Bill Harvey: Hey, hey, my, my

Guess what I am describing here.

There is a virus that is highly contagious and spreads through coughs and sneezes. It causes disease which, especially in the infirm and young children, may lead to death.

It is known that the virus is a major cause of blindness. Viral conjunctivitis is common, and this often leads to a painful viral keratitis, causing significant corneal scarring and subsequent reduced resistance to any opportunistic infection of the eye. In some cases, optic neuritis results, causing optic atrophy and sight loss, while in a few patients a florid retinitis can also affect sight. If CNS involvement is severe, encephalitis may occur, which is often fatal. Because of a very high R rate, a frightening 12 to 18, infection is rampant and herd immunity requires 95% resistance in a population.