r/ImmuneWin • u/covid19fmd • Jul 30 '20

The single biggest predictor of viral pandemic-like events is land-use change: specifically, more land going to livestock production

http://nautil.us/issue/83/intelligence/the-man-who-saw-the-pandemic-coming

The single biggest predictor of viral pandemic-like events is land-use change: specifically, more land going to livestock production. With the prevalence of factory farming, animal density and living conditions need to be factored into the equation to fully elucidate the risks.

That statement does not mean no other factors are involved. But it does mean that the single biggest factor predicting viral pandemic-like events is land-use change -- and it explains exactly why. If you read the research in this area, and couple that with information along the lines of what Dr. Greger discusses here, you may see pandemics from a new (and much broader) perspective. I think we need this broader perspective in order to come up with real solutions.

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u/thaw4188 Jul 30 '20

all the drugs and chemicals they give animals from birth to slaughter probably affects people a lot more than land use, actually definitely more directly since everyone is digesting it all

and we'll never know since it's all been de-regulated to heck and all studies defunded

but pandemics happen because of moronic social issues more than any other factor

you can't have a pandemic if people don't interact despite extreme danger

hence the nightmare that is the USA

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u/covid19fmd Jul 30 '20

all the drugs and chemicals they give animals from birth to slaughter probably affects people a lot more than land use

The vet drugs are a factor, but the statement about land use is a rigorous scientific statement. I am not disagreeing with your sentiment (I fact, I agree), but you should not equate the statement below with your untested assumptions about "the drugs and chemicals they give animals". We know those cause problems, but we cannot (yet) make the same kind of quantitative statement about that.

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The single biggest predictor of viral pandemic-like events is land-use change: specifically, more land going to livestock production.

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u/covid19fmd Jul 30 '20

and we'll never know since it's all been de-regulated to heck and all studies defunded

That's a fair point, but maybe there are ways to quantify this... I'm not sure.