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Yeah and then the vaccine will inevitably kill or maim a bunch of folks.
Hopefully a vaccine will be available before the second wave strikes. One of the pharmaceutical companies (I forget which one) said that they should have it available by the end of the summer.
Went to Phoenix Children's hospital last evening to visit a grandchild that just had a brain tumor removed, had to wade thru the emergency room as it was late and the main entrance was closed. The place was packed with people bringing their children in to make sure that they don't have the flu. I doubt many of them actually have the flu, if so, it will be on the local news soon enough.
The media is making a mess of this....
Today the hospital is limiting visits with admitted patients due to the panic.
The probability of dying from a flu vaccine is infinitesimal compared to the probability of a flu pandemic from this virus at some point during the lifetime of the vaccine.
Just look at the vast majority of the fatalities. Aside form the little boy in Texas, the vast majority of fatalities are in the 20-40 age range in otherwise healthy people.
At best, the risks for younger folks is about equal to any flu, whereas the risks in that 20-40 range are astronomically higher than normal.
Mexico on edge as reports of swine flu cases climb - washingtonpost.com
The stats speak for themselves.
Part of the reasoning for this is that the problems are caused by an over response of the immune system to the new illness. The weaker the immune system, the less likely it will be that there will be an over response.
I think the problem here is that most people are not capable of thinking long-term. They see the hype, and expect immediate impact. If they don't see immediate impact, they tend to ignore the hype.
Remember, just because the boy who cried wolf is telling you that there is a wolf standing outside the town, it doesn't mean that he's not telling the truth this time.
The problem is not that this flu is not a potential threat -because it is- it is that the media has hyped illegitimate threats in teh past so often. They didn't wait until sustained human to human transmission was observed before going over the deep end.
I'm not saying it's time to panic, but I am saying the threat should be taken seriously, even if the people telling you about it are known for being sensationalist assholes.
Sounds reasonable.
If the borders were closed, as they should be, wouldn't be any need for funding swine flu pandemic relief up here.
Besides which, if they can't afford their own healthcare, let them die.
I am concerned, but not for myself. I believe that prevention from it spreading to other countries is the most important situation of the looming pandemic. Americans and Mexicans must work together to stop the virus. First off, it will greatly improve our relations if we extend a hand to our neighbors. Otherwise, if this virus makes it's way to an undeveloped country with poor health care (such as India or China), the results would be devastating. Already, we have seen the death tolls in Mexico, hardly a third world country compared to many around the world.
Death tolls?
159 total thus far. SWINE FLU FAIL
:lol:
Its all hype.
it's a mild flu....
While I think the media is severely overblowing this....
Tucker Case did convince me of some things. I can see why this is a legitimate issue, just not as big as the paranoia has built it up to be.
Yes, the Flu itself has killed far more people thus far this year. HOWEVER, the thing that is supposedly the worrisome part of the Swine Flu is WHO its killing. The majority of Flu deaths generally come from the young, the elderly, or the immune compromised. The Swine Flu, from what I'm understanding, has been taking out normal healty people in their primes. That is a significant difference from what TENDS to happen in regards to the Flu and why this could potentially become something troubling.
It doesn't justify the paranoia or the over blowing of it by the Media, but some of the people on this forum have at least made me understand its also not just something to completely shrug at and go meh.
I've decided to joke about the Swine Flu at every single opportunity. A friend coughs in front of me, I take a step back and say "get that piggy **** away from me".
I tell everybody to make sure they wash their hands because I don't want them to spoil my dinner.
I feel sorry for the individuals dying from seriously terminal diseases. We're going to throw money at the Swine flu as if it were the American Economy...but it's not the American economy because ailments are not liars.
While I think the media is severely overblowing this....
Tucker Case did convince me of some things. I can see why this is a legitimate issue, just not as big as the paranoia has built it up to be.
Yes, the Flu itself has killed far more people thus far this year. HOWEVER, the thing that is supposedly the worrisome part of the Swine Flu is WHO its killing. The majority of Flu deaths generally come from the young, the elderly, or the immune compromised. The Swine Flu, from what I'm understanding, has been taking out normal healty people in their primes. That is a significant difference from what TENDS to happen in regards to the Flu and why this could potentially become something troubling.
