Swine Flu

[simon275]

Has everybody heard the news about Swine flu? http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53P1TK20090426 It has killed like 80 people in Mexico and has spread to the US and Canada. They also think it might be in France and New Zealand. I hope everybody stays safe. Also maybe thinking about getting some surgical style masks to wear if you are in a environment with lots of people such as public transport or retail.

Here is a good FAQ http://www.smh.com.au/world/global-alarm-as-killer-swine-flu-spreads-20090427-ajjo.html

[crenn]

4 suspected cases in Australia. My sisters are flu magnets.... hope they don't get it.

[simon275]

An excuse to banish you sisters from infront of the tv in the name of quarantine measures.

[DaJe]

Closest it's come to me so far is New York I think. I think there are like, 2 people who are suspected of having it here in Massachusetts, but I'm not sure. This all partially worries me because in a few days, I have a flight across the country, and will be traveling through big crowded international airports as well as other parts of the country where there could be more infected people. It's not the most concerning thing however.

[cvitullo]

This is going to be exactly like Bird flu and every other health scare, nothing's really going to come of it. Stats I found say that 152 people have died, and there have been ~3000 possible cases of it. That's a pretty low mortality rate imo. Also, there are only 200+ people in New York that *might* have it, the odds you'll catch it from them/something they touched are pretty low. Only 57 confirmed cases of it in the entire US.

Sorry, it bugs me when there's some new disease scare. It's always just scare tactics on the part of the media.

[gaz_the_chav]

But to be fair bird flu was very serious its just the media did not actually hype it up that much. My mum is an area manager in the NHS and bird flu was serious around all areas but never in the end developed to be much. Swine flu though is potentially going to be a bigger problem becuase of how fast it is spreading. There is also big problems in the UK now as the World Health Influenza centre has said "it is inevitable someone in the UK will die from swine fever". Now that kind of statement is going to cause panic to everyone!

I think TBH as long as everyone is sensible there shouldent really be a problem but then again when you have statements like 'We're in the decisive moment of the crisis. The number of deaths will continue rising.' from your health minister (mexico's) it doesn't look that promising.

-gaz

[cvitullo]

Yeah, sensibility's good. People aren't sensible though, that's why there's always mass panic about diseases. I mean, I can think of three offhand that were supposed to be horrific and kill everyone. SARS, Avian flu and the West Nile virus. Hell, I remember they didn't allow Asian food at my school's multicultural thing when SARS was the big disease.
I'm not saying they didn't kill people, but all of them were so hyped up that people were terrified, and most people had no reason to worry.

[SXRguyinMA]

Closest it's come to me so far is New York I think. I think there are like, 2 people who are suspected of having it here in Massachusetts, but I'm not sure. This all partially worries me because in a few days, I have a flight across the country, and will be traveling through big crowded international airports as well as other parts of the country where there could be more infected people. It's not the most concerning thing however.

really? I havent heard of anyone here in MA having it yet :think:

[Xpirate]

One of my co-workers is on vacation in Puerto Vallarta. I guess congress can not legislate intelligence.

[DaJe]

really? I havent heard of anyone here in MA having it yet :think:

I heard of two suspected cases in Lowell I believe. It could be people who are just regularly sick, with similar symptoms. It was like, two students who got back from a trip to Mexico I think. So yeah, nothing confirmed yet, just something I heard.

[simon275]

This is going to be exactly like Bird flu and every other health scare, nothing's really going to come of it. Stats I found say that 152 people have died, and there have been ~3000 possible cases of it. That's a pretty low mortality rate imo. Also, there are only 200+ people in New York that *might* have it, the odds you'll catch it from them/something they touched are pretty low. Only 57 confirmed cases of it in the entire US.

Sorry, it bugs me when there's some new disease scare. It's always just scare tactics on the part of the media.

It is a low mortality rate but it spreads very readily human to human and also people who are not normally seen as a danger group are catching it and dieing. We nourished people fit people in their 20-30s. Unlike bird flu which didn't really spread human to human.

[Zephik]

Hooray!

http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=10259666

Oh ****.

http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=10275869

This is why I don't listen, watch or read the news. One day it says there is no swine flu here, TWO DAYS later it says its here. Great. How the hell did it spread so far up north so fast?? So lame.

