Re: “Estimated epidemiologic parameters and morbidity associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza.” 1 As the traditional ceremony culminated at a colleague’s recent half-century birthday party, the cake was brought out with candles ablaze. Then a rather unusual ritual ensued. The honouree removed the first lit candle and placed it in a cup of water. This act was repeated 49 more times. While we could determine no obvious suggestion of cerebral ischemia, we were speculating that perhaps certain medications were not quite in the therapeutic range. When asked, the honouree explained: “In the age of pandemics, do you really want someone to forcibly exhale over an entire birthday cake that you are about to eat?” So, if one attends a birthday party with a less savvy host, then to eat or not to eat should be the question.
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For the full letter, go to: www.cmaj.ca/cgi/eletters/cmaj.091807v1#268016