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DenverChief 04-29-2009 03:44 PM
WHO raises pandemic alert to second-highest level
 
I know there is another thread on this but this article addresses some of the questions that have been raised in other thread as to why the big deal

Quote:
GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN) -- The World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest level Wednesday, indicating the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico is nearing widespread human infection.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the U.N. agency's director-general, said the decision mean to raise the alert to 5 on its 6-point scale indicated that all countries should "immediately" activate pandemic preparedness plans.

"This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the business community that certain actions now should be taken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace," Chan said.

The annoucement came as the number of people infected with swine flu increased rapidly across the world, and health officials scrambled to get more information about the virus -- which has no vaccine.

Germany and Austria became the latest European countries to report swine flu on Wednesday, while the number of cases increased in the United Kingdom and Spain.

The WHO and national governments have confirmed 148 cases of swine flu in 11 countries. Most of those are in the United States, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 91 cases.

The figures include seven deaths in Mexico and one in the United States. More than 2,700 other patients worldwide are believed to be suffering from the virus, known scientifically as H1N1.

The WHO's "Phases of Pandemic Alert," which has been in existence for five years, characterizes phase 5 as a human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region, which signals that a pandemic is imminent.

The highest level, phase 6, is defined by community-level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region, according to the agency.

"The question now is how severe will the pandemic be, especially now at the start," Chan said. "It is important for us to take this very seriously and take vigilance as the virus evolves."

The Pentagon is planning for a task force that would help with transportation, logistics and distributing medical supplies in the event of a pandemic, a spokesman said.

The U.S. government is distributing 25 percent of its stockpile of antiviral medications Tamiflu and Relenza to all states, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday. Health officials stress that the medications are effective only if taken in the early stages of the infection. Learn more about swine flu and how to treat it »

Researchers also are conducting a complete genetic sequencing of the H1N1 virus as the federal government considers more effective methods of combating the swine flu outbreak, a health official told a Senate committee Wednesday.

The 91 confirmed cases in the United States includes the country's first swine flu fatality: a 22-month-old child visiting from Mexico who died Monday at a Houston, Texas, hospital.

A U.S. Marine in California is the military's first suspected case of swine flu, and three military family members in San Diego have confirmed cases, the CDC said.

As a precaution, the military is banning travel to Mexico for nonessential personnel.

The first cases of the virus were detected in Mexico, where health officials suspect swine flu in more than 150 other deaths and roughly 2,500 illnesses. Only 26 cases have so far been confirmed, including the seven fatal cases.

The deadly outbreak has prompted authorities to order about 35,000 public venues in Mexico City to shut down or serve only takeout meals as health officials tried to contain spreading of the virus. iReport.com: "Regular life" in Mexico with masks

Mexican officials also said they believe they may have found "patient zero" -- the first case of the global outbreak -- in the small mountain village of La Gloria.

Edgar Hernandez, 5, survived the earliest documented case of swine flu. He lives near a pig farm, though experts have not established a connection between that and his illness.

Edgar has managed to bounce back from his symptoms and playfully credits ice cream for helping him feel better.

President Obama called on schools with confirmed or possible swine flu cases to "consider temporarily closing so that we can be as safe as possible."

At least 74 elementary, junior high and high schools have closed across the country due to confirmed or probable cases of swine flu, the Department of Education said Wednesday.

Another 30 schools have closed as a precautionary measure, Department of Education spokesman Massie Ritsch said.

Researchers do not know how the virus is jumping relatively easily from person to person, or why it's affecting what should be society's healthiest demographic. Many of the victims who have died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy.

Governments around the world are scrambling to prevent further outbreak.

Some countries, such as China and Russia, have banned pork imports from the United States and Mexico, though the WHO said the disease is not transmitted through eating or preparing pig meat. Several other countries, such as Japan and Indonesia, are using thermographic devices to test the temperature of passengers arriving from Mexico.

Egypt reportedly is considering culling all pigs although there have been no reported cases of swine flu there.

Swine influenza, or flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects pigs.

When the flu spreads person to person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight, because people have no natural immunity

Symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Common seasonal flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year worldwide, far more than the current outbreak of swine flu. But there is a vaccine for seasonal flu.

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MOhillbilly 04-29-2009 03:50 PM
we GONNA DIE!!!!!

