swine flu thoughts

[jacob01]

So over the past week there has been alot of commotion about the swine flue but how concerned should we be about this.

Today my sister came home from school with a few sheet of paper from the school warning of the effect of the "pandemic" it told of the flu warning us that it may effect 1 out of 4 people (we live in Maine), and also that it would be a good idea to stockpile enough food and water to last us 30 days. food that we can keep without refrigeration and a gallon of water for each person for thirty days (4 people = 120 gallons of watter).

Maybe its me but i think people are blowing things out of proportion.I know its good to be prepared for anything but How concerned should we be?

[gn2]

Not that long ago we were all supposed to be doomed by bird flu and that came to nothing.

Then some time ago there was the millenium bug which some predicted would lead to the collapse of society and total anarchy.

Also, apparently we're melting the planet and will soon all drown as sea levels rise.

It's all a bunch of FUD.

[jacob01]

sorry if i offended you.

[Abu Sajid]

At the moment, the flu isn't near me, but really is scary. As far as I remember, the bird flu didn't spread so rapidly, or I did I forget something? :S Anyway, here's an interestng article, giving us a sort of hope. :D Just google: Flying Pigs, Tamiflu and Factory Farms.

[LowSky]

We cant call it Swine Flu, because the pork industry thinks it will stop people from eating bacon. Its to be called the H1N1 Virus, or Mexican Flu as some countries have called it.
Personally its a bunch of crap, every time things seem to be calming down (or people stop caring in current issues) we get a new thing to worry about.

I cant wait until the media tell us what we need to watch out for next!

[xpod]

Thousands die from normal Flu strains every year in the UK alone so whats the big deal about this one again???
Besides,we`re all doomed anyway are we not so why should we really care about this latest fear mongering?

[jacob01]

how about egypt.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_he_me/ml_egypt_swine_flu
how does that stop transmission from person to person?

[BGFG]

lol yeah, but when i read that it sounded like a joke.

Mexico is shutting down all non-essential government services, putting in restrictions that will basically shut down their economy in an effort to control the spread of this strain of influenza, people have DIED and are dying from H1N1 and 'Bird Flu' and you find that it sounds funny.

Your pc is a really nice looking glass isn't it ?

I'm from the caribbean, RIGHT NEXt to mexico, people who have recently travelled have been quarantined and all hospitals have been stocked up with the needed drugs. So over here in the real world sonny boy, it's not so funny.

[kk0sse54]

It's been definitely been blown out of proportion, but then again it's really just a matter of time before some kind of pandemic breaks out whether it's in the next 50 years or the next 500.

[jacob01]

i never said people dying was funny.

[LowSky]

At the moment, the flu isn't near me, but really is scary. As far as I remember, the bird flu didn't spread so rapidly, or I did I forget something? :S Anyway, here's an interestng article, giving us a sort of hope. :D Just google: Flying Pigs, Tamiflu and Factory Farms.

Why is it so scary, its only a mild virus you have a better chance of dying of cancer than dying from the virus.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/FASTATS/lcod.htm

Number of deaths for leading causes of death

* Heart disease: 652,091
* Cancer: 559,312
* Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 143,579
* Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 130,933
* Accidents (unintentional injuries): 117,809
* Diabetes: 75,119
* Alzheimer's disease: 71,599
* Influenza/Pneumonia: 63,001
* Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 43,901
* Septicemia: 34,136


So in 2005 63000 people in the US died of Flu symptoms. More people died by accident... OMG there's a Accident Pandemic quick every stop doing everything!

[jacob01]

i never said people dying was funny. The fact that people are throwing this so out of proportion.

[LowSky]

It's been definitely been blown out of proportion, but then again it's really just a matter of time before some kind of pandemic breaks out whether it's in the next 50 years or the next 500.

I fell like watching 12 Monkeys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Monkeys

[Zoowey]

The swine flu is a threat and should be taken seriously by everyone however if you're constantly living in fear you might as well be dead anyway honestly...

[Namtabmai]

OMG there's a Accident Pandemic quick every stop doing everything!

OMG I posted! I'm doomed!

Given the quality of media reporting ( or should I say knee jerk reactions ), I find it hard to know what is actually a threat any more.
I'm treating this "outbreak" with the same disdain I treat any of the media's panic of the moment.
That is, keeping up to date with what ever they are currently glorifying and then ignoring it.


I fell like watching 12 Monkeys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Monkeys

I see your 12 monkeys and raise you The Stand (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stand), hello Captain Trips.

[StOoZ]

Not that long ago we were all supposed to be doomed by bird flu and that came to nothing.

Then some time ago there was the millenium bug which some predicted would lead to the collapse of society and total anarchy.

Also, apparently we're melting the planet and will soon all drown as sea levels rise.

It's all a bunch of FUD.


the worst epidemic is underestimating things..

[OutOfReach]

2 schools in my area closed because of some probable swine flu cases, and they've brought sanitizer containers into every classroom, including the cafeteria (which I think they should've done a long time ago) in my school. I'm taking it seriously, despite what everyone says.

