Future Pandemic.

Bird Flu 'could mutate to cause deadly human pandemic'
(By Pallab Ghosh, Science Correspondent BBC News) 
Source: www.bbc.co.uk  

The H5N1 bird flu virus could change into a form able to spread rapidly between humans, scientists have warned.

Researchers have identified five genetic changes that could allow the virus to start a deadly pandemic.

Writing in the journal Science, they say it would be theoretically possible for these changes to occur in nature.

A US agency has tried unsuccessfully to ban publication of parts of the research fearing it could be used by terrorists to create a bioweapon. According to Prof Ron Fouchier from the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, who led the research, publication of the work in full will give the wider scientific community the best possible chance to combat future flu pandemics.

"We hope to learn which viruses can cause pandemics and by knowing that we might be able to prevent them by enforcing strict eradication programmes," he told BBC News.

He added that his work might also speed the development of vaccines and anti-viral drugs against a lethal form of bird flu that could spread rapidly among people.

The H5N1 virus has been responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of birds and has led to hundreds of millions more being slaughtered to stop its spread.

"We hope to learn which viruses can cause pandemics and by knowing that we might be able to prevent them" Prof Ron Fouchier Erasmus Medical Centre

The virus is also deadly to humans but can only be transmitted by close contact with infected birds.

 Well.. There you go. A possible mutation from an already deadly virus can wipe out the existence of the human race.

Although it didn`t say that the pandemic will happen in the near future, it is best for us to be aware that things like this can actually happen. And scenes from the movie "I am Legend" may no longer be just scenes from a Sci Fi movie... Okay, did I scare you? Probably not. So anyway, I did some research about the possible virus and I don`t think that the WHO (World Health Organization) will do anything but research about it.

So do you think that the WHO should focus more on this 'possible human pandemic'? What other Int`l Organizations do you think should help widen our knowledge about this? And if the virus does exist, as future diplomats and Ambassadors how would you handle the situation (like handling the media, finding out cures, dealing with deaths.. etc.)?

Comment your answers! Oh and if you have any questions, comment them also and I`ll answer it. I promise!

There`s something about the chase.

"A lot can happen in 5 years." 

Those were the words that I thought of when Sir Mabu gave us our second blog entry topic. 
I admit, the future scares me, knowing that things can go from perfect to total chaos. 

But I can`t let that be the barricade between me and my dreams, right? 

In five to ten years from now, I would be an alumna of Lyceum of the Philippines University. A Civil Service Examination passer and a proud Foreign Service Officer Examination board passer. I will work in the Department of Foreign Affairs and in different embassies around the world as an Ambassadress of our country. It would be such a wonderful honor to be able to represent the Philippines internationally. 

I wrote this with a heart full of hope and perseverance to achieve everything that I envision myself to be. 

Drum roll please.

Doing this for the nth time. I`ve written a lot of drafts on how I`m going to introduce myself... I`m trying to make it perfect but I just can`t think of a way to do it. 

So here`s my 98679th draft and this will have to do be awesome. 
 
My name is Charmaine V. Cayaban, I`m 17 years old.. Wow. That was cliche. But it`s okay, can you think of a less-cliche way to introduce yourself? If you can.. Well, lucky you. Anyway, I`m studying AB Foreign Service in LPU and currently in pursuit of my dream job, to be an Ambassadress. *wink wink* 


If Charmaine is too long for you, you can call me Chame, everyone who knows me calls me that anyway. I`m going to tell you more about myself now.. I`m a good friend, yup. I`m pretty sure my friends will agree with me on this one. It may sometimes seem that I`m not but really.. I am. My friends can definitely count on me, and I would never let them down. So if you`re one of my friends, consider yourself lucky. Hahaha! 

What else can I tell you about myself.. Hmmm. I`m strong, but not just because I used to play volleyball when I was in highschool and captain of the school`s volleyball team *coughs coughs* Nah, just kidding I`m not gonna rub that in your face. Okay going back, I`m a strong person. Why? It`s because my life hasn`t always been all rainbows and butterflies, I can say that I`ve been through a lot, my family has been through alot, both emotionally and financially. And being the eldest, I have to be put on a brave face and pretend that everything is okay for my little sister. Sob story. Okay enough of that. 


Well.. I`m done now. I hope you got to know me better. And I`m sorry if it`s a bit messy.. and short. I`m new at this. 


*Thanks, Sir Mabu for an awesome English class requirement.