DenverChief 04-29-2009 03:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MOhillbilly (Post 5726514)
we GONNA DIE!!!!!
maybe ---maybe not, the intersting part for me is the deaths are associated with young healthy individuals not the elderly or those with compromised immunity

jiveturkey 04-29-2009 03:55 PM
It sounds like everyone that's infected just needs to eat some ice cream.

Mr. Plow 04-29-2009 03:57 PM
Honestly, I came down with the flu today. After reading some of this, it kind of unnerving.

DenverChief 04-29-2009 03:58 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jiveturkey (Post 5726528)
It sounds like everyone that's infected just needs to eat some ice cream.
:LOL: that would be sweet...wait are we talking American ice cream or whatever they call ice cream in the backwoods of Mexico?

Joie 04-29-2009 04:05 PM
Well it's a good thing that people with compromised immune systems are fine. Since I'm pregnant, I fall into that group.

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 04:06 PM
Pandemic. Got that pandemic.

Jerm 04-29-2009 04:13 PM
It's fixin' to be 28 Days Later or Night of the Living Dead up in here...

Take your pick lol. :D

DenverChief 04-29-2009 04:15 PM
Question
Swine flu: How serious is the global threat?
What's the real story about swine flu? I've heard it's the next global pandemic, but I'm not sure what that means.

Answer
from James M. Steckelberg, M.D.

You're not alone in your confusion about the current swine flu outbreak, which seems to have started in Mexico near the end of the regular 2008-2009 flu season. Since then, the swine flu strain of influenza has also been reported in the United States, Canada and Spain. No one knows whether this particular swine flu will become pandemic — that is, whether it will affect large numbers of people in wide geographic regions.

Swine flu is one of the many type A influenza viruses. It's unusual for humans to catch swine flu, but occasional cases occur, usually in people who have contact with infected pigs. Like other flu viruses, the swine flu virus changes its DNA as it spreads, giving rise to a number of subtypes.

Health officials around the world are concerned about the current swine flu outbreak because:

It's caused by a new strain of swine flu virus, which means humans haven't had a chance to develop antibodies that could be used to make a vaccine. The new strain is a variant of a recognized swine flu virus — swine influenza virus H1N1. The new form contains DNA sequences from human and avian influenza viruses, as well as from other strains of swine influenza.
It's spreading rapidly in the hardest-hit areas of Mexico.

The infection progresses rapidly. In those most severely affected in the Mexican outbreak, potentially fatal respiratory problems developed after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever.

In Mexico, the death rate is unusually high among those who develop respiratory distress.

In the United States, the same new strain of H1N1 swine influenza has infected some recent visitors to Mexico and their household contacts. So far, the infection has resulted in relatively mild respiratory illnesses in this group.

Why is there such a big difference in severity? One possibility is that the virus mutated to a less dangerous form around the time it showed up in the United States. Another, more sobering possibility is that the severe illness linked to swine flu in Mexico is the result of viral mutations that haven't yet appeared in other countries — but possibly will in time.

Efforts to understand and contain swine flu are under way on a global scale. Until more definitive information is available, the best response for those outside the most affected areas is to:

Keep tabs on respiratory symptoms. If you or someone in your family develops symptoms suggesting a cold or the flu, be alert for persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly a high fever.
Stay home if you're sick. If you do have swine flu, you can give it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about seven days later.

Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.

Take extra precautionary measures if you visit or live in an affected area. Travel to Mexico has not been restricted, but some airlines are waiving fees for changing your travel plans.

If you have a chronic condition, such as asthma or heart disease, it's a good idea to wear a breathing mask when you're out in public in affected areas.
Be prepared. Ask your health care provider or county health department about infection-control plans in case of a serious swine flu outbreak. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) reduce the severity of symptoms.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/swine-flu/AN02000

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 04:16 PM
I have a headache and mild fever. I'm so ****ed.

DenverChief 04-29-2009 04:26 PM
I appreciate the humor...but I have a feeling this is going to be ugly

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 04:29 PM
Epidemiologists and their ilk are pretty awesome (sup ChiefsPlanet poster H5N1), and awesome at their jobs, so it's probably not going to be catastrophic or anything. But yeah, it could get bad, and anything that causes people to die sucks quite a lot.

