Planning for Bird Flu/Swine Flu

[sylvie]

Fortunately this seems to be a rather mild flu at this point. In Mexico the death rate is about 7% which is high. Ever been to Mexico? The general health of the people is not near as good as ours. Who can say what that statistic really reflects.

They said in the news that the flu is capable of mutating at any time to a more benign or a more virulent form.

I've been to Mexico City and was appalled at the filth, crowding and lack of hygiene. There were dead dogs lying along curbs where raw human urine ran down the side of the streets. This wasn't in the touristy areas, but the back streets were the people actually live. The air pollution is at the danger level. Having seen that, I am curious as to what they hope to accomplish by inspecting each home.

I can see see how mutations could occur under those conditions.

 

[Beekissed]

My understanding is that this strain is no more dangerous than your typical run of the mill winter flu strains. Some people die of it, of course, but the vast majority do not. Which is pretty different from the sort of thing people worry about, or post-WWI Spanish Flu pandemic.

The media's just bored, and interests the general public mainly because a lot of people are incredibly gullible and looking for things to fasten their general anxiety onto. IMHO

Pat

Hear, hear!!

 

[Mackay]

Actually, this flu does merit watching. The common flu is tracked routinely around the world. They know when a more virulent form is about to happen and often can predict a hard flu season. Flu season this year was predicted to be mild and so it was.

Its because they don't know and understand this particular strain that everyone is in a big hoopla about it, thats all.

I haven't had a flu since 94 when I was under a lot of stress... people around me get it all the time, especially where I work.. I watch employees as well as patients go down with the flu every year and I never get it, nor do I get the vaccine, as they do. Can't tell how many times I 've seen elderly vaccinated patients die of the flu, and all of their younger caregivers just spreading it around after vaccination. I expect that if this flu makes its way to those who are debilitated we will see deaths with it also.

 

[Big Daddy]

I agree! The knowledge that is passed on from the media is not worth considering, IMO. Its sensationalized and dramatized and fosters fear and panic.

There are outbreaks of this virus or that all over the world, at any given time, in any given country. We don't get to hear about those and maybe its because they are harder to track....who knows? I think they really lay it on thick for those closest to America because this is where their interests lie.....their business interests.

Each time we actually do get to hear of one, everyone gets in a tizzy over it and the government passes some new regulation to "crack down" on our food sources. They never pinpoint the likely culprits and this always seems a little fishy to me. A little too neatly packaged towards power and money.

The reason I don't feel the need to "get prepared" is that I've been preparing all my life in the best way possible.....

...the best defense against illness of any kind is a good offense. I work every day to build my and my children's immune systems. When all other systems fail, this is your last and only line of defense against microbial invaders. If you've forgotten this most important detail, all the other stop-gap interventions aren't worth much.

As for focusing on the medical aspect of it all....this IS the medical aspect. Your immune system. As a nurse, I can tell you that some vaccines are great, most are not. Some medicine is wonderful, most is not. They are adjunct therapy only....the first and best medical defense is a healthy immune system.

For you and your animals.

The very best one can do is to prepare your body for living and your soul for dying!

So you worry about rumors and falsehoods perpetrated by some media outlets pertaining to guns and ammo, but you don't worry about something that might be real. There are actually people dying in Mexico from this stuff. Right now it sounds like it's not going to be too hard on countries with modern hygiene and medical facilities. Could end up hitting 3rd world countries pretty hard. I will be taking more precautions than usual. Good luck to you. I'm hoping your just talking bravado.

 

[Big Daddy]

A news story today tells of a man who passed away from it, who had only days earlier greeted President Obama during his trip to Mexico (hmmm, might be a good time for the Prez to address a joint session of Congress...). Oops sorry. That was tasteless, but I couldn't help it.

Tasteless but funny.

 

[patandchickens]

but you don't worry about something that might be real. There are actually people dying in Mexico from this stuff.

People everywhere are dying of flu, Big Daddy. All the time. WHO estimates 250,000-500,000 deaths annually, worldwide (varying considerably from year to year). Flu does that.

