Because of our large brains, unique ability to communicate, and unparalleled capacity to work together humans are said to be free of any natural predator. It seems that we have been able to think, talk, or collectively work our way out of situations that threatened our survival.
So, is it really the case that we are above being prey? Or, are we merely ignoring the greatest human predators on the planet because they are too tiny to see with our naked eyes? Yes, I’m talking about germs – especially viruses and bacteria. The number of deaths attributed to infectious diseases annually and historically is staggering.
Global Pandemic Timeline
Over the past 700 years, these deadly microscopic predators have killed more human beings then all droughts, famines, and wars combined. Here’s a shortlist of some of their significant strikes against humanity:
- 2005 – 2012 HIV/AIDS Pandemic, Estimated number of deaths – 36 million people[1]
- 1968 Flu Pandemic, Estimated number of deaths – 1 million people
- 1956 Asian Flu, Estimated number of deaths – 2 million people
- 1918 Flu Pandemic, Estimated number deaths – 20 to 50 million people[2]
- 1910 Cholera Pandemic, Estimated number of deaths – 800,000 people
- 1889 Flu Pandemic, Estimated number deaths – 1 million people
- 1852 Cholera Pandemic, Estimated number of deaths – 1 million people
- 1346 Black Death/Bubonic Plague, Estimated number of deaths – 75 to 200 million people[3]
Arguably, Coronavirus is the tragic extension of these aggressive assaults on mankind. So what do we do when faced with such a lethal enemy.
Going Beyond Good Hygiene Practices
According to most experts, we should wash your hands more, avoid touching her face and stay away from one another. These are wise hygiene practices but are they enough in this new age of global pandemics?
I believe that tens of thousands if not more lives could have been saved during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic if there had been a deliberate effort to educate the public regarding the importance of a healthy immune system.
Millions of Americans have been left unprotected and caught off-guard without a fundamental understanding of the link between their daily health habits and their immune systems. I believe that if more Americans understood how to strengthen their immune systems, the death rates from future pandemics can be cut by more than half.
What Do You Think?
Do you think there is a greater or more real threat to human survival than germs?
Sources
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/overview/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fhiv%2Fstatistics%2Fbasics%2Findex.html [2] https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/1918-flu-pandemic [3] https://www.infoplease.com/math-science/health/diseases/epidemics-of-the-past-bubonic-plague
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