Swine Flu Pandemic

True, the information should be honest and should be delivered in a calm manner. Media hysteria is not helpful at all.
It's also true that each year tens of thousands of people die of other strains of influenza.

Still, there are some issues to be considered:

-This H1N1virus actually spread from animals to human and causes human-to-human infection. This was always the fear about the bird flu where it did not really happen on larger scale as far as we know.  From what we know this virus contains DNA from human, pigs and birds and has many possibilities to spread.

- In "usual" influenza epidemics  weak, old and ill people die from the disease while younger and stronger people usually do not die from an influenza. Each year we get new vaccines, so we all can protect ourselves from being infected by getting an annual flu shot. Right now there is no vaccine for the new H1N1 virus and it will take months to develop one. Plus this virus kills young and strong people.

- Nobody knows why the virus is so aggressive in Mexico and the disease is much "milder" in other countries. It's possible that there have been many mild cases in Mexico which went unnoticed because many people do not see a doctor when they assume they have only a cold. Fact is that nobody knows why the virus killed these people. Also, we do not know if the virus can be successfully treated with Tamiflu, we have to wait and see. It's normal that the WHO is worried when there is a potentially lethal virus and nobody knows if an effective medication is available.

[QUOTE][b]Your Valentine wrote:[/b]

Over 150 casualties in Mexico and now the first child dead in the USA. Maybe we won't make jokes much longer.[/QUOTE]

Uh, calm down Barb.  That was a mexican child who had gotten so bad, he was transported to Houston for treatment... too late.  He was already too far gone.  No US citizen or person living in the United States has died yet.  Keep the clock going, though...

When you have no doctors in the village, people will die from an infected scratch.

Keep the jokes coming.

[QUOTE]

[b]YourValentine wrote: [/b]

True, the information should be honest and should be delivered in a calm manner. Media hysteria is not helpful at all.
It's also true that each year tens of thousands of people die of other strains of influenza.

Still, there are some issues to be considered:

-This H1N1virus actually spread from animals to human and causes human-to-human infection. This was always the fear about the bird flu where it did not really happen on larger scale as far as we know.  From what we know this virus contains DNA from human, pigs and birds and has many possibilities to spread.

- In "usual" influenza epidemics  weak, old and ill people die from the disease while younger and stronger people usually do not die from an influenza. Each year we get new vaccines, so we all can protect ourselves from being infected by getting an annual flu shot. Right now there is no vaccine for the new H1N1 virus and it will take months to develop one. Plus this virus kills young and strong people.

- Nobody knows why the virus is so aggressive in Mexico and the disease is much "milder" in other countries. It's possible that there have been many mild cases in Mexico which went unnoticed because many people do not see a doctor when they assume they have only a cold. Fact is that nobody knows why the virus killed these people. Also, we do not know if the virus can be successfully treated with Tamiflu, we have to wait and see. It's normal that the WHO is worried when there is a potentially lethal virus and nobody knows if an effective medication is available.[/QUOTE]

Apparently Tamiflu only makes the symptoms of the flu not as bad.

^ i always knew those Sri Lankan tigers would be useful somehow..good ol' Tamils!

[QUOTE]

[b]YourValentine wrote: [/b]

Media hysteria is not helpful at all.

[/QUOTE]

Indeed, unfortunately morally deficient journalists have come to the forefront in yet another issue. Obviously the issue requires vast coverage but not the tone within it.

It's sad something like this is hitting a lot of people. Not the worst problem in history, but who knows how bad it can come to.

It's sad indeed. I hope the health-care system in Mexico, as well as the authorities there, act with knowledge and sensitivity to prevent the problem from getting worse. 

I think it's important to strike a balance between effective action to control the disease and sensitivity to calm down the population as much as possible by providing accurate information and material support whenever needed.

Though one can't get Swine Flu by eating well cooked pork, what about when handling it raw? All the farmers?

By the way, the US Government is acting fishy lately, like damn trout. I woke up to the sound of two fighter jets , that were flying low enough that I could see in their damn windows. Loud son-ah-bitches... it was even on the news. Miltiary said [i]"The exercise was training for situations in which fighters need to intercept unidentified or unresponsive aircraft."[/i] Har har har.

http://www.wmur.com/news/19325063/detail.html

Swine Flu is in Maine and Massachusetts and could hit New Hampshire next, and most likely will. It's a problem. Hopefully everyone on Queenzone and all their familes will be safe and not catch this terrible virus.

http://www.wmur.com/news/19322829/detail.html

[QUOTE]

[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]

[QUOTE][b]Your Valentine wrote:[/b]

Over 150 casualties in Mexico and now the first child dead in the USA. Maybe we won't make jokes much longer.[/QUOTE]

Uh, calm down Barb.  That was a mexican child who had gotten so bad, he was transported to Houston for treatment... too late.  He was already too far gone.  No US citizen or person living in the United States has died yet.  Keep the clock going, though...

When you have no doctors in the village, people will die from an infected scratch.

Keep the jokes coming.[/QUOTE]

I am totally calm and I do not care if the child was American or Mexican - it's just sad when a small child dies of an influenza. I am sure that an  effective vaccine will be developed, so this infection won't kill half of the population  but for me there is no reason to joke about it. Millions of people won't have a flu shot because they are poor and it's not provided for everybody in all countries. In countries where flu shots are available and free many people do not get one because they are misinformed or too careless to see a doctor. Many people still believe that an illness like influenza helps the body to get stronger and more resisitant towards other diseases which is rubbish. Bacterial and viral infections are just as dangerous for most people on this planet as wars and violence - see HIV and Ebola. Much more money and international cooperation is needed to win the "war on microbes".

I'm a huge hypochondriac, and I'm not worried.

This is possibly because my hypochondria is currently assuring me that I've got Leukemia, therefore Swine Flu seems a bit... less important, or it might be because it'sjust another one of those public hysteria things that never comes to much. I've panicked about every one of those big news illnesses,  SARS, Anthrax, Smallpox, Bird Flu, all for bloody nothing. Therefore, I shall not allow myself to worry about getting Swine Flu. I shall just worry about the altogether more terrifying illnesses, such as brain tumours, Leukemia and MS. *checks self for bruises*

You think Swine Flu is a problem?  [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU8IQqcq270]THIS[/url] ought to scare the devil out of you.

[QUOTE]





[b]Zebonka12 wrote: [/b]



You think Swine Flu is a problem?  [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU8IQqcq270]THIS[/url] ought to scare the devil out of you.

[/QUOTE]
Hilary Clinton isn't our problem.

Call Bill Clinton, MAD THE SWINE!

PS - Swine Flu has hit New Hampshire today, to a person who hasn't been to Mexico. So obviously there are people who've been to Mexico and they are spreading their germs all over the place.

They are closing a whole school district near here Friday.  Some kids in the area went on a trip to Cancun and contracted swine flu.  I don't get why they are closing all the schools in the district, though, because the ones that are sick went to a private school.  OTT, if you ask me.

Apparently it has hit Connecticut as well. Supposedly a case near my college.
[/QUOTE]I've been obsessive-compulsively washing my hands and sanitizing like crazy. [/QUOTE]
[/QUOTE]If I get sick right before (or during) finals....I will go insane.[/QUOTE]

They talked to a mom and daughter that both had it on the local news today.  They are already better, and from what they were saying, it's not any worse than your average flu.