I cant believe the laissez faire attitude so many are taking in regards to this thing. No, we dont have to panic and head for the nearest underground bomb shelters, but this is a pretty serious deal. The thing with it is that they have never seen such a strain, therefor they have little to combat it with and have no idea exactly how it is transmitted other than it can become airborne and be passed from person to person.
I guess I consider Mexico as part of Central America. Also, 1 toddler passing away from this strain is not proof of anything. Toddlers die from the flu all the time.
Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
Exp:
Quote:
I guess I consider Mexico as part of Central America.
Ummm...i dunno what to say about this. Mexico borders 4 US states...but whatever.
At any rate...just because it was "only 1 toddler" doesnt mean this thing is any less dangerous. This is just the start of this thing....it will get worse, now its just a question of how much worse. The last time a strain similar to this one started to spread...it killed anywhere from 20-50 million people worldwide. granted medical knowledge as well as general knowledge among people was no where near what it is today, but all the same they simply do not know why this thing is doing what it is doing are are helpless to stop it should it become more widespread.
PS: A lot of this is coming directly from a local health expert whom i spent a few hours with on Monday.
When medical professionals are extremely worried about things, I suggest it may be a good idea to pay attention to them. Again, no need to panic etc, but people really should pay attention to what is being said and done in regards to this thing.
Looks like this could have started as early as February.
Everyone told Maria del Carmen Hernandez that her kindergartner’s illness was just a regular cold. But it seemed like the whole town of 3,000 was getting sick. As early as February, neighbors all around her were coming down with unusually strong flu symptoms — and the caseload kept growing. When state health workers came to investigate March 23, some 1,300 people sought their medical help. About 450 were diagnosed with acute respiratory infections and sent home with antibiotics and surgical masks.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday raised its global pandemic alert level to five — its second highest level — meaning a pandemic is imminent and countries must finalize preparations to deal with the outbreak of swine flu.
"Based on assessments of all available information and several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from Phase 4 to Phase 5," WHO director general Margaret Chan said during a briefing from the organization's headquarters in Geneva.
Phase 5 is called when there is human-to-human spread of a virus in at least two countries in one region, according to WHO's pandemic response guidelines.
"While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short," says the WHO website
I guess I consider Mexico as part of Central America. Also, 1 toddler passing away from this strain is not proof of anything. Toddlers die from the flu all the time.
From what the news is saying, this toddler lived in Mexico and only crossed the border (legally) for medical treatment. So although the child died in the US, the disease was contracted in Mexico. We already know the victims in Mexico seem to have worse cases of swine flu that any other country. What hasn't been discovered yet is why.
One of my coworkers is supposed to be going to Mexico this weekend. The HR dept was on the phone with legal advisors all day about possibly not letting him return to work should he still take his trip.
Has the mortality rate really been ridiculous? About 150 people have died so far in a metropolitan area of approximately 20 million people. One could argue that's relatively insignificant on a population level. Over 13000 US Americans have died from the regular flu so far this year...that is much more significant but yet does not make any headlines.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to jayswin For This Useful Post:
I guess I consider Mexico as part of Central America. Also, 1 toddler passing away from this strain is not proof of anything. Toddlers die from the flu all the time.
Yes they do, as do the old and weak to the point of almost 1/2 million each year. but when a new strain starts up and mutates it can kill 10's of millions in one season if not taken seriously.
In WW1 the Spanish flu (actually started in the USA) killed more American soldiers than combat did. by the end of 1918 it had killed upwards of 50 million people. why did it kill so many? people had been living with the flu forever (much like today) but this flu was different and nobody had antibodies in their system to fight that new strain.
New strains of the flu do not pick just the toddlers and the old and weak, It's attacks everyone and make no mistake it can kill anyone, until they can find a working vaccination for this pig flu everyone should be very careful.
It's a lose-lose situation for authorities and medical professionals.
If they take precautions and the thing passes with very low mortality rates, everyone whines about the cost and that it was a big overreaction.
If they don't take precautions and many people die, then everyone whines that not enough precautions were taken.
As transplant99 said, there's been enough epidemics in recent history that taking precautions makes sense.
Just to make my position early in the thread crystal clear....the problem I have is with the media reaction. The authorities and medical professionals are doing exactly what they should be doing.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
The Following User Says Thank You to Displaced Flames fan For This Useful Post:
Yes they do, as do the old and weak to the point of almost 1/2 million each year. but when a new strain starts up and mutates it can kill 10's of millions in one season if not taken seriously.
In WW1 the Spanish flu (actually started in the USA) killed more American soldiers than combat did. by the end of 1918 it had killed upwards of 50 million people. why did it kill so many? people had been living with the flu forever (much like today) but this flu was different and nobody had antibodies in their system to fight that new strain.
New strains of the flu do not pick just the toddlers and the old and weak, It's attacks everyone and make no mistake it can kill anyone, until they can find a working vaccination for this pig flu everyone should be very careful.
First of all, I may have not made my point clear enough...I have not said that I fault the WHO or any health authorities (at least I don't think I did), heck I work for one. Like Displaced Flames Fan said, I am annoyed with the media's portrayal of the issue. It is fear mongering at its best. Should people practice proper sanitation and not travel into the epicenter of a possible epidemic/pandemic...absolutely (if you see any of my posts regarding vaccinations, I'm a huge proponent of the flu vaccination). These are the things the media should be promoting However, suggesting that the end is near, canceling local school trips to New York (not even Mexico!), etc. is absurd. This type of reasoning is being fueled by media hype.
As for the Spanish Flu pandemic, research suggests that it was actually secondary bacterial infection in combination with poor sanitation and lack of antibiotics that were major factors in mortality rates.
Countries are banning US and Mexican pork. Canada has stepped up their inspection of pork facilities to attempt to avoid being caught in the same ban.
Stupid thing is, you cannot get this through meat.
I wish they had called it "Stupid Person Flu".
You don't trust pork? You may have a case of SPF.
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
Just to make my position early in the thread crystal clear....the problem I have is with the media reaction. The authorities and medical professionals are doing exactly what they should be doing.
Yup, totally agree.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Has the mortality rate really been ridiculous? About 150 people have died so far in a metropolitan area of approximately 20 million people. One could argue that's relatively insignificant on a population level. Over 13000 US Americans have died from the regular flu so far this year...that is much more significant but yet does not make any headlines.
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.....
...These initial indications are largely guesswork from looking at the genetic sequence of the virus and comparing that to what is known from work on other influenza viruses. It will take weeks and months of biological analysis to properly get a handle on the potential of the H1N1 virus.
They're still worrying. They shutdown an entire hotel in Hong Kong and are not allowing anyone to leave cause a Mexican man had to be sent to hospital.
My question is, say a hotel has 200 people. Aren't there symptoms? Can't a doctor come and take a quick look at people and if they're safe they can go?
Seems insane to hold everyone hostage in the hotel and most of them probably have didn't even see the guy.
__________________
Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
