Why Did the CDC Develop a Plan for a Zombie Apocalypse …

"We were talking about hurricane season, which begins 1 June. I think about hurricane season, and we put out the same messages every year, and I wonder if people even see those messages," Daigle said.

As a vehicle for spreading information about preparedness plans, Daigle said the CDC is learning that zombie themes and viral, social-media marketing are effective. The zombie post marked the first time CDC used Facebook and Twitter to launch a preparedness campaign not tied (or reacting) to any specific disaster, Daigle said. So far, it's been a success.

"We have a great message here about preparedness, and I don't have to tell you that preparedness and public health are not the sexiest topics," Daigle said. "We posted it on Monday. By Wednesday, the server crashed." With 30,000 views, the zombie warning has seen triple the traffic a CDC preparedness warning typically gets over a 10-day span. "I thought it would get more pickup if I used zombies ... but what we're seeing is incredible," Daigle said.

The CDC is now hosting a video contest for zombie preparedness messages. The CDC's tactics -- using a popular topic, pushing it out through social media, asking readers to participate -- have been used by media outlets, companies, and political campaigns for years, but the CDC is just now discovering their virtues.

For those who think it may have been a waste of government resources, Daigle insists that no outside money was spent compiling this plan, and CDC staff didn't spend too much time composing it. The additional cost of the campaign, he said, was zero.

The one palpable downside to the CDC's warning is its obvious inadequacy as a real plan for zombie preparedness. If a zombie apocalypse does happen -- and this is important -- DO NOT follow the CDC's guidelines as your only course of action. The CDC zombie plan includes no mention of shotguns, torches, hot-wiring cars, seeking high ground, traveling at night vs. day, or really any worthwhile strategy for keeping zombies out of your house. Parts of it are good, but it probably would serve the public better in the event of, for instance, a hurricane.

"That was one of the first things we got from the zombie crowd ... 'What weapons do you guys recommend?'" Daigle said. "Remember, we're a public-health center, so we're not going to recommend weapons. ... Doctor Khan says we'll leave that to the law-enforcement folks."

Excerpt from:
Why Did the CDC Develop a Plan for a Zombie Apocalypse ...

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero