The past isn't always prologue

When I asked my former gastroenterologist what she thought of this new coronavirus I had heard about, she was dismissive: "Ah! These things come along every few years." So you aren't worried, I asked? "No, I'm not."

Within a few months, we were all wearing masks and seeing corpses pile up outside makeshift morgues in New York City.

"Dr. Phillips (name changed) also downplayed it," my APRN said, nodding because I had commented on the poor aforementioned medical assessment.

Now civilization faces H5N1 "bird flu" and I have not heard anyone in my tiny social circle discussing it. With news of a third human case, it is time to start discussing it, and more importantly testing for it broadly. But will we?

I argue that the reason we do not is humans' innate difficulty to plan for odd events. We throw annual St. Patrick's Day parades, gay parades, Renaissance Faires and office Christmas parties. Assigned Secret Santa to coworker Robert, I know to buy either graphic socks or Jim Beam. Shelly, who has the luck of buying for me, knows to purchase a faux leather journal, cool pens or Burberry Brit perfume.

What we humans aren't so good at, though, is changing course. We say we are good at change, but we are not good at adapting to very new ideas, challenges, places, concepts and people. People are comforted by areas of familiarity, not the unfamiliar. I gravitate to the unfamiliar - a hallmark of the passionate traveler - but even within that context, I'll eat at a McDonald's in Paris or gobble nachos in West London. We do what is comfortable.

I was reminded of humans' tendency to base their current course on empirical data when I adopted a cat a few years ago. Even when she was exhibiting bobcat-like behavior, it was so foreign to me that I downplayed the scratches and gashes, the seething, growling terrifying but desperate-for-love oreo cutie's ability to shred my guts in her sleep. Because I had only had domestic cats who behaved fairly well, owning one who did not was difficult to process.

When Covid hit I immediately knew it was something to fear. I now have a growing fear about bird flu. I hope others will as well.

Image: Avian Influenza ( Bird Flu ) Sign. Avian influenza (bird flu)sign at the junction of the A140 and the B1078. This had become the exit of a restricted zone back in 2007. For more info see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/content/articles/2007/02/05/bird_flu_holton_reaction_feature.shtml other side of the sign see 338394

Date13 February 2007