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Originally Posted by beskeptical
In the case of bird flu, though domestic birds are dying at very high rates, many wild birds with the same infection are not, and neither are pigs which is also a problem.
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I see, I had forgotten that.
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Originally Posted by beskeptical
After the pandemic runs its course, milder organisms are selected which don't kill the host.
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Thank you, this is very insightful. A lot of things are making more sense. Also, I reach two conclusions based on what you said. Can you confirm:
1) there should be a maximum-threat kill percentage, perhaps near the 5% (?) of the 1918 virus (too high and the virus can't spread quickly enough to cause a pandemic, too low and it won't lead to that many deaths).
2) the people who die from a virus are less of a threat to the overall population than those with immunity, as the latter are more responsible for its spread. Not that I mean to imply any culpability or blame, we all spread viruses and it's not anyone's fault unless done intentionally.
Also, I wonder if the issue with birds might go beyond the genetic relationships to humans, to include the simple fact that birds fly? Since people fly now, a lot more than in 1918 (thuogh not as much as birds of course), maybe birds are not as crucial a component of the equation going forward?