·
      2 days ago

      They’re having both a bird flu & measles problem at the same time and burying their heads in the sand about it.

      Oh and they fired a load of people doing Ebola research

      And this one isn’t strictly a pandemic, but the USA is currently basically carpet bombing parts of Mexico (with their consent) to prevent the northward progression of screwworms—which are even worse than you’re currently imagining.

      I’ve probably forgotten something else biological that mother nature is currently doing to indicate her displeasure in the politically driven ignorance they’ve got going on over there.

      • wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        edit-2
        2 days ago

        I recall a story, can’t remember where I read it, where a creator deity demonstrates their displeasure with the leader’s treatment of a downtrodden minority by sending a large number of “plagues”. I remember there was a plague of flies, all the livestock started dying of sudden disease, and an epidemic of boils broke out… Hmm… If only the US were filled with people who believed in the literal interpretation of certain old books…

        ETA: of course, that would require these people to be able to read.