Oh sure, years ago I used to read those medical thrillers by people like Robin Cook and I'd spend a few days pondering or obsessing over what would happen if this stuff was real. Back in the old days we just had to trust that smart people in the government were thinking about this. Today, thanks to the power of the internet, we can follow along as those smart people think. We are actually encouraged to follow along and join the discussion because WE are smart too. Amazing how far we've come, isn't it?

Yesterday Secretary of the US Health & Human Services, Michael O. Levitt, held a leadership conference on pandemic preparedness. They've been blogging about Pandemic Flu for weeks leading up to the conference and they'll be blogging a bit more in the week ahead. Visit them at Pandemic Flu Leadership Blog and don't just read the posts themselves, read the comments.

Not only are experts and government officials blogging, there are some well-known bloggers in there as well.

Are you wondering what Pandemic Flu is and why it's something you should be interested in (besides as a great topic for a medical thriller)?

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time.

Check out the pandemic flu information for your state and this very good list of links to helpful information for families.

I really love that bloggers were included in this leadership conference. Check out Michael Costin from the Avian Flu Diary:

To anyone expecting that Secretary Leavitt would step up to the podium yesterday, wave a magic wand, and radically change government pandemic policies, I suppose yesterday’s summit was a bit of a disappointment. Magic wands are in short supply in Washington, and rarely are Cabinet Level officials issued one. They must, regrettably, rely on mere mortal powers when running a Federal agency.

Nedra Weinreich is s smart woman - she's all for grassroots campaigns, working alongside government campaigns:

That’s where the grassroots approach comes in. A vibrant and engaged community of concerned citizens has developed over time in various places online, such as the Flu Wiki and the Pandemic Flu Information Forum. On their own, they have come together to share news and preparedness tips, and many participants have tasked themselves with educating their community leaders and neighbors.

Pandemic flu doesn't sound like a very interesting topic to spend a couple of hours blog surfing, does it? Well it is - very interesting. Don't take my word for it, go surf it yourself.

~~Denise
Flamingo House Happenings and Fast Times @ Homeschool High