And seriously, I have a fever and a headache and I've convinced myself I'm a little short of breath. 10% of me is considering the idea that I have a terrible illness.

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 04:32 PM
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kaplin42 04-29-2009 04:34 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerm (Post 5726572)
It's fixin' to be 28 Days Later or Night of the Living Dead up in here...

Take your pick lol. :D
I choose night of the living dead. Slow, shambling zombies much better than fast, crazy zombies.

Well, better for the living to dispatch that is.

DenverChief 04-29-2009 04:35 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut (Post 5726604)
Epidemiologists and their ilk are pretty awesome (sup ChiefsPlanet poster H5N1), and awesome at their jobs, so it's probably not going to be catastrophic or anything. But yeah, it could get bad, and anything that causes people to die sucks quite a lot.

And seriously, I have a fever and a headache and I've convinced myself I'm a little short of breath. 10% of me is considering the idea that I have a terrible illness.
Interesting and thank for the link....I'm a germ-o-phobe anyway in my line of work now I'm slathering on the hand sanitizer more often and wearing my gloves more when contacting people...

Jerm 04-29-2009 04:35 PM
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kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 04:35 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplin42 (Post 5726612)
I choose night of the living dead. Slow, shambling zombies much better than fast, crazy zombies.

Well, better for the living to dispatch that is.

really, the 28 days later zombies are prob the scariest. the ones from i am legend are pretty wicked too.

kaplin42 04-29-2009 04:37 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726615)
really, the 28 days later zombies are prob the scariest. the ones from i am legend are pretty wicked too.


Oh yes. Zombies that run fast and scream and chase you down like rabid dogs are fricken terrifying. Thats why I would rather face the mindless, slow, shambling variety. At least then,you have a chance.

DenverChief 04-29-2009 04:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplin42 (Post 5726619)
Oh yes. Zombies that run fast and scream and chase you down like rabid dogs are fricken terrifying. Thats why I would rather face the mindless, slow, shambling variety. At least then,you have a chance.
Unless you have lots of firearm training :D

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 04:40 PM
not to mention, the dog zombies from i am legend. or the giant spiders, snakes, or sharks from resident evil. frickin umbrella...

Archie F. Swin 04-29-2009 04:41 PM
WHO?

Why is a Des Moines-based radio station suddenly an authority on pandemics?

Skip Towne 04-29-2009 04:42 PM
I don't know. Who?

Miles 04-29-2009 04:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut (Post 5726562)
Pandemic. Got that pandemic.
WMD. Got ya WMD.

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 04:45 PM
its fear mongering. the real threat is the scary screaming running zombies. (from 28 days later)

kaplin42 04-29-2009 04:45 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverChief (Post 5726622)
Unless you have lots of firearm training :D
This would certainly help. But im gonna be honest, I have very little, read that I know which end to point at people/zombies, fire arm training, and would guess that the vast majority of the american populace live closer to my shoes than yours.

So again with the slow moving ones. And even if you did have Navy Seal training, I don't see how that would help against 100 zombies rushing you like you were the last porkchop on the planet.

kaplin42 04-29-2009 04:46 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726623)
not to mention, the dog zombies from i am legend. or the giant spiders, snakes, or sharks from resident evil. frickin umbrella...
Ohhhh, can you imagine pig zombies. The horror of it all.

Otter 04-29-2009 04:47 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplin42 (Post 5726619)
Oh yes. Zombies that run fast and scream and chase you down like rabid dogs are fricken terrifying. Thats why I would rather face the mindless, slow, shambling variety. At least then,you have a chance.
I suggest everyone go out and buy Left 4 Dead so we can practice up. I'm teamed with DenverChief, Bwana and Duck Dog.

GoChiefs, UltraPeanut, Mecca and Hootie will be team 2. We'll call you guys "team bait" or "diversion", it's up to you guys.

Joie 04-29-2009 04:47 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut (Post 5726577)
I have a headache and mild fever. I'm so ****ed.
I had a full blown cold last week. Mild fever, headache, sore throat, bad cough, etc. Oddly enough the swine flu news broke a day or so after I started feeling better.

