Swine Flu to strike half the population?

Government officials in Britain admitted last night that illness rates from the swine flu virus could reach 50 per cent.

Based on this figure, the workforce could be reduced by 15-20 per cent at the pandemic’s peak. In the unlikely event that every school closed, this could rise to 35 per cent.”

As part of ongoing planning, the NHS is being asked to ensure that antiviral collection points could, if needed, be put into action in a week.”

Deflation is a “significant risk” as a result of the pandemic’s impact on the economy – putting back economic recovery by two years, says the report.

A $2.5 trillion cut in global GDP is a possibility – with a flu outbreak in the autumn hitting the world economy just as it starts to recover from the credit crunch.

Don’t blame the messenger.