(4-16-20) During this time of the ‘Stay at Home’ order many of us have had time to watch a lot of TV.

While scrolling through the programs on the (streaming) Roku Channel up pops a TV mini-series from 2007 called ‘Pandemic‘.  Why not, let’s see what they knew 13 years ago.

When you watch the opening scenes it reminds you immediately of what the world is facing today….eerily close to reality. Remember this was filmed in 2007.

This flu is transported from Australia (not China) on an airline flight to Los Angeles. The inflicted person passes away on the flight and that is when the pandemic scare starts.

At least once during the show they say ‘We’re all in this together‘, they start wearing masks and stop shaking hands. One early scene has a man shopping in a local grocery store when he hears on a TV set nearby about the possible virus…he tells the clerk… I’ll be right back. He proceeds to take a lot of toilet paper, paper towels and any disinfectants he can can get in his cart, sound familiar.

The media is constantly tracking CDC officials for interviews. The Mayor of LA and the Governor of California (played by Faye Dunaway) both look at how they gain political advantage from the situation…sound familiar.

It shows how the virus can be shared unknowingly from one person to another and the fear starts. The virus is much like COVID 19, Tana-flu is involved early, ventilators, quarantine of patients, some take it seriously others don’t…sound familiar.

It does have a happy ending…something for us to all look forward to in days ahead.

Watch it here or online at Facebook or the Roku Channel-

At the Center for Disease Control, epidemiologist Dr. Kayla Martin (Tiffani Thiessen, Beverly Hills 90210 and Saved By The Bell) and her partner Carl Ratner (French Stewart, 3rd Rock from the Sun) receive a frantic call from a flight attendant high above the Pacific. A nineteen-year-old male passenger, en route to Los Angeles from Australia, has died following a raging fever and violent convulsions.

Vehemently concerned about the symptoms, Kayla orders all passengers quarantined upon their arrival at LAX—a decision at odds with Mayor Richard Delasandro (Oscar and Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts, Runaway Train) who suggests the only outbreak will be one of panic.

The CDC considers the frightening possibilities—the reality of the bird flu, the probability of a biological attack, or worse, a new virus they can’t control.

Year: 2007

Cast: Tiffani Thiessen, French Stewart, Faye Dunaway, Eric Roberts, Vincent Spano, Bob Gunton, Michael Massee