The flu...

[fundonny]

Anyone else's signaficant other going a little cookoo about this? Mine doesn't want me to go to work and wants to keep the kids home.

[BC MIST]

Anyone else's signaficant other going a little cookoo about this? Mine doesn't want me to go to work and wants to keep the kids home.

There is no doubt that this flu strain poses a threat, but consider this. In the US last year, 13,000 people died from the "regular" flu and there was no excessive media coverage about a pandemic.

[jvincent]

The crazy mother gene has not kicked in here yet.

Like BC said, so far this is outbreak is not even close to a standard flu season. The question is will it get worse or will it fizzle out because information about it has been spread so quickly.

[fundonny]

She's even more freaked out because my boss just got back from Mexico on Wednesday and his first day back at the office is Monday. Don't know where he went, but there have been zero cases in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding areas. Those girls in Port Hope I think it was got it in Cancun.

[dmr]

My SO works in the health care system - she is worried that it will get worse but hasn't gone loopy yet - she did go out and get some special masks on Friday though.

The thing about comparing this flu to the regular flu deaths in the US is comparing the victims. My understanding is that the regular flu kills those who are vulnerable. If this new flu starts killing young healthy people then you have to really start worrying. I don't think that the current flu is there yet but like jvincent says it can mutate into something nasty.

[Hacker]

Much to do about nothing IMO. We are taking absolutely NO steps to protect the population from the virus. We are taking steps to ensure the right political spin. Ensuring that the Minister of Health Speaks with the Prime Minister so when a reporter say "Have you spoke to the Prime Minister about this issue" the Minister of Health can replay "Yes" and vice versa.

We haven't insisted that all International Airports use thermal scaners to screen arriving passengers, we haven't mandated any protocols at all to help suppress the spread of the virus - anything that we've done has been for a political reason.

As for the virus itself, 80% of its genetic make-up is identical to the common flu and the other 20% is not as virulent as originally thought. The real concern is the the Government is pushing the drug companies HARD to ramp up production of a vaccine for this strain of virus which could have very dire effects because, as already mentioned, the "normal" flu virus kills 4000 Canadians ever year and if the Drug manufacturers ramp up production of a Swine Flu vaccine it means that they aren't making the "normal" flu vaccine..........that has far greater potential to result in a large number of deaths.

The numbers coming out of Mexico are being drastically cut now that they are getting lab tests back, I think that the world at large jumped the gun on this one because it dropped the ball on SARS.

So of you know where my wife and I work so I will stress that the opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone, they are not those of my employer.

[Hacker]

My SO works in the health care system - she is worried that it will get worse but hasn't gone loopy yet - she did go out and get some special masks on Friday though.

The thing about comparing this flu to the regular flu deaths in the US is comparing the victims. My understanding is that the regular flu kills those who are vulnerable. If this new flu starts killing young healthy people then you have to really start worrying. I don't think that the current flu is there yet but like jvincent says it can mutate into something nasty.

The is no evidence that this new virus is any more virulent then normal strains....

The latest worldwide numbers from the WHO are:

658 - lab confirmed cases World Wide
17 deaths (16 of which are from Mexico and the other one was a 24 month old baby in Texas).

[Hacker]

The press isn't really helping on this issue, they are doing a lot of fear mongering IMO.

If you are interested in following the most recent up-dates I'd suggest the following sites:

The World Health Organization (WHO)
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/

[jvincent]

The press isn't really helping on this issue, they are doing a lot of fear mongering IMO.

The press sensationalizing a story?!?!? Heaven forbid.

[Hacker]

the press sensationalizing a story?!?!? Heaven forbid.

:p

[Andy4Par]

The press isn't really helping on this issue, they are doing a lot of fear mongering IMO.

If you are interested in following the most recent up-dates I'd suggest the following sites:

The World Health Organization (WHO)
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/

Thats the media's job. To spread fear, spread doubt and sensationalize everything. Government controls the media, use it to scare us into believing we should hide away in our houses screaming the sky is falling. It always seems when there is a lull in world news, ie no new war news, no presidential elections, buildings getting blown up, assasinations...thats when the media turns to the unheard of rare form of some stupid animal disease that gets a few people sick to take our minds off real issues.
So some third world people live in poverty, sleep with their livestock. Of course there going to get sick. The real problem is why can't we clean up the conditions and most importantly give them the health care and medications to treat the disease before it spreads.

[jonf]

just stock up on campbells chicken noodle soup, dayquil, and sprite, and I assure you you will be well prepared for anything.

[fundonny]

The new Chinese bird flu is being transmitted person to person now. The new plague is coming eventually.

[nokids]

The new Chinese bird flu is being transmitted person to person now. The new plague is coming eventually.

they can't resist copying everything