| Lee tried to stifle a sneeze but | | | | hospitals and clinics were overrun. |
| couldn't. Invisible to the naked eye, a | | | | Faces masked in paper waited for hours |
| cloud of almost five thousand | | | | in front of pharmacies in hope of |
| virus-filled droplets launched into the | | | | getting relief. Despite clear |
| air at some 150 km/ hour or roughly 100 | | | | instructions from health officials, |
| mph. Some passengers in the wide-body | | | | panic broke out as folk finally fathomed |
| Airbus frowned. The Hong Kong to London | | | | that at best only one third of the |
| flight was long and no one wanted to | | | | population had access to anti-viral |
| catch a cold. | | | | drugs. In rural areas and smaller towns, |
| Lee planned to fill every waking moment | | | | there wasn't any chance at all. |
| of his stay in London. A concert at the | | | | The Short-term Havoc |
| Millennium Dome, dinners at some of the | | | | Rumors and half-truths began to |
| finest hotels, shopping in crowded malls | | | | circulate causing public outcry and |
| - "What a chance," Lee thought. All he | | | | protests. Because the protests only |
| had to concentrate on was a few hours in | | | | helped spread the flu, quarantines were |
| front of the International Board. It was | | | | set in place. The public was told to |
| his job to present sales trends in China | | | | stay at home indefinitely. Vibrant |
| to the bosses who were also winging it | | | | cities screeched to a halt as public |
| towards Heathrow, one of the world's | | | | transport shut down. Streets stank as |
| busiest airports. "The global executives | | | | garbage piled up. Shops were looted and |
| will get only good news from me," | | | | in some cases those caught coughing were |
| figured Lee. "Pity I don't feel better | | | | stoned. Safety services (fire, police, |
| ..." | | | | ambulance) were disrupted, fires burned |
| The Diagnosis | | | | out of control. Cross-border travel was |
| Lee was exhausted. He had a cough, | | | | curtailed killing tourism and all |
| scratchy throat, runny nose and muscle | | | | international sports events were |
| aches. A fever started but it wasn't | | | | cancelled. Food imports were banned |
| until Lee began having difficulties | | | | creating shortages of meat, vegetables |
| breathing that he decided to get help. | | | | and wheat. Folk with chronic medical |
| Doctors huddled in subdued discussion. | | | | illnesses couldn't get their |
| Experts were rushed in. It was finally | | | | medications. Soap and disinfectants - |
| determined that Lee's body was fighting | | | | perhaps the simplest and most effective |
| strenuously against two viruses. Lee had | | | | fight against the spread of disease - |
| caught a highly infectious Influenza A | | | | were in short supply; no one had thought |
| virus - a flu bug. However, at much the | | | | to stock-pile soap. |
| same time he had also picked up a second | | | | The Controversy |
| virus called H5N1. The two viruses had | | | | Local governments and health |
| mixed their genes and formed a hybrid. | | | | organizations began to squabble over who |
| Since this was now a radically new | | | | had the power to do what. The question |
| pathogen, Lee had no immunity to it. | | | | was of legalities: who would control |
| Lee was not the only one in this fight. | | | | distribution of anti-viral drugs and who |
| Infected passengers from Lee's plane | | | | would receive those drugs? Army barracks |
| from Hong Kong had connecting flights to | | | | received attention but prisoners were |
| major cities in most continents. The | | | | ignored. Families with pets were labeled |
| global executives Lee had addressed at | | | | as 'higher risk' groups but no-one knew |
| the office had also flown home diseased. | | | | if these families should receive more |
| Sadly, some of the medical staff where | | | | help or less. As in-fighting became more |
| Lee was diagnosed had also caught it not | | | | severe, decision processing became more |
| to mention the crowds Lee had interacted | | | | difficult. Who should give the daily |
| with at concerts, restaurants and on | | | | press briefings? Who would organize mass |
| shopping sprees. The so-called Bird Flu | | | | cremation? Who would facilitate |
| or Avian Influenza had indeed spread its | | | | conferences for global medical meetings? |
| wings. It was the start of the first flu | | | | The list grew rapidly. |
| pandemic of the 21st century. | | | | The Waves |
| The News | | | | The first wave of the pandemic was over |
| Had Lee or any of the others known in | | | | in three months time but not the shock. |
| time, they would have taken anti-viral | | | | Bacterial disease such as cholera |
| drugs hoping to block or at least slow | | | | multiplied rapidly with catastrophic |
| down the replication of the virus. At | | | | results across Africa and Asia. The |
| least the severity of some symptoms | | | | longer-term, global recession began with |
| might have been eased not to mention a | | | | the realization that supply-lines, |
| reduction in the duration of sickness. | | | | manufacturing and food-production chains |
| But time had run out - anti-viral | | | | were desperately weakened through labor |
| medication needed to be taken within 48 | | | | loss. Medical facilities were terribly |
| hours of the first stages of the | | | | understaffed. As usual, the poor had |
| disease. | | | | little chance of aid at all. And then |
| It wasn't long before Lee was put on a | | | | came the second wave of Avian flu. It |
| respirator in quarantine. It also wasn't | | | | took over a year before the waves of |
| long before the media found out Lee had | | | | sickness and death became controllable. |
| Bird Flu. The public became nervous. The | | | | Lee actually survived it all. Although |
| number of flu patients - real or | | | | he "started" the pandemic, he also |
| imaginary - multiplied dramatically but | | | | helped "end" it. Doctors used his blood |
| nurses and hospital staff were strangely | | | | to find the initial vaccine. Since Lee |
| missing ... using overdue holiday time | | | | was also now immune, he not only |
| or just not showing up for work at all. | | | | volunteered to help where he could and |
| It was announced that schools, | | | | also founded the World Association of |
| restaurants, and non-essential | | | | Sensible Hygiene (WASH). More |
| businesses would be closed. No deadline | | | | importantly, Lee and others like him |
| was given - no one knew for sure how | | | | helped disrupted societies regain their |
| long the measures would have to be in | | | | faith and hope and love. Since this was |
| place. | | | | pandemic number 11 in the last 300 |
| The Public Announcement | | | | years, history had taught that it was |
| Wisely, the public was advised to stock | | | | inevitable that individuals and |
| up on food and water. Newspapers advised | | | | communities and countries would bounce |
| people to stock up on toothpaste, toilet | | | | back fairly quickly. But a bitter |
| paper and treasure (cash). People were | | | | question remained. Would Lee and the |
| told to shop at off-peak hours and | | | | rest of the world be better prepared for |
| public transport was ordered to run 24 | | | | the next pandemic? Lee wondered that too |
| hours per day. But despite warnings to | | | | as he bordered the wide-body Airbus |
| the contrary, doctor's offices, | | | | destined for Mexico City. |