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 04:50 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplin42 (Post 5726643)
Ohhhh, can you imagine pig zombies. The horror of it all.
or wild boar zombies? they'd have tusks.

htismaqe 04-29-2009 04:51 PM
I love how they say "but there's a vaccine for the common flu" when EVERY spring we hear "the vaccine doesn't cover this latest variant".

ROFL

Swine flu = social engineering

kaplin42 04-29-2009 04:58 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726657)
or wild boar zombies? they'd have tusks.
They would gore you, and then you would be like a meat-sickle. Nature is a cruel mistress.

kaplin42 04-29-2009 04:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by htismaqe (Post 5726660)

Swine flu = social engineering = Zombie Uprising
FIXED!!!

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 05:01 PM
all right. who here thinks that zombies (the fast ones from 28 days later) are more of a threat to the human race than swine flu?

LaChapelle 04-29-2009 05:02 PM
Hasn't Katie Horner taught us anything? Roll over and go to sleep.

kaplin42 04-29-2009 05:02 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726685)
all right. who here thinks that zombies (the fast ones from 28 days later) are more of a threat to the human race than swine flu?
If they existed? Easily!

beavis 04-29-2009 05:05 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726639)
its fear mongering. the real threat is the scary screaming running zombies. (from 28 days later)
At least they weren't Nazi zombies.

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kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 05:07 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplin42 (Post 5726689)
If they existed? Easily!

if it tells you how worried i actually am about this, i think the zombies are more of a threat. even though they aren't real. if you wash your hands, like you're supposed to, you really don't have anything to worry about. same hype dif barnyard animal. mad cow, sars, west nile, hoof and mouth, bird flu, i think last year they pushed monkey flu, now they want us to be afraid of "swine flu." congratulations america, you have been fleeced by the pharmeceudical companies. again. their stocks jumped through the roof.

Otter 04-29-2009 05:07 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by htismaqe (Post 5726660)
I love how they say "but there's a vaccine for the common flu" when EVERY spring we hear "the vaccine doesn't cover this latest variant".

ROFL

Swine flu = social engineering
We'll see who's laughing when you're craving brains from the "warm bodies" mister.

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 05:11 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otter (Post 5726706)
We'll see who's laughing when you're craving brains from the "warm bodies" mister.
if i remember correctly the 28 days later zombies pretty much had no idea what they were after. they were like crackheads that didn't know what they were addicted to.

Donger 04-29-2009 05:11 PM
I don't really understand the laughing about this. This outbreak of H1N1 exists and has spread pretty quickly. And, it has killed. It's apparently a new bug that they've never seen before and we don't have a natural immunity to it.

I'm not about to get naked and run around my neighborhood about it, but it IS real. I suppose over the next few weeks, we'll all see how nasty it is.

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 05:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donger (Post 5726712)
I don't really understand the laughing about this. This outbreak of H1N1 exists and has spread pretty quickly. And, it has killed. It's apparently a new bug that they've never seen before and we don't have a natural immunity to it.

I'm not about to get naked and run around my neighborhood about it, but it IS real. I suppose over the next few weeks, we'll all see how nasty it is.

and i wonder how many threats like this popped up before the "instant information" age. before there had to be 24 hours a day worth of news to report on. we're hearing about a few thousand world wide. once again, WORLD WIDE. i'll take my chances...

there are those that are panicking though. when i was clocking out today, i heard one of the office ladies say "Did you know you can pass swine flu before you even know you have it?" and there was genuine terror behind her voice.

DenverChief 04-29-2009 05:15 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donger (Post 5726712)
I don't really understand the laughing about this. This outbreak of H1N1 exists and has spread pretty quickly. And, it has killed. It's apparently a new bug that they've never seen before and we don't have a natural immunity to it.

I'm not about to get naked and run around my neighborhood about it, but it IS real. I suppose over the next few weeks, we'll all see how nasty it is.

I completely agree and from a law enforcement standpoint I'm not looking forward to "dealing" with it

kaplin42 04-29-2009 05:16 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726711)
if i remember correctly the 28 days later zombies pretty much had no idea what they were after. they were like crackheads that didn't know what they were addicted to.
Technically, they arent even zombies. They are still alive, they are just infected with a disease dubbed RAGE. In a sense it made the infected nothing more than rabid dogs.

Also, have you seen 28 weeks later. Not quite as good as the first, but there are a few scenes in that movie that are just raw, and completely F'ed up.