[gn2]

Raise you an Outbreak (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114069/) and an Andromeda Strain (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066769/).

[Giant Speck]

The H1N1 virus strain that has been going around has been proven by scientists to not have the specific genes that made the H1N1 virus so deadly during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic.

While this virus is still something to be cautious about, there should be no reason to be alarmed or panicked over it.

[gn2]

the worst epidemic is underestimating things..

Nope, alarmist hysteria by the media is the real problem.

Add AIDS to my original list, this was supposed to be a massive threat to the world population.
That's not to say AIDS isn't serious, but the media also blew that out of all proportion.

[ninjapirate89]

It seems to me that since the H1N1 virus is contracted in the same ways as influenza, if you follow healthy living habits (hand washing, covering your mouth when you sneeze, etc) then you should be just fine. Also if you are sick with this virus then you should stay home away from other people to avoid spreading it further. If everyone does this, I think this epidemic will be over quickly.

Edit -> Also, I don't think the media is being overdramatic about this because, while it may not be a big problem now, if they don't inform everyone about it then it could become a big problem because people will regard it as unimportant.

[BGFG]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/30/MNRA17CLC1.DTL

I love that some people in these forums can only deal with problems that affect their hard drives. everything else can just be 'blown out of proportion'
12 people in mexico have died, 300 reported cases, and it's popped up in Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Scotland and GBR among other countries...

just take the medicine ?you need to get the medicine stocks to those who need it first.

[gsp8181]

36,000 people die a year of regular flu

about 20 confirmed deaths from H1N1 flu

figures :D

[Zoowey]

Nope, alarmist hysteria by the media is the real problem.

Add AIDS to my original list, this was supposed to be a massive threat to the world population.
That's not to say AIDS isn't serious, but the media also blew that out of all proportion.

All of you guys are refering to the media as the media when really you should refer to it as the COOPERATE media. The cooperate media makes $$$MONEY$$$ off of !!!FEAR!!!. When people are scared they watch more news and then they get the big bucks rolling in.

So yeah, the cooperate media has made almost everything seem like the end of the world, don't expect anything less from them...

[StOoZ]

Nope, alarmist hysteria by the media is the real problem.

Add AIDS to my original list, this was supposed to be a massive threat to the world population.
That's not to say AIDS isn't serious, but the media also blew that out of all proportion.

you can ignore the media , but you cannot ignore the real decease...
I don't see any problem being histrionic when it comes to your health.

[Namtabmai]

I see Andromeda Strain ( I won't even dignify Outbreak with a response ), and see you Survivors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivors) and raise you La Jetée (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Jet%C3%A9e).

[gn2]

Since the discovery of swine flu there have probably been more fatalities from car accidents in the countries involved.
Don't see many headlines in the media about a car crash epidemic.....

Might be a good time to start buying shares in drug companies.....

[Namtabmai]

Since the discovery of swine flu there have probably been more fatalities from car accidents in the countries involved.
Don't see many headlines in the media about a car crash epidemic.....

Well no you wouldn't, that wouldn't sell papers would it? But apparently a young girl getting burnt on a sun bed, now that's news.

I'd like to find just one news agency that has some sort of sense of perspective, so far I haven't found it.

[lisati]

With anything of this kind there's bound to be some kind of "fud factor".
Although losing one or more family members lends itself more to seriousness than humour, we don't need to be stupid about it. A few simple common-sense precautions (e.g. hanky over the face when coughing or sneezing, washing hands etc) will go a long way to help avoid spreading something.

[Eisenwinter]

the swine flu was planned by the government in order to cause people to panic and buy more stuff.

[ninjapirate89]

the swine flu was planned by the government in order to cause people to panic and buy more stuff.

Which government? It's becoming a worldwide problem.

[OutOfReach]

the swine flu was planned by the government in order to cause people to panic and buy more stuff.

Interesting...my friend at school said the exact same thing

[Namtabmai]

The secret world government!
...
Yeah I've got no idea which government they are refering to, and I have a big problem with conspiracy theories like that because they all imply a competent government. Which from what I've seen, no one in the world has.

[ninjapirate89]

The secret world government!
...
Yeah I've got no idea which government they are refering to, and I have a big problem with conspiracy theories like that because they all imply a competent government. Which from what I've seen, no one in the world has.

:lolflag:

[hanzomon4]

Nope, alarmist hysteria by the media is the real problem.

Add AIDS to my original list, this was supposed to be a massive threat to the world population.
That's not to say AIDS isn't serious, but the media also blew that out of all proportion.

*Mouth hangs open* :shock:

[SuperSonic4]

the swine flu was planned by the government in order to cause people to panic and buy more stuff.

Surely it has backfired though, some schools in CA are closed, the government are spending massive amounts on drugs which increases public debt. Panic buying of food and drink will benefit only a few people and the government of Mexico has shut down all non-essential public services across the country which will cost billions

[gn2]

*Mouth hangs open* :shock:

Better shut it quick else some swine flu bugs will get in.

[hanzomon4]

I actually already have it. But the shocking ignorance in relation to aids made me forget to post that tidbit.