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The Flu Pandemic and You: A Canadian Guide
An essential survival guide—both to pandemic influenza, and to the hype surrounding it.
Written by an emergency physician and a public health physician, The Flu Pandemic and You is a timely and forthright guide on how to prepare for an influenza pandemic, and how to understand the broader context in which this health threat exists.
With cool heads and professional expertise, Drs. Lam and Lee carefully explain how readers can assess their level of risk, and set out practical advice on how to contend with a pandemic, addressing such issues
• How the flu virus works and what level of threat Canadians really face
• How to help protect yourself and your family from contracting influenza
• How to identify symptoms
• What you need to know about antiviral drugs
• What to do in a worst-case scenario
The Flu Pandemic and You develops a lucid framework to help people understand the current anxiety about influenza in the context of the risks we all face in our daily lives. This crucially important book, full of reasoned, knowledgeable advice, is an indispensable resource for fearful times.
Written by an emergency physician and a public health physician, The Flu Pandemic and You is a timely and forthright guide on how to prepare for an influenza pandemic, and how to understand the broader context in which this health threat exists.
With cool heads and professional expertise, Drs. Lam and Lee carefully explain how readers can assess their level of risk, and set out practical advice on how to contend with a pandemic, addressing such issues
• How the flu virus works and what level of threat Canadians really face
• How to help protect yourself and your family from contracting influenza
• How to identify symptoms
• What you need to know about antiviral drugs
• What to do in a worst-case scenario
The Flu Pandemic and You develops a lucid framework to help people understand the current anxiety about influenza in the context of the risks we all face in our daily lives. This crucially important book, full of reasoned, knowledgeable advice, is an indispensable resource for fearful times.
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 20, 2020
3.5 ⭐
I read this in 2010 after the H1N1 flu outbreak (which now seems almost benign, compared to the present pandemic). The book is well researched and written in a plain, easy to follow style by two ER doctors who are front line veterans of the 2003 SARS outbreak.
Because of the authors' knowledge, experience and research the book now appears prophetic, it's topics are currently the stories on the daily news: how much and what kind of foods to lay in; the potential shortage of ventilators and other medical supplies; the need for social distancing; the efficacy of anti viral drugs, the race to find a vaccine. Because the book's focus is on a potential influenza pandemic, it does not track 100% with the COVID 19 outbreak but all of the practical advice is still useful. For example it talks about when and when not to use a face mask.
Did reading this a decade ago make a difference? I do some of things it suggested. We have roughly a months worth of food on hand (which is just a good idea, always). I kept my landline and bought a wind up radio.
I wouldn't particularly recommend running out and getting this book as a survival guide as the information now being provided by governments and the media will be more tailored to the current situation. But if your interested in the history of pandemics, how they work and some generally applicable advice about protecting yourself, it's a good choice. The good news, the authors tell us, is that even in a worse case scenario ( the Spanish Flu), 95% of us will survive. Not bad odds.
I read this in 2010 after the H1N1 flu outbreak (which now seems almost benign, compared to the present pandemic). The book is well researched and written in a plain, easy to follow style by two ER doctors who are front line veterans of the 2003 SARS outbreak.
Because of the authors' knowledge, experience and research the book now appears prophetic, it's topics are currently the stories on the daily news: how much and what kind of foods to lay in; the potential shortage of ventilators and other medical supplies; the need for social distancing; the efficacy of anti viral drugs, the race to find a vaccine. Because the book's focus is on a potential influenza pandemic, it does not track 100% with the COVID 19 outbreak but all of the practical advice is still useful. For example it talks about when and when not to use a face mask.
Did reading this a decade ago make a difference? I do some of things it suggested. We have roughly a months worth of food on hand (which is just a good idea, always). I kept my landline and bought a wind up radio.
I wouldn't particularly recommend running out and getting this book as a survival guide as the information now being provided by governments and the media will be more tailored to the current situation. But if your interested in the history of pandemics, how they work and some generally applicable advice about protecting yourself, it's a good choice. The good news, the authors tell us, is that even in a worse case scenario ( the Spanish Flu), 95% of us will survive. Not bad odds.
April 26, 2020
[This review is taken from my blog and was written Nov 2009] This book is a guide to the pandemic. It was written with the avian flu pandemic (H5N1) in mind, but since 2006 H1N1 has come to the fore. Fortunately the issues are all but identical. (Thrillingly enough, H5N1 is still out there and could strike at any moment!) The book includes, among other things, the history of flu epidemics and pandemics, an explanation of the WHO pandemic stages, how to prepare for a pandemic, how to limit the spread of flu, and how to care for others with the flu.
The most interesting thing was the degree of preparedness the authors recommend. A while ago I read that Cody Lundin book, When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes, and he advocated some pretty extreme levels of preparedness, including planning alternative places to poo if the water system goes down, and figuring out how to keep your house warm if the power (or natural gas) system fails. Lam and Lee don't go that far, but they do recommend keeping plenty of food, water, and medical supplies on hand, and even a camp stove to cook on.
The Flu Pandemic and You is written clearly and informs without alarming. The chapters on preparedness and caring for sick people make it worth buying to have on the shelf for reference. [Ironically, dear reader, I did not buy a copy.]
The most interesting thing was the degree of preparedness the authors recommend. A while ago I read that Cody Lundin book, When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes, and he advocated some pretty extreme levels of preparedness, including planning alternative places to poo if the water system goes down, and figuring out how to keep your house warm if the power (or natural gas) system fails. Lam and Lee don't go that far, but they do recommend keeping plenty of food, water, and medical supplies on hand, and even a camp stove to cook on.
The Flu Pandemic and You is written clearly and informs without alarming. The chapters on preparedness and caring for sick people make it worth buying to have on the shelf for reference. [Ironically, dear reader, I did not buy a copy.]
April 6, 2020
I first read this book in 2008, when it was just a warning to get prepared. Reading now during the greatest pandemic in over a century is quite sobering. No doubt, Dr. Lam will have another chapter to add when this is all over.
December 18, 2020
Interesting book.
It is still too bad that some people can't abide by the rules and are still going to things like gyms in the pandemic.
It is still too bad that some people can't abide by the rules and are still going to things like gyms in the pandemic.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews