27 August 2008 may prove to be a pivotal point in mankind's war against the much-feared bird flu pandemic. On that day, Sharp Corporation unveiled its latest technological weapon against the unseen enemy! Incorporated in its ionic air purifier, the Plasmacluster Ion Technology (more on this in a later post) has just been scientifically proven to be 99.9% effective in destroying the bird flu virus known as H5N1.
Every now and then, the press reminds us that bird flu is the prime suspect to cause mankind's next pandemic. Pandemic does not just sound terrifying. It is. That’s when a highly contagious virus goes global, in a very negative sense. History records for us that 50 million people may have died during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic! World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on 5 October 2005 that the 1918 Spanish flu was caused by H1N1, a bird flu virus.
PANIC STATIONS! PANIC STATIONS?
Not quite, not yet anyway. Statistically, as recorded by WHO as at 10 Sep 2008, "only" 245 people have died from the H5N1 virus. This is since 1996 when the virus first surfaced in China. So what’s the fuss? Mutation of the bird flu virus to achieve human-to-human transmission capability is the ultimate horror of the scientific community. As I write, there has been only one probable case of human-to-human transmission recorded in Thailand in September 2004. But if (it seems the virus has not reached the “when” stage) the dreaded virus mutation takes place, you can expect pandemonium on a global scale.
Quietly but conscientiously, many countries are preparing for the worse (more on this in a later post). As protectors of our families and loved ones, we should start doing some homework too.
Ok, so what’s all this got to do with Sharp’s ionic air purifier. Is it not just another ionic air purifier? Yes, it's ordinary in that it takes care of the usual stuff that we look for in an air purifier – dust, dirt, smoke, dander, pollen, cuisine and pet odours, pollutants, allergens etc. But if we can get protection from all these and more in one ionic air purifier, especially one that is a tested defense shield against a potentially deadly virus, why not? With Sharp's Plasmacluster Ion Air Purifier, the whole complete package is promised.
The next obvious question for the value-conscious, would be “yes, that makes a whole lot of sense but at what cost”? Here again, Sharp claims that it's at no extra cost! Sharp contends that over a 5-year period, it is cheaper than any other competing ionic air purifier. A case of over-delivering by Sharp? But, how is this possible in this nothing-is-for-free world?
In promoting the Plasmacluster Ionic Air Purifier Model FP-N40CX, Sharp contends that it is definitely better value for money as there is no filter replacement costs for the first 5 years. Upfront costs at US$399 for the Sharp model is higher than the typical competitor's US$160. But the latter requires annual filter replacement costs of US$100, adding to a total cost of US$560 over 5 years.
Any feedback on the competitor numbers would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to drop me a note if you have actual data.
My next move would be to seriously investigate the Sharp Plasmacluster Ion Technology. The time to research is now, while bird flu is still not quite at pandemic proportions.
Today is the day to get started. Personal panic does not fade. Like a horror movie, pandemic fears spread across Asia for months. People shunned crowded places like shopping centres, some stayed away from work, others became unofficial health "authorities" passing decrees on hygiene standards. Anyone who sneezed in public without a N95 face mask found himself standing alone in a split second. SARS! Four letters that struck terror in Asia. The SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus started spreading from Asia, infected 8,096 people around the world, resulting in 774 fatalities. As always, being prepared is half the battle won.
Watch this space as we track exciting developments in our pursuit of safe, pure and clean air with nothing more than an ionic air purifier.
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