One other big questions... what happened to all those dead bodies? Even at 50% mortality rate... bodies are going to be everywhere and disease is going to be rampant.
Dogs, rats, roaches and bacteria are going to deal with the bodies within months or years depending on where they lie. By early 2001 sure, there'll be lots of creepy skeletons but the disease problem will be very much in retreat.
__________________ "It is better to be feared than loved" - Nicolo Machiavelli