The Spanish Flu, post-WWI, which was the real deal in terms of fairly serious global epidemics, killed an estimated 20 million. As per googled sources, the Asian flu of 1957 killed perhaps 2 million globally; the most recent worldwide flu pandemic, the 'Hong Kong flu' in 1968, is estimated to have killed something like 1 million. Which is more than nothing but not *drastically* beyond the normal yearly flu death toll.

I'm not saying that lower death tolls mean we shouldn't care; but there is a real big difference between The Next Big Huge Scary Pandemic that the media has been hyping for the last 6-8 yrs, versus things that are likelier.

The main thing about this swine flu is that a) there is no vaccine, nor are people going to have antibodies to the strain; and b) it does not seem to spare the young and healthy as much as typical flu deaths do. It does not, at present, seem to be especially fierce in terms of % mortality (unlike, say, the Spanish Flu).

Obviously this strain of swine flu is something to be concerned about on some level (esp. if you are a public health organization or governmental agency) but that doesn't mean there's particular reason to believe it will be the sort of giant catastrophe scenario that many seem to enjoy contemplating. There is a HUGE middle ground.

And, while even 'just' a million or two people dying in one year seems like a lot, compare it to the number of people that die EVERY year of things like HIV (3 million) or malaria (1 million)...

JMHO,

Pat

 

[Big Daddy]

I'm aware of that. I'm just saying people need to be extra vigilante about hygiene and protecting themselves from people that are inconsiderate. Like sneezing on you in an elevator and stuff like that.

 

[dacjohns]

I guess I'm a little bit jaded since I've seen so many things like this come and go in my short 54 years on this earth.

1976, swine flu was a big deal then.

What should be cause for concern but not panic is that the flu virus mutates very easily. It doesn't need unsanitary conditions for mutation, mutate is what it does.

Ordinary precautions like washing your hands a lot will do much towards prevention. Surgical face masks will not stop the virus.

 

[Big Daddy]

I guess I'm a little bit jaded since I've seen so many things like this come and go in my short 54 years on this earth.

1976, swine flu was a big deal then.

What should be cause for concern but not panic is that the flu virus mutates very easily. It doesn't need unsanitary conditions for mutation, mutate is what it does.

Ordinary precautions like washing your hands a lot will do much towards prevention. Surgical face masks will not stop the virus.

I remember swine flu, I think it was around 78 though. Yes I remember the made a real big deal out of getting the shots and a bunch of people had some temporary paralysis from the shot. No I didn't get the shot. They put it out too fast and I didn't trust it.

What is the purpose of a surgical mask if it doesn't stop germs to some extent?

 

[Beekissed]

So you worry about rumors and falsehoods perpetrated by some media outlets pertaining to guns and ammo, but you don't worry about something that might be real. There are actually people dying in Mexico from this stuff. Right now it sounds like it's not going to be too hard on countries with modern hygiene and medical facilities. Could end up hitting 3rd world countries pretty hard. I will be taking more precautions than usual. Good luck to you. I'm hoping your just talking bravado.

I don't worry at all about rumors or falsehoods of any kind, BD! I don't really read newspapers, stories on the web, nor do I watch any TV. I do listen to general conversations of those who do, family and friends who care to study up on a particular topic, etc. I don't worry about gun control because I know it is inevitable...the writing is on the wall. I still do not worry about it!

I leave the worrying to people who have nothing better to do than get all bent out of shape over politics, guns, presidents, flu outbreaks and such nonsense. Its not bravado, its not stupidity, its not an ignorance is bliss kind of thing.

I tend to concentrate on those things over which I DO have some measure of control, as worrying about those things of which I do not, or cannot, control is a useless effort. I usually don't engage in many useless efforts anymore, as my time on this earth is measured.

Its not called bravado....its called faith. Its called peace of mind, body and soul. I don't have to worry. The worst thing that can happen is we die. I don't worry about dying...my life after death has been promised to me by my Lord. Everything else is inconsequential! I don't have to live in fear!

It does make me a little sad to see so many people fearful of things such as this. Wish they had the same peace of mind that God will take care of them, no matter what happens.

I don't really count on luck, but something much more powerful and real.