Something that I didn't know about the bird flu, but it makes sense

Apparently, if the disease gains the ability to jump to humans, which would vastly increase the rate at which it spreads, and which I had thought was feared as a potential trigger for a pandemic, the disease would then lose a great deal of its volatility.

I had known, on the other hand, that if the avian flu were to spread to the US, it likely would not be as bad here as it has been elsewhere. The US has a much better healthcare system, and the people here are much more knowledgeable than people in Third World countries about preventative measures and the need to seek treatment--not to mention that the US generally has much better, much more accessible medical treatment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11460927/