Ripples to Die For

Throw a rock into a pond, and the shockwave effects all life in the immediate area. . .

The second ripple hit in the middle of the holiday season and continues into January. Dangerous flu viruses that attack the respiratory system account for a 50% increase in respiratory cases over last year, and just over 30% of all hospital admissions at Cooper Hospital in Camden. While this may appear to be an isolated incident, the hard numbers speak for themselves. According to other hospitals in the South Jersey area, emergency room admissions from respiratory problems are "higher than usual." My wife was one of those admitted.

Viruses often lie dormant in their human hosts, waiting for the right climate or for the immune system to weaken just enough for the virus to thrive. The onset of winter and the cold weather that accompanies it provides a natural "checks and balances" system that helps kill off many viruses. But when effects caused by global warming cause nature's clock to be a month late, viruses have time to mutate and grow -- in essence, figure out how to survive an attack from our body's immune system. The end result is stronger, deadlier viruses that outsmart our immune system and diminish the effectiveness of current antibiotics to the point in which hospitilization is necessary.

Another possibile cause of the increase in respiratory problems lies in the discharge of dangerous chemicals from nearby Philadelphia. In recent months, two such occurences closed the Walt Whitman Bridge causing hours of traffic delays. Just like many other chemical dumping problems in South Jersey, it may take years and many lives before we find out the real cause -- more ripples on the horizon.

The increase in emergency room visits and subsequent hospitilizations bring all the costs associated with them down on each resident unlucky enough to catch a virus. This burdens individual taxpayers, health plans, insurance providers and the county when patients cannot afford their hospital bills. It also casts light on the big picture concerning the play now -- pay later attitude toward our environment. After many years, businesses that pollute the environment (and contribute to the global warming problem) continue to reap the benefits that poor environmental controls provide. Yet the burden of financial problems are placed on the "system" and the tax payers dealing with the after-effects. In this instance, the businesses grow wealthier while taxpayers pay for the problems they create.

Taken a step further, the long-term effects such as newer, more deadly viruses, global temperature increases, frequent and violent storms and increased cancer rates all place additional burdens on our health system, which in-turn become the financial responsibility of the persons effected. In essence, we are paying for their pollution with money we need to survive, buy "stuff" and support our families. In some cases, we pay for it with our lives. With many associated problems still unknown, the jury is certainly out on the responsibility issue for now. But one thing is certain -- this conflict will certainly come to light and provide many sets of ripples yet to come.

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