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 sounds terrifying. It is. That’s when a deadly virus turns totally global, in a very negative sense. The 1918 Spanish Flu that killed 50 million people worldwide is the worst pandemic in human history! 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 now. Updated on 10 Sep 2008, WHO statistics shows the death toll at 245 from 1996 when the H5N1 virus was first identified in China. So what’s the fuss? The greatest nightmare for scientists monitoring the bird flu virus is to see it attain human-to-human transmission capability. There has been only one probable case of human-to-human transmission recorded in Thailand in September 2004. Don't be surprised by the global pandemonium in the event that the dreaded virus mutation actually occurs.
As the threat grows day by day, countries around the globe are conscientiously 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 has the Sharp ionic air purifier to do with all this. 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.
If you’re value-conscious like me, the obvious question would be “yes, that makes a whole lot of sense but at what cost”? According to Sharp, none at all! Sharp contends that it is cheaper than any other competing ionic air purifier when measured over 5 years. Wow, value for money sure gets my attention! How is it possible in this nothing-is-for-free world?
It is entirely possible, says Sharp. For example, there is much better value for money in its Plasmacluster Ionic Air Purifier Model FP-N40CX as there is no filter replacement costs for the first 5 years. At first sight, the typical competitor's upfront cost of US$160 looks cheap compared to Sharp's US$399. But add in the annual replacement filter replacement costs of US$100 and the total outlay for the competing ionic air purifier comes to US$560.
Since I have only started on this study, I would greatly appreciate any feedback on the numbers quoted by Sharp. Just email me if you have actual numbers.
My next step will be to learn as much as I can about the Sharp Plasmacluster Ion Technology. Now is the time to research, while bird flu is still not quite at pandemic proportions.
Don't procrastinate. Personal panic does not fade. I remember my family, along with thousands of other frantic people, scrambling around town looking for the much-touted N95 face mask when the last near-pandemic scare took place in Asia. The year was 2003. SARS was a much dreaded acronym. The SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus started spreading in Asia and infected 8,096 people around the world, resulting in 774 fatalities. Being well 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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