Donger 04-29-2009 05:16 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726715)
and i wonder how many threats like this popped up before the "instant information" age. we're hearing about a few thousand world wide. once again, WORLD WIDE.
You mean like the pandemics of 1918? 1957? 1968?

Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 572671)
i'll take my chances...
I suppose we all will.

Donger 04-29-2009 05:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverChief (Post 5726718)
I completely agree and from a law enforcement standpoint I'm not looking forward to "dealing" with it
Errr, I'm one of the good guys and I always donate to those police solicitors when they call, k?

Jenson71 04-29-2009 05:17 PM
People are coughing around me. They sneeze. They cough some more. I hate it. I'm starting to itch all around. Another cough. In my nightmares, coughs and heat, coughs and heat. I wake up in a pool of sweat. I itch terribly.

kaplin42 04-29-2009 05:18 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenson71 (Post 5726728)
People are coughing around me. They sneeze. They cough some more. I hate it. I'm starting to itch all around. Another cough. In my nightmares, coughs and heat, coughs and heat. I wake up in a pool of sweat. I itch terribly.
Are you starting to crave brains?

Donger 04-29-2009 05:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726715)
there are those that are panicking though. when i was clocking out today, i heard one of the office ladies say "Did you know you can pass swine flu before you even know you have it?" and there was genuine terror behind her voice.
I believe that is an accurate statement, however. If you are contagious before being symptomatic, I'd guess that the virus would spread more rapidly.

kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 05:19 PM
my point is, there are a relatively small number of confirmed cases. sure take the extra precautions so it does not spread, but it not like the movie outbreak, or as we've discussed, 28 days later. (thank god)

further, i don't see how this any different than the shit they've tried to scare us with in the past 7 years or so. its just fear mongering.

DenverChief 04-29-2009 05:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726715)
and i wonder how many threats like this popped up before the "instant information" age. before there had to be 24 hours a day worth of news to report on. we're hearing about a few thousand world wide. once again, WORLD WIDE. i'll take my chances...

there are those that are panicking though. when i was clocking out today, i heard one of the office ladies say "Did you know you can pass swine flu before you even know you have it?" and there was genuine terror behind her voice.

I remember SARS and not being nearly as worried as I am now...maybe because it started in SE Asia not Mexico...:shrug:

Joie 04-29-2009 05:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donger (Post 5726712)
I don't really understand the laughing about this. This outbreak of H1N1 exists and has spread pretty quickly. And, it has killed. It's apparently a new bug that they've never seen before and we don't have a natural immunity to it.

I'm not about to get naked and run around my neighborhood about it, but it IS real. I suppose over the next few weeks, we'll all see how nasty it is.
Laughing is a way of handling a bad situation. It can seem disrespectful (my brother and I have been known to crack bad jokes at funerals because we're nervous and uncomfortable) but it's natural and shouldn't be seen as people taking a situation too lightly.

Donger 04-29-2009 05:23 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726734)
my point is, there are a relatively small number of confirmed cases. sure take the extra precautions so it does not spread, but it not like the movie outbreak, or as we've discussed, 28 days later. (thank god)
It seems to be doing just fine with spreading globally. 91 confirmed cases in 10 states, 2,500 in Mexico (with 159 deaths) and is now showing up in Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, Germany and Austria.

Midway Chief 04-29-2009 05:26 PM
This whole flu thing has officially pissed me off. My wife worked her a$$ off for her company to earn a 7 day all expense paid vacation (me included) to Cancun. The trip was supposed to be the last week of May and today they canceled the trip. If this whole thing blows over next week I will be more pissed. (Disclaimer: Yes I realize my missed vacation pales in comparison next to the people who have died, but I am going to b!tch anyway. I am more pissed at the virus, not the company that canceled the trip. However, I am pretty sure the amount of tequilla I would have drank would have killed off anything that I could have possibly caught.)

DenverChief 04-29-2009 05:28 PM
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kcfanXIII 04-29-2009 05:29 PM
i laugh all the time, but never at zombies.

Otter 04-29-2009 05:34 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplin42 (Post 5726720)
Technically, they arent even zombies. They are still alive, they are just infected with a disease dubbed RAGE. In a sense it made the infected nothing more than rabid dogs.

