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My cousin got REALLY sick last week, the doctors weren't sure what it was, but we're all thinking it was this.
 
This could get real ugly very soon. Like some one pointed out it is killing young adults who are considered to be the safest group when it comes to viruses. Their immune system it at it best.

Part of the problem with the Swine flu it is is a Pig virus. Our human immune system is designed to fight HUMAN viruses. Since it is a pig virus our immune system struggles with dealing with it.
 
I'm coming in here with some heavyweight information.............

This thing is no problem. Just rub on some oinkment and it will all be over within a wheeeeeeeeeek.
 
I can't believe I have to post this again - MIT did a study on this: http://people.csail.mit.edu/rahimi/helmet/

Foil hats amplify radio waves at certain frequencies, especially those used by governments.

Mine are made from tin, not aluminum.

Strange that so many people here are making fun of this…

It is a serious situation that could turn very ugly very quickly.

Just like SARS and Bird flue was? It killed how many? 50-60 from 3rd world countries who were already sick with something else.
 
Just like SARS and Bird flue was? It killed how many? 50-60 from 3rd world countries who were already sick with something else.

SARS patients show symptoms prior to shedding virus, thus all you have to do is quarantine them to stop transmission events. With influenza, you shed lots of virus before you feel sick, thus you unknowingly spread it because you're going about your daily routine.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus binds to a different sialic acid residue that's only found in birds. A mutation is required for it to bind to mammalian sialic acid residues. If that happens, you now get efficient person-to-person transmission. This is precisely what happened with the 1918 pandemic influenza - an avian virus (H1N1) made this adaptation. In fact, the "swine flu" virus that is the subject of this discussion is a descendent of that 1918 virus.
 
2 confirmed cases in Scotland. Happy days . . .
Just yesterday I was reading about this and thinking "well at least it's far far away"

All the people saying it's not a big deal, read up a little or listen to Cave Man. It has the potential to be a big deal.
 
Just like SARS and Bird flue was? It killed how many? 50-60 from 3rd world countries who were already sick with something else.

SARS killed 44 people in Canada, out of a suspected 480 cases. I wouldn't call Canada a 3rd country. I didn't pull up figures for other places. Canada instituted rigourous screening and hospital quarantines to keep the death toll low.

My belief is that this new flu, in its current form, is not killing 10% of its victims. There could be hundreds of thousands of Mexicans already infected. If it the new virus was currently as dangerous as SARS, we should have seen tens of thousands of deaths in Mexico.

IMHO - This new virus is of interest because it is a new, never before seen, virus. If its doesn't change, then a lot of people are going to get (or have been) a little bit sick.

That said - if it mutates into a more dangerous virus..... then obviously it could become dangerous. I think that is what the WHO and other public health organizations are watching for... a mutated form.
 
Greetings, Cave Man. Good thread. I don't want to hijack your thread, but do you have any interest in adding a poll to it. Something like - do you take it seriously?

(a) Yes, very.
(b) Somewhat, but not too much.
(c) No, this is just the west nile, bird flu, killer bees, night vision (Raising Arizona) media driven illness of the month

Just an idea. Thanks.
 
There have been too many "virus scares" over the last few years for me, personally, to go into any sort of "worry mode." That said, I will just try to maintain my normal, proper hygiene protocol, as always. Keep your hands clean and don't touch your mouth, nose or eyes with dirty hands. If you're doing that and something happens, then, it's beyond your control and there's nothing that you can do about it, anyway....so, why worry?

Though, recent events have put me in a really down mood where I don't care what happens to me, anyway...so, I'm feeling kind of "whatever" anyway.
 
If you're not afraid of swine flu, how about bird strikes? They don't kill people as often as heart attacks, it's true, BUT LOOK AT THIS MAP!

And for the fun if it lets cross reference this map with the swine flu map we can see that it's safest to live near a high-bird-strike airport, because people flying in from Mexico with swine flu are more likely to die on approach to the airport, thus limiting your exposure. Unless the swine flu crosses with the bird flu on impact. Then we're all fraked.
 

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If you're not afraid of swine flu, how about bird strikes? They don't kill people as often as heart attacks, it's true, BUT LOOK AT THIS MAP!

