"The swine flu outbreak in the middle of the global economic downturn isn't exactly a bolt from the blue. Such a nightmare scenario was envisaged two years ago by the World Economic Forum, no less.

The World Economic Forum's 2007 Global Risk Report didn't categorically say such a disaster was bound to happen, but it looked at the possibility and concluded it would hurt globalization."

http://www.pressrun.net/weblog/2009/04/dis...-years-ago.html

http://www.weforum.org/pdf/CSI/Global_Risks_2007.pdf

That made for fascinating and understandable reading. I wish that more governmental reporting was stated in such concise format.

Their take on the possibility of a pandemic outbreak was overshadowed by their prediction of the precipitious drop in asset values. I've seen that first-hand in New Zealand, though it was (relatively) minor compared to what has been happening in the US. It would appear from my readings of reports on this influenza that it might not be the pandemic that all had feared; but as this white paper has said, better research and much-improved planning for such a pandemic could greatly lessen the blow.

I'd file that under recommended reading.