Also, have you seen 28 weeks later. Not quite as good as the first, but there are a few scenes in that movie that are just raw, and completely F'ed up.
In the Subway with the night vision comes to mind. That was cool.

Donger - not really laughing at as in it's not serious. Just nothing can do about but wait and see and laughing about it makes it easier.

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 05:48 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miles (Post 5726632)
WMD. Got ya WMD.
RED TOPS HERE!

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 05:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenson71 (Post 5726728)
People are coughing around me. They sneeze. They cough some more. I hate it. I'm starting to itch all around. Another cough. In my nightmares, coughs and heat, coughs and heat. I wake up in a pool of sweat. I itch terribly.
Thousands of rats! With little red eyes; like his, only smaller.

Rats! Rats! Rats! Thousands! Millions of them! All red-blood! All these will I give you, if you will obey me!

Mr. Krab 04-29-2009 05:55 PM
53,000 kids in Texas out of school for awhile because of the swine flu.

oldandslow 04-29-2009 05:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcfanXIII (Post 5726715)
and i wonder how many threats like this popped up before the "instant information" age. before there had to be 24 hours a day worth of news to report on. we're hearing about a few thousand world wide. once again, WORLD WIDE. i'll take my chances...

there are those that are panicking though. when i was clocking out today, i heard one of the office ladies say "Did you know you can pass swine flu before you even know you have it?" and there was genuine terror behind her voice.
Oh, I don't know...you mean like the kind that wiped out 90% of the American Indian population or the ones that just wiped out 40% of the European population....

This one probably isn't bubonic or small pox or whatever, but someday one will be...

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 06:02 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Krab's (Post 5726800)
53,000 kids in Texas out of school for awhile because of the swine flu.
It makes up for not getting any snow days!

DenverChief 04-29-2009 06:03 PM
Maine just confirmed 3 cases....11 states

Pants 04-29-2009 06:07 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverChief (Post 5726826)
Maine just confirmed 3 cases....11 states
JFC, it's the ****ing flu, it's inevitable that it will spread to all states including Alaska and Hawaii. That's what the flu does - it spreads and kills a few people. The articles are saying that symptoms are mild, yet here we are - panic-stricken and giving in to fear mongering.

Brock 04-29-2009 06:09 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Metrolike (Post 5726832)
JFC, it's the ****ing flu, it's inevitable that it will spread to all states including Alaska and Hawaii. That's what the flu does - it spreads and kills a few people. The articles are saying that symptoms are mild, yet here we are - panic-stricken and giving in to fear mongering.
No shit. People are just clawing wildly for things to be worried about these days.

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 06:13 PM
The response is pretty hyperbolic, but it's still something that a lot of incredibly proficient people are rightly putting a lot of work into containing. Every single one of these things is an unknown quantity, at least until well after the fact, and prevention is a top priority for any of them.

007 04-29-2009 06:14 PM
I've got yet another head cold. I want to know what the hell this swine flu is and why everytime there is some kind of a flu outbreak they go overboard on the coverage and all but say "you're going to die". How many outbreaks have we had and nothing came of it?

I mean hell, even the president is throwing money we don't have at the "problem" now.

htismaqe 04-29-2009 06:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donger (Post 5726712)
I don't really understand the laughing about this. This outbreak of H1N1 exists and has spread pretty quickly. And, it has killed. It's apparently a new bug that they've never seen before and we don't have a natural immunity to it.

I'm not about to get naked and run around my neighborhood about it, but it IS real. I suppose over the next few weeks, we'll all see how nasty it is.
It's killed people in a 3rd world country. Just like it always does.

DenverChief 04-29-2009 06:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Metrolike (Post 5726832)
JFC, it's the ****ing flu, it's inevitable that it will spread to all states including Alaska and Hawaii. That's what the flu does - it spreads and kills a few people. The articles are saying that symptoms are mild, yet here we are - panic-stricken and giving in to fear mongering.
hey calm down sally, if you watched the presentation given by the WHO director you might understand where I am coming from...if it were "just the flu" why would they be closing schools and raising alert levels?

