Jon Elson wrote:

Pete C. wrote:
Jon Elson wrote:

If they need 500,000 coffins in one particular area, who are
they going to get to do the burying? Unless it is due to an
earthquake or massive fire, something that is supposedly a
one-time event that doesn't leave a hazard behind, like a bio-
or nuclear attack would, you wouldn't be able to get anyone
dumb enough to go in to do the burying. Anyway, if everybody
is already dead there, it doesn't really make much difference
if the bodies are buried, there's no public health left to
protect.

Jon

Bird flu or similar, 50% mortality, plenty left for cleanup.
The problem with anything like that, a pandemic, is that there is
the original infection, and then there are all sorts of horrible
secondary things that develop in a seriously infected population,
anthrax, dysentery, cholera, etc.
Anyone going in to "clean up" would be exposed to a raft of bad
bugs, and would be in serious danger. You'd have to be NUTS to go
into a situation like that, armed with a shovel, a bag of lime and a
dust mask. Life expectancy about one to two weeks.

Jon

I have a hazmat suit...

Just give the volunteers hazmat suits and tell them they get to keep
whatever goodies they collect along the way. Should be no shortage of
volunteers.