[xRyokenx]

I'm not worried about it. If I get sick I'll just go to the doctor and see what I can do that doesn't involve overuse and abuse of antibiotics and antibacterial stuffs.

[Drum Thumper]

Has everybody heard the news about Swine flu? http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53P1TK20090426 It has killed like 80 people in Mexico and has spread to the US and Canada. They also think it might be in France and New Zealand. I hope everybody stays safe. Also maybe thinking about getting some surgical style masks to wear if you are in a environment with lots of people such as public transport or retail.

Here is a good FAQ http://www.smh.com.au/world/global-alarm-as-killer-swine-flu-spreads-20090427-ajjo.html

Masks don't help as much as people think they do. The best defense against swine flu is proper hygiene. Wash your hands!

[DaJe]

From what I understand, masks don't do much at all for people who don't have it, however if a person who does have it wears one, it helps prevent them from spreading it. I could be wrong though. And yes, the best prevention is always just taking proper care of yourself. This whole thing is conflicting. The media keeps blowing it up, but I'm thinking it's really not as big of a deal as some might think.

[cvitullo]

Hm, apparently there are two suspected cases in my county. Getting a little close.

[DaveW]

This is just sensationalism. The media will just grab a hold of whatever they can.

You think swine flu is your biggest worry? Wrong. It's me. ;)

-Dave

[Zephik]

This is just sensationalism. The media will just grab a hold of whatever they can.

You think swine flu is your biggest worry? Wrong. It's me. ;)

-Dave

No lie people. Dave has an army of midgets and donkey's AND HE'S NOT AFRAID TO USE THEM!

[DaJe]

I'm gone from this place for so long, and then come back to see the tales of Dave and his donkey midgets still run rampant.

[Durrthock]

Dave is right, this is just the news.
You know just how like mass effect was a sex simulator.
Anything for ratings

[killergamer]

Though the mortality rate might be low the whole thing about the "swine flu" (which soon will not be called that) is how fast it is moving. There are outbreaks all around the world and that this has some of the same DNA as the "Avian flu". I personally don't believe it will be the next spanish flu but we need to be careful around people. I personally like virus and parasites and prions just microbiology in general...

[Omega]

fool-proof way of telling if you do or don't:

http://doihaveswineflu.org/


and actually on subject: well gee george, it sounds like the normal flu except a bit more of a PITA, but with such a low mortality rate, even if it WAS close (it's not. not even.) I'd be pretty happy with my chances.

[Zephik]

You guys have got to view the page source. Funny stuff. Easter Eggs FTW!

Seriously though, this is being so far blown out of proportion, its no wonder some people are taking it as a joke.

Under a hundred people OUT OF SIX BILLION have died! PANIC!

400,000 people EVERY YEAR die from tobacco. I don't see anyone freaking out about that....

Granted, tobacco isn't a contagious disease that when caught, has the chance to kill you. It also doesn't spread easily from human to human...

Anyways, wake me back up when it actually becomes a serious threat, not just a possible one.

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/2548/panicy.jpg

[Crazy Buddhist]

The Swine Flu thing is complete BS

All of the dead in Mexico were suffering pre-existing medical conditions such as HIV, heart failure or pulmonary problems. The one baby who died in the US was born three months premature and had pulmonary problems.

It's a standard H1N1 flu ... basically the same one that kills 10,000 Americans every year. You may have noticed they have started calling it H1N1 instead of Swine Flu in the press because .. guess what .. this variant has never been found in a pig.

This is a rehearsal by the World Health Organisation or just another media hyped scare tactic.

Everyone else who contracted it and is in the UK or elsewhere is suffering mild flu like symptoms .... ordinary flu ... ordinary flu kills the weak .. so does this.

And stop blaming the pigs !!! lol

CB

[OvRiDe]

...this variant has never been found in a pig.

And stop blaming the pigs !!! lol


Too bad no one told Egypt about that eariler! :dead:

Epic Fail!

[xRyokenx]

I've tried killing some of the hype that's around me because it's rather annoying to hear... but people won't hear my opinion on this and take theirs as truth. Oh well, their fear, their panics, pretty much their problem. *shrug*

I wonder how people would react if I went around wearing a full-body HAZMAT suit. Probably not very well, hehe.