French philosopher and prophet Michel de Nostradamus is said to have predicted a zombie apocalypse for 2021.
But don’t be afraid!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides you with a set of zombie training tips that you have maintained for a decade.
“Wondering why zombies, the zombie apocalypse, and zombie training continue to live or go dead on a CDC website?” asks the guide, which was developed in 2011 as a marketing ploy – and one that draws attention.
“As it turned out, what first started as a tongue-in-cheek campaign to engage new audiences with messages of readiness proved to be a very effective platform,” the guide continues. “We continue to reach out and engage a wide variety of audiences in preparing for all dangers through ‘zombie training.'”
If, as Nostradamus’ annual Horoscope interpreters believe, a zombie invasion is near, then it will be a wonderful time for the CDC.
“Few young people: half dead to begin with,” wrote the 16th-century astrologer, adding horribly: “Fathers and mothers dead of infinite misfortunes / Women in mourning, her pestilent monster: / The Great should not either, let everyone end. ”
To prepare for that bloody, meat-eating situation, the CDC page links to various “Zombie Preparation Products,” including a downloadable zombie preparation graphic novel; a printable poster of a person with shouts, with very dirty nails; and tips for educators who want to plan zombie lessons. (Example teaching tool: “The threat of the zombie apocalypse is imminent. The mayor’s staff has been compromised and it is up to you to write a speech for the mayor to advise the community on what to do. What do you tell the community to do?” ? ”)
The bizarre page on the otherwise serious website was published in May 2011 after the CDC’s chief communications officer became concerned about the agency’s coverage – and decided that the agency’s first posts on Twitter and Facebook should be fun.
“We were talking about the hurricane season, which begins on June 1. I think about hurricane season and we broadcast the same messages every year, and I wonder if people really see those messages, “said Dave Daigle, CDC’s representative for The Atlantic at the time. “We have an extraordinary message here about training and I don’t have to tell you that training and public health are not the sexiest topics,”
The page proved so popular that it tripled the traffic to the CDC site and blocked the server.
However, zombie trainers have been critical of the CDC’s advice, saying it has failed in a specific way.
“That was one of the first things I got from the zombie crowd …” What weapons do you recommend? “Daigle said. “Remember, we’re a public health center, so we won’t recommend weapons … We’ll leave that to the law enforcement.”