Climate Change To Bring A Wave Of New Health Risks

[True_Blue]

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Climate change will not only bring about a warmer world, it is also very likely to set the stage for an unhealthier one.

As a result, governments and health officials need to begin to think about how to respond to an anticipated increase in the number and scope of climate-related health crises, ranging from killer heat waves and famine, to floods and waves of infectious diseases.

That, in a nutshell, was the message delivered to scientists Feb. 20 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) by Jonathan A. Patz, an authority on the human health effects of global environmental change.

As the world's climate warms, and as people make widespread alterations to the global landscape, human populations will become far more vulnerable to heat-related mortality, air pollution-related illnesses, infectious diseases and malnutrition, Patz says.
more....
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050223141555.htm

[applegrove]

1. "CLIMATE CHANGE"? How about Environmental deterioration?

[wildflower]

8. I think you're on to something.

First it was "global warming," then we were told (by the right, I believe) to use "climate change."

Neither of those terms really resonate as being an emergency, or even as being something negative. But "Environmental deterioration" does.

People need to realize this is a process that affects their own lives and those of their children. We need language that reflects that.

-wildflower

[Occulus]

2. Isn't this all sort of what happens when

our own bodies get an infection or some other disease? Fever, chills, feeling "blah", listless, irritable, etc....

Cheery thoughts, huh? :D

[NurseLefty]

3. Infectious Disease is a Problem NOW.

Just for example: All the hysteria about getting a flu shot this year? Great that you did, but a new strain has ALREADY mutated.
From:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1109372213078_28/?hub=Health

<snip>
Although there are reports this new strain is showing up in as many as 20 per cent of flu viruses isolated from U.S. patients in recent weeks, Dr. Tam says its apparent spread is not cause for alarm.
"We do expect some cross protection," Tam told CTV, noting its closeness to the A/Fujian virus, which is targeted in this year's shot. "We are only mid-way through flu season ... We still recommend that people get their flu shots."
But there are some reports of vaccinated nursing staff in Ontario coming down with a flu-like illness at rates higher than should be expected.
And that suggests protection against the new strain may, in fact, be minimal.
Dr. Donald Low admits it's unknown how much protection this year's flu shot offers.
"We don't know yet just how much protection that the vaccine we provided this year is going to provide protection against this new strain."
Unfortunately, it could take until the end of flu season, likely sometime in May, before scientists will be able to provide a better answer.
<snip>

And, another problem: infectious disease (nosocomial infection) is a growing problem in hospitals. Drug-resistant bacteria and virulent infections (as in norovirus, the "cruise ship virus") are hitting hospitals hard. See:
http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/cathealthsafetyhosp_infections/

<snip>
Hospital acquired infections are a leading cause of death in the U.S.. One in twenty patients can expect to get an infection that is unrelated to their condition upon admission. Consumers Union supports public disclosure of hospital-acquired infection rates so that consumers can choose the safest hospitals and hospitals will have an incentive to improve infection control efforts.
<snip>

Sadly, our policy makers are too shortsighted to link environment with health. Only when their loved ones die from disease outbreaks will they realize, and by then it will be too late for all of us.

edit for typo

[Missy Vixen]

12. Uh, paging Dr. Tam

>Although there are reports this new strain is showing up in as many as 20 per cent of flu viruses isolated from U.S. patients in recent weeks, Dr. Tam says its apparent spread is not cause for alarm.<

If it's not, it should be. After both having a shot this year, we've both had the flu, as have most of our friends, work associates and neighbors. It was four days of hell followed up with over a week of residual symptoms. I can't recommend strongly enough that everyone here do what they need to do to avoid it -- get enough sleep, wash, wash, WASH your hands, make healthful food choices, and stay away from large groups of people if it's at all possible until flu season is over in May.

Julie

[SomewhereOutThere424]

13. I know what you mean

Those flu shots have never helped me. I've been the healthiest I'd ever been without them in the past four years...mainly because I went to have the flu shot a few days before my birthday in december around 4-5 years ago and it resulted in me gaining a terrible pnuemonia... I had no clue how it happened, but the doctor at the ER (who I'd gone to after a few days of realizing it was really hard to breathe) said that the flu shots had resulted in pnuemonia for some reason. It wasn't really documented because they couldn't really explain it, but the guy said he'd had different cases where people got the flu shot and they complained about pnuemonia shortly after.

Kind of eerie though, if the flu shots really had resulted in making people more suseptable to being sick and now this bird flu threatens us...

[BeHereNow]

4. We (yes that means you too. Freepers)

are SO fucked.
BHN

[Straight Shooter]

5. Warmer climate, more territory for ticks to spread, and other critters

The cold weather which knocks back a lot of bugs won't be stopping them anymore. The warmer temps will bring them out for longer periods of time, more time for disease to spread. It's worrisome.

I'm in Oregon. It's almost 60 degrees today. It's February. I'm supposed to be wearing snowshoes on my hikes, not short-sleeve shirts.

And today, as I stood on my deck, a honeybee showed up, for cryin' out loud. A honeybee, in February.

[Spinzonner]

7. Your mistake

that was really a spy camera drone

[Viva_La_Revolution]

11. Me too!...

I was marveling at the same thing on my way to work yesterday. Daffodils, green grass, and the trees are leafing. I work in N Portland on the river, and the geese were coming back by the end of JAN! weird.

[SomewhereOutThere424]

14. A few years ago in upstate new york...

Where I live, in march it was really freezing. It's normal to have cold weather here up through march and get a lot of snowfall, being fairly close to canada. However this year the ladybugs have started to come and flourish in the middle of january. It's still covered with half a foot of snow and now the ladybugs and other insects are still flourishing here... It may sound a bit tedious, but in my region several had died from mosquito west nile virus. Last year the mosquitos had their largest numbers, they're immune to pesticides generally. A big nasty breed about the size of a dime (I know they get larger, but most of them around here are the size of a pencil eraser. The fact they'd evolved to weather the cold and pesticides is a bit alarming). The bees are also growing in number, my step father and myself at different instances had been swarmed and stung by bees last year.

I can understand someone else's post who'd posted above when they said 'going to?' in referance to climate change...I think it's already here...with all of our over poisoning of insects I doubt using a poison that won't kill us in the process will work either. I really hope they don't try that either...I know in long island new york they use such a potent poison sometimes it kills the birds and squirrels, I don't want to see that out here in the animal-filled country...

[Spinzonner]

6. But look at the upside

with the average lifespan going down it will take some of the demographic pressure off Social Security

[stepnw1f]

10. Upside? For Who? (nt)

[Spinzonner]

15. Apparently you're Irony-impaired

[dbt]

9. And as the climate goes haywire, the jets spray away.

You can't even see the sky on a lot of days anymore, just that sickly, off-white, fibrous artificial cloud cover being generated by jet aircraft.

It was midnight on the sea,
The band was playing "Nearer, My God, To Thee"
Fare thee well, Titanic,
Fare thee well.