DenverChief 04-29-2009 06:15 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by htismaqe (Post 5726848)
It's killed people in a 3rd world country. Just like it always does.
1 death in texas

Ultra Peanut 04-29-2009 06:16 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverChief (Post 5726849)
hey calm down sally, if you watched the presentation given by the WHO director you might understand where I am coming from...if it were "just the flu" why would they be closing schools and raising alert levels?
Just to clarify, the alert level is related to the spread of it rather than its severity.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverChief (Post 5726853)
1 death in texas
The baby got it in Mexico, as it turns out.

htismaqe 04-29-2009 06:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Krab's (Post 5726800)
53,000 kids in Texas out of school for awhile because of the swine flu.
I can understand taking precautionary measures, but there were hundreds kids around here staying home before there was ever any confirmed cases NEAR here.

The chicken little-ness of it is ridiculous.

Brock 04-29-2009 06:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverChief (Post 5726853)
1 death in texas
From a third world country.

htismaqe 04-29-2009 06:18 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverChief (Post 5726853)
1 death in texas
1) It was an INFANT.

2) Said infant already had a compromised immune system.

3) Apparently, said infant was a MEXICAN CITIZEN who was brought to Texas for treatment.

Please, this is STUPID.

RJ 04-29-2009 06:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brock (Post 5726834)
No shit. People are just clawing wildly for things to be worried about these days.

Actually, there's no need for "clawing wildly". You can't swing a dead cat these days without hitting something to worry about. Not the least of which is all these damn dead cats.

htismaqe 04-29-2009 06:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldandslow (Post 5726814)
Oh, I don't know...you mean like the kind that wiped out 90% of the American Indian population or the ones that just wiped out 40% of the European population....

This one probably isn't bubonic or small pox or whatever, but someday one will be...
You're talking about pandemics that occured amongst primitive populations or in centuries before modern medicine.

Pants 04-29-2009 06:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut (Post 5726842)
What's sad is going to be when this thing is contained and people start whining about all of the fuss about it. The media is hyperbolic and irresponsible, shocker, but that doesn't mean a lot of people aren't working very hard on dealing with this.
I think the reason WHO and co. are going bonkers over this is because, like it's been said, the virus is brand new and we have 0 resistance to it compounded by the fact there is no vaccine designed for it. Well, it's not like the current vaccines for the known forms of influenza are 100% effective. I don't know the exact numbers, but every year a huge percentage of vaccinated people still get the flu.

I, myself, have never gotten the vaccine and I do usually get the flu every 2-3 years. Yeah, it's a miserable 3 days, but I see it as something out of our immediate control and just a reality we have to face. I'm sure hundreds of thousands, if not millions, will end up going through this in the US alone and I think the death rate will be comparable to what we experience every year.

htismaqe 04-29-2009 06:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut (Post 5726842)
The response is pretty hyperbolic, but it's still something that a lot of incredibly proficient people are rightly putting a lot of work into containing. Every single one of these things is an unknown quantity, at least until well after the fact, and prevention is a top priority for any of them.
Another, different lot of incredibly proficient people are putting a lot of work into scaring the bejesus out of the common person.

htismaqe 04-29-2009 06:22 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Metrolike (Post 5726873)
I think the reason WHO and co. are going bonkers over this is because, like it's been said, the virus is brand new and we have 0 resistance to it compounded by the fact there is no vaccine designed for it. Well, it's not like the current vaccines for the known forms of influenza are 100% effective. I don't know the exact numbers, but every year a huge percentage of vaccinated people still get the flu.

I, myself, have never gotten the vaccine and I do usually get the flu every 2-3 years. Yeah, it's a miserable 3 days, but I see it as something out of our immediate control and just a reality we have to face. I'm sure hundreds of thousands, if not millions, will end up going through this in the US alone and I think the death rate will be comparable to what we experience every year.
The reason the WHO is going bonkers is because 75% of the world's population lives in conditions that could actually make the flu DEADLY. I don't have a problem with the WHO.

I have a problem with the US media and our government acting like this is going to be a huge problem here.

RJ 04-29-2009 06:22 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by htismaqe (Post 5726862)
I can understand taking precautionary measures, but there were hundreds kids around here staying home before there was ever any confirmed cases NEAR here.

The chicken little-ness of it is ridiculous.

I think that might be in part because it's so near the end of the school year in most districts. At this time of year they're not doing anything important, at least not in the elementary schools. Schools right now are just a baby sitting service.


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