And for the fun if it lets cross reference this map with the swine flu map we can see that it's safest to live near a high-bird-strike airport, because people flying in from Mexico with swine flu are more likely to die on approach to the airport, thus limiting your exposure. Unless the swine flu crosses with the bird flu on impact. Then we're all fraked.
It like how ATL's dot is among the smallest, despite its ridiculously high volume of a/c movements.
 
Whenever I see a news story that grows exponentially like this, I view it with skepticism.

My first reaction is "Follow the money."

Second, there is no news in the US right now. No political scandals, no airplane crashes, no school shootings, no massive tornados... All of the 24-hour-a-day-all-news-all-the-time need something to report, so Swine flu is it.

35,000 people die from flu in the US every year. Lots of people die from the flu shot that is supposed to prevent flu. The media has lost their perspective.

I just think the media is jumping the gun on this and causing panic.

just my $.02 but reserving my right to change my mind.
 
Whenever I see a news story that grows exponentially like this, I view it with skepticism.

My first reaction is "Follow the money."
By which you mean?

Lots of people die from the flu shot that is supposed to prevent flu.
That's simply not true. The risks associated with the flu vaccine are very few, with death (usually due to an allergic reaction) extremely rare.
 
Man, ya'll are freaking me out!

I fell sick yesterday, went to school today (All day), and I felt like crap all day.
I (hope) it's just the flu/cold, but you never know.
I've been feeling super-tired, runny nose, whenever I sneeze, my back/muscles get all weak/hurt.


Really hope it isn't the Swine Flu
 

From the CDC website.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm

And for EricNau, I withdraw the "deaths from flu vaccine comment." I was repeating what I heard on CNN without researching on my own. My bad.

Offering Sincere Apologies.

As for my "follow the money" comment, I said that was my first reaction to the media coverage about anything. I'm skeptical and question EVERYTHING. Maybe it's a push for medical research $$$? Maybe a push for more vaccine? Maybe the media coverage has something to do with Sibelius nomination for HHS? Maybe related to health care reform either pro or con?

I don't question that people are transmitting Swine Flu, I'm questioning why all the media coverage.
 
Maybe it's a push for medical research $$$?

This always occurs, but they don't get more money, they just make NIH reallocate money it has. So someone else's favorite disease loses out.

Maybe a push for more vaccine?

Too late for a vaccine for this year. Next fall's vaccine is already being produced and you can't stop and change it at this point, even if they had a defined isolate.

Maybe the media coverage has something to do with Sibelius nomination for HHS?

It's not that controversial.

Maybe related to health care reform either pro or con?

That pony has already left the show and infectious disease won't be the driving force. All the old farts (i.e., baby boomers) and their chronic diseases will.

I don't question that people are transmitting Swine Flu, I'm questioning why all the media coverage.

Because the WHO doesn't issue global alerts all that often. Because this virus is killing young healthy adults (not the very old or very young, like typical seasonal influenza). Because it is efficiently transmitting person to person. And, perhaps most importantly, it's an H1N1 strain - a descendent of the 1918 pandemic influenza. That one started in May of 1918, quieted down over the summer, then hit the world hard the following winter.
 
The worst part is the cure, which involves the Leprechaun and an old naked woman yelling and pointing a glowing twig at your head...



SwineFlu.jpg
 
This always occurs, but they don't get more money, they just make NIH reallocate money it has. So someone else's favorite disease loses out.



Too late for a vaccine for this year. Next fall's vaccine is already being produced and you can't stop and change it at this point, even if they had a defined isolate.



It's not that controversial.



That pony has already left the show and infectious disease won't be the driving force. All the old farts (i.e., baby boomers) and their chronic diseases will.



Because the WHO doesn't issue global alerts all that often. Because this virus is killing young healthy adults (not the very old or very young, like typical seasonal influenza). Because it is efficiently transmitting person to person. And, perhaps most importantly, it's an H1N1 strain - a descendent of the 1918 pandemic influenza. That one started in May of 1918, quieted down over the summer, then hit the world hard the following winter.


You seem pretty medically savvy, Cave Man. Medical doctor, PhD, researcher, miscellaneous?

Just curious. You know your stuff.
 
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