Sometimes the deadliest part of a viral infection is not the virus itself, but the immune reaction to the virus. So what happens if an apocalyptic mad-scientist type unleashes a viral pandemic that will cause every deathworlder species he could get his hands on to die because their own immune systems will basically liquefy their lungs, gills, or other oxygen-extracting apparatus, but forgets to take into account that a virus that uses strong immune systems to attack will completely bypass higher-level havenworlders?
For the closest thing to a non-mad-scientist real-world example:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/jan/18/birdflu.medicineandhealth -- Anon Guest
[AN: There are so many parallels between the 1918 flu pandemic and the current viral apocalypse going on. Up to and including people believing it wasn't that bad, snake oil salespeople, and other people refusing to wear their face masks]
When Humans say their immune systems have a "kill or cure" approach, they aren't kidding. There is something about the most deadly of their diseases that causes the Human body to act against itself. Deadly fevers killing the brain are only one. Swelling in the cerebral cells, destruction of important organ cells, and a little something called a cytokine storm, filling the lungs with defensive fluid.
Disease leaves scars, even when its seemingly harmless. Some lead to permanent disabilities[1]. Many such are invisible to the untrained eye. Such can lay waste to isolated communities.
Welcome to Greater Deregulation Lower South East, where profit is more important than anyone's life. Here, a plague has been raging for decades. They're only now asking for help because they're running out of children to put in the factories. Children who were only in the factories because there were not enough adults to go around.
The United Fellowship of Terran Planets came to help with Galactic medicine, free of charge, to analyse what was making so many die so quickly. Ninety-eight percent of the planet was infected, most re-infecting others in their day-to-day activities of four jobs and the closest hot-bunk hotel at the end of the day. The only people not infected were the CEO's and their families in their fortified bunker-houses.
It was, after some analysis, a simple virus. Its symptoms were exacerbated by the poor health and nutrition of the larger populace. Scientists and Mediks from the Galactic Alliance agreed. They just needed to follow some easy, simple steps for two Standard Months to break the re-infection cycle.
Steps like washing countertops in soup kitchens, enforcing an air gap between customers, and between customers and staff. Steps like wearing a simple fabric mask to cover their noses and chins. Steps like routinely washing their hands. Steps like staying away from people if one was sick.
The Executive in Chief may have listened, it was hard to tell. When the experts in their clinically-rated livesuits finished their summary, replete with colourful pictograms and short, easy-to-understand words... there was silence. They hoped it was a thoughtful silence.
"So I'd have to force the people to do all of this to stop the disease," he said, still playing with what could plausibly be an executive toy.
"Essentially, yes. We have several strategies you could use to ease your people into--"
"Flakk that," said the Executive in Chief.
"What?"
"Flakk that. And flakk you weenie weaklings who think we can't come out of this stronger. I obviously made a mistake in asking you aliens for help when I should have just banned y'all from transmitting your messages of hate into our radios. Sacci! Make a note. Ban all radios anyone can tune onto anything else but the official sanctioned frequencies. Effective immediately."
"Yessir."
"It's you who made this virus as a plot to weaken us and make us look stupid in front of the Galactic whatever-it-is you love so much. Come near me again and I'll nuke you from orbit."
The Mediks who gave the briefing decided not to argue facts and realities with a man so clearly distanced from them. They simply packed up everything that was theirs, burned the biological hazards in plasma, and left.
The diagnosis - terminal cultural ignorance.
They would wait, well out of Deregger missile range, to see if the polity would actually accept any help. There would be therapists on hand to see to their mental health while they waited.
Death watches have an impact, even when they're planet-wide.
[1] Among many of the side effects of "harmless" children's diseases, you have: blindness, deafness, infertility, brain damage, reduced lung capacity, partial paralysis, and actual scars on the skin. Look them up, they're in wikipedia. Match the disease to the mentioned long-lasting after-effect!
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / BEEANDGLOW]
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