We All Better Brace Ourselves For An "Imminent Pandemic"

What is known as the swine flu outbreak or the(H1N1)virus is spreading like rapid fire all over the world.Because of this Dr. Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization has stopped just short of calling it a pandemic.But,that's what it appears to be.So,we all better prepare for what lies ahead.Limit contact with people & wash your hands repeatedly with either alcohol-based sanitizer or soap & water.

Here's more from ABC News:

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its pandemic flu alert level to five, signalling that a global swine flu pandemic is imminent.

WHO director-general Dr Margaret Chan urged all countries to take immediate action, saying a pandemic would put "all humanity under threat".

The WHO said the alert level hike was a signal to governments, pharmaceutical industry and the business community to take action.

Dr Chan said countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparation plans but said the world was better prepared than ever to deal with a flu pandemic.

"No matter what the situation is, the international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up ... response," Dr Chan said.

"It is really all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic."

But she warned that current WHO antiviral stocks were too low and said the organisation needed more donations from companies and governments.

Phase five, one step short of a full pandemic on a six-point scale, is characterised as a "strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the planned mitigation measures is short," according to the WHO's global emergency planning.

A phase five alert means human-to-human transmission has happened in at least two countries."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.