Deadly Swine Flu Outbreak

[Jill]

Ok, I'll step in and be the lone shoulder-shrugger. I think this is much ado about little. Sure, it's a new strain. Sure, it's (possibly*) taken the lives of 80-some people in Mexico. But the flu was the cause of death in 36,000 people in the U.S. last year. Eighty people is statistically meaningless. Not to mention that *they don't even know that it was the swine flu that caused the deaths of those 80 people!

More info, for a bit of perspective.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Jill

I think this is much ado about little. Sure, it's a new strain. Sure, it's (possibly*) taken the lives of 80-some people in Mexico. But the flu was the cause of death in 36,000 people in the U.S. last year.

Apparently you are reading too much fear into it. A disease that can cause a pandemic has been detected. You and everyone around you should know that - nothing more. Nobody is hyping it into fear. It is simply reported as a fact so that, should it personally affect you, you can at least recongnize it or be informed enought to act responsibily.

Would you instead prefer we all stayed ignorant and uninformed? That is, after all, what so many tried to do in 1985 with AIDs. To instead blame it all on Haitians, then on gays, then on evil people having sex. Insisting that we should not discuss it because it cannot affect us. Because it is god taking revenge on evil ones.

Nobody is even suggesting the world is threatened. Just that the disease has appeared AND that public health officials want you to know something new and potentially dangerous has arrived. Be informed; not fearful.

Meanwhile, what makes it more interesting: the viruse usually only appears among people in contact with pigs. These outbreaks occured where no pigs exist. A curious science story.

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by tw

Apparently you are reading too much fear into it. A disease that can cause a pandemic has been detected. You and everyone around you should know that - nothing more. Nobody is hyping it into fear.

OMG teh 1918 economies!

Well, kind of. Honestly, I haven't seen the media freaking out like I thought they would. Most everyone is actually pretty restrained with only the typical survivalists hyping it up and spreading crazy rumors/conspiracies. So far, so good.

Kudos to the CDC and WHO for being on top of this. I wouldn't have expected as fast a response, nor updates as quick as they are coming in. It isn't possible to isolate this kind of disease, but the precautions being taken, including readying stocks of antivirals, is pretty impressive in this short amount of time. The avian flu panic was actually good for something!

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

OMG teh 1918 economies!

Well, kind of. Honestly, I haven't seen the media freaking out like I thought they would. Most everyone is actually pretty restrained with only the typical survivalists hyping it up and spreading crazy rumors/conspiracies. So far, so good.

Kudos to the CDC and WHO for being on top of this. I wouldn't have expected as fast a response, nor updates as quick as they are coming in. It isn't possible to isolate this kind of disease, but the precautions being taken, including readying stocks of antivirals, is pretty impressive in this short amount of time. The avian flu panic was actually good for something!

When Janet Napolitano went on TV to issue the warning, she was sure to use language that wouldn't panic people. I respect her for that. She said, this is just to release the antiviral meds, in case we need them. Nothing to be concerned about at the moment, but, IF you get flu-like symptoms, especially with a fever, you should go to the doctor, just to be sure, and if you're sick, stay your ass home from work or school.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Jill

Ok, I'll step in and be the lone shoulder-shrugger.

I'm wearing a rubber pig nose to work tomorrow.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Jill

Ok, I'll step in and be the lone shoulder-shrugger. I think this is much ado about little. Sure, it's a new strain. Sure, it's (possibly*) taken the lives of 80-some people in Mexico. But the flu was the cause of death in 36,000 people in the U.S. last year. Eighty people is statistically meaningless. Not to mention that *they don't even know that it was the swine flu that caused the deaths of those 80 people!

More info, for a bit of perspective.

Don't waste your breath, or typing, I have tried already. It is no one's statistic until it is your own, then it is 100%.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by capnhowdy

Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure — one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a "declaration of emergency preparedness."

"Really that's what we're doing right now. We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be."

They are scared of not acting. Seems premature to me as well, but maybe they know something we don't. :shrug:

Then again at this rate they'll be killing flies with sledgehammers soon.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Don't waste your breath, or typing, I have tried already. It is no one's statistic until it is your own, then it is 100%.

Jill, Merc, Ali... there are plenty of alarmists who want to just keep predicting everything will go bad, we have one here. Then when one of his ramblings comes close to being true he calls himself a genius. Never mind the dozens or hundreds (who knows how many) that were total bullshit.
I agree - this may be a very serious threat, but it is far too early to tell.
Then again, better safe than sorry...