It doesn't justify the paranoia or the over blowing of it by the Media, but some of the people on this forum have at least made me understand its also not just something to completely shrug at and go meh.
I've decided to joke about the Swine Flu at every single opportunity. A friend coughs in front of me, I take a step back and say "get that piggy **** away from me".
I tell everybody to make sure they wash their hands because I don't want them to spoil my dinner.
I feel sorry for the individuals dying from seriously terminal diseases. We're going to throw money at the Swine flu as if it were the American Economy...but it's not the American economy because ailments are not liars.
Every case of the swine flu having been introduced into the United States that I know of involved students and travelers, not illegal immigrants. So, obviously not only can it NOT be blamed on illegals but it clearly demonstrates that even with Soviet Block border containment the flu would still have entered our borders.
Your remark is both ignorant and appallingly callous.
I do find it odd that it's only been killing Mexicans but I wonder if that may not have more to do with the quality of their medical care and emergency response system than anything else.Exactly.
It may well end up being nothing, but it's too early to say for sure. 159 deaths in a month in a somewhat localized region is enough to give one pause a the very least. Then, the fact that it has been taking out otherwise healthy people also is a factor in being somewhat more cautious.
What we are seeing is overboard, no doubt, but caution when the situation is not fully known is always the prudent course.
And for the most part, most things about this flu are not fully known.
So far the evidence supports the claim that influenza A(H1N1) is probably a mild virus and has nothing going for it in terms of lethality that the avian (H5N1) flu that's been around for a decade has. I think I may possibly be starting to get sick from it now, unless it's another seasonal flu, and it's seeming pretty tame to some others I've had.BBC World Services said:Preliminary analysis of the swine flu virus suggests it is a fairly mild strain, scientists say.
It is believed that a further mutation would be needed in order for the H1N1 virus to cause the mass deaths that have been estimated by some.
But at this point, it is impossible to predict with any accuracy how the virus will continue to evolve.
- full story -
I do find it odd that it's only been killing Mexicans but I wonder if that may not have more to do with the quality of their medical care and emergency response system than anything else.
So far the evidence supports the claim that influenza A(H1N1) is probably a mild virus and has nothing going for it in terms of lethality that the avian (H5N1) flu that's been around for a decade has. I think I may possibly be starting to get sick from it now, unless it's another seasonal flu, and it's seeming pretty tame to some others I've had.
What I'm worried about is it mutating, but even if it does those of us who have already contracted the illness may be partially or fully immune to the more dangerous mutation.
That's true, but the due to the ease of domestic and international travel and how rapidly it – like any flu – spreads from person to person in a local population, it's quite plausible that if you catch A(H1N1) you'll more likely be able to lay the blame on some guy on the bus, a co-worker, or a friend, etc. than on an illegal immigrant.One situation does not rule out the other, unless you're trying to make the absurd claim that illegal immigrants don't travel.
I agree with you, but that can go so far as to be akin to avoiding hiking in the Rockies during a pleasantly clear day because of the risk of being struck by a bolt of heat lightning.It could also be that more of them have been exposed.
The thing is, just because it doesn't have the same genetic markers as H5N1 bird flu or the H1N1 Spanish flu from 1918 that lead to their lethality, it doesn't necessarily mean that it does not have some heretofore unknown genetic combination that leads to it's own lethality.
So, while it is definitely good news that it doesn't have these genes, it doesn't rule out the potential for lethality. It just means that the genes for lethality that we do know of are not present. It does not mean any potentially lethal gene combo that we are not aware of doesn't exist.
The above commentary is a paraphrase from some virologist's quote I read in an article today. I'll have to find that article to source it.
P.S. I agree about the mutation bit for the most part. It would depend on the degree of mutation.
I agree with you, but that can go so far as to be akin to avoiding hiking in the Rockies during a pleasantly clear day because of the risk of being struck by a bolt of heat lightning.
I do find it odd that it's only been killing Mexicans but I wonder if that may not have more to do with the quality of their medical care and emergency response system than anything else.
It is clear Swine Flu is racist!
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