In a couple of our news stories today, I flagged the potential for a swine flu epidemic this fall to be another major blow to travel, foodservice, and by extension the seafood industry.
From our AP story:
U.S. health officials say swine flu could strike up to 40 percent of Americans over the next two years and as many as several hundred thousand could die if a vaccine campaign and other measures are not successful.
Those estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mean about twice the number of people who usually get sick in a normal flu season would be stricken by swine flu. Officials said those projections would drop if a new vaccine is ready and widely available, as U.S. officials expect.
Those estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mean about twice the number of people who usually get sick in a normal flu season would be stricken by swine flu. Officials said those projections would drop if a new vaccine is ready and widely available, as U.S. officials expect.
After the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 - the seafood industry was hit hard as people stopped traveling, and in the lobster industry the bank collapse in the fall of 2008 led to virtually a drying up of many restaurant purchases. I am worried that a flu epidemic and media coverage of it could end up creating a huge disruption to travel - and consequently another economic blow to the seafood industry.
None of this is to belittle the human and material cost of the pandemic - its just that along with the public health planning, seafood businesses should also think about how their own day to day business may be affected by a massive flu outbreak.
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