It would be crazy not to. We understand the potential for influenza to mutate rapidly and since there's no reason to believe the Spanish Flu was anything other

It would be crazy not to. We understand the potential for influenza to mutate rapidly and since there's no reason to believe the Spanish Flu was anything other than the result of this natural storm of mutations so we can conclude sooner or later influenza will hit the mutation jackpot again. We have to do everything possible to prepare for this in advance because once it hits there is precious little time left to save people. By most accounts the vast majority of deaths from the Spanish Flu occurred over a shockingly short period of about 12 weeks. Maybe modern public health standards can slow the next mutation down but I think we have to assume the worst is possible. If we don't do this research now there simply won't be time for any miracles to happen in 12 weeks.