# Swine Flu



## civengPE (Apr 30, 2009)

Is it just me or does it seem like this Swine Flu Epidemic is getting really over hyped in the media?

36,000 people die from the regular seasonal flu in the US every year.

250,000 - 500,000 die from it world wide.

So far there have been like 149 confirmed deaths from the swine flu (all in Mexico).

I don't get it.

BTW the wife and I are flying to Cancun for a week next Friday!!! The good news is that I don't think it will be crowded!


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## Supe (Apr 30, 2009)

Unless I get it, it's overhyped...


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## snickerd3 (Apr 30, 2009)

way over hyped. maybe it will serve a life lesson for people to wash their hands more often and to cover their mouthes when they sneeze or cough.


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## civengPE (Apr 30, 2009)

I have been visiting Cancun forum on Tripadvisor and you should see how nasty some people are getting towards others that are choosing to not cancel their plans because of the "epidemic"!!! ldman: you would think it is the return of the bubonic plague.

http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowF..._Peninsula.html

The LA Time is even reporting that the medical field views this flu variant as milder than the average flu we get every year.


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## Chucktown PE (Apr 30, 2009)

civengPE said:


> I have been visiting Cancun forum on Tripadvisor and you should see how nasty some people are getting towards others that are choosing to not cancel their plans because of the "epidemic"!!! ldman: you would think it is the return of the bubonic plague.
> http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowF..._Peninsula.html
> 
> The LA Time is even reporting that the medical field views this flu variant as milder than the average flu we get every year.



My parents were supposed to leave for Cancun on Sunday. The conference that my dad was attending was cancelled and relocated to some place outside of Atlanta. They were pissed. It's definitely over hyped but the problem is that you can't trust the media as to what may or may not be true. They've sensationalized the whole thing in my opinion. Isn't it sweeps week?


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 30, 2009)

Overhyped, but they have to find something to scare us with. Used to be globala nuclear war, but that died with the Soviet Union. So far, they've tried global warming, holes in the ozone, flesh eating bacteria, killer asteroids, avian flu, and now swine flu.


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## snickerd3 (Apr 30, 2009)

Chucktown PE said:


> My parents were supposed to leave for Cancun on Sunday. The conference that my dad was attending was cancelled and relocated to some place outside of Atlanta. They were pissed. It's definitely over hyped but the problem is that you can't trust the media as to what may or may not be true. They've sensationalized the whole thing in my opinion. Isn't it sweeps week?


That sucks, especially if people got their passport specifically for the trip.

This type of stuff is why I don't watch the news...I can't stand the "real" reporting that goes on. I'll read the local paper which doesn't do News stories and glance through online new reports so I can pick and choose what news I want to hear.


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## cjdecuir (Apr 30, 2009)

Not on here.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Apr 30, 2009)

It's totally overhyped...which means naturally my parents are planning for the apocalypse. It'd be funny if it wasn't so dumb.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

With all the crap I have heard, I think they should call it the whine flu! :15:

JR


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## snickerd3 (Apr 30, 2009)

VTEnviro said:


> It's totally overhyped...which means naturally my parents are planning for the apocalypse. It'd be funny if it wasn't so dumb.


mine too.


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## civengPE (Apr 30, 2009)

Everyone at work keeps asking me if I am still going. I can't believe the crap people buy into now days. what ever happened to critical thinking?


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## FLBuff PE (Apr 30, 2009)

civengPE said:


> Everyone at work keeps asking me if I am still going. I can't believe the crap people buy into now days. what ever happened to critical thinking?


The same thing that happened to common sense. They are both now in the vortex.


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## MA_PE (Apr 30, 2009)

[No message]


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## Dleg (Apr 30, 2009)

jregieng said:


> With all the crap I have heard, I think they should call it the whine flu! :15:
> JR


What, no love for JR???? ^^That's a great one-liner!!

I spoke with a friend in the public health business yesterday, and he thought things were overblown, although he did say that it has the "potential" to be a bigger problem. But for now, the virus in its current form appears to be no more deadly than ordinary influenza.


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## wilheldp_PE (Apr 30, 2009)

I'm with civeng. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year from the flu we already knew about. Why does a new strain of flu trigger a "WHO Level 6 Pandemic" (fer seriously...I read that in an article today) when it kills less than 200 people worldwide? They are shutting down high school sports in Alabama, the Texas governor is about to declare a state of emergency, Obama is considering a national state of emergency, and Biden is telling people not to fly or ride the subway. I guess 7 years of "terrist" fearmongering and a year of economy fearmongering has made us hyper-sensitive to the MSM and Fed propaganda machine.


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## civengPE (Apr 30, 2009)

I will be so pissed if the stupid gubment stops travel to Mexico. We have been planning this trip for months.

I swear I have less and less faith in my fellow man every day. Is it just me or are most people really this stupid? :brickwall:


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## Sschell (May 1, 2009)

OK.... here's the scoop....

My mom is a immunization specialist for the county of LA (has been for as long as I can remember) she is well respected in her industry, and can be counted on for realistic and sound advice for things like this.

Swine flu responds well to two different anti-viral medications, so it is somewhat treatable.

It seems to be dying off. Since there was not an "explosion" of cases yesterday or today, it is probably not going to go pandemic, and/or is not going to have significant causalities in the US.

*CivengPE* - as far as going to Cancun... my mom said "are they stupid?" Cancun has been a hot spot for the virus. most attractions in Mexico have been shut down (so there won't be much to do). Travel within this country should be no problem... but don't go there!

I do have some more info... but it is not very interesting, probably what you would guess about the whole situation... it doesn't look like it will be a big deal in this country, but why tempt fate and go to Mexico (esp. Cancun).

Also, Cancun probably won't be much fun, because everything will be shut down....

until Wednesday(5/6)... when it opens up again!!!


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## Supe (May 1, 2009)

Wow, our safety guy just handed out the following to everyone in the office:

-A five page pamphlet on "Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu) in English.

-A five page pamphlet en Espanol.

-A "Facts about Sine Flu" FAQ sheet

-^^^ en Espanol

-A "Hand Washing" users guide, complete with color drawings of how to wash your hands and throw away the paper towel.

-A "Hand Sanitizing" users guide, complete with color drawings of how to rub Purell on your hands.

I'm sure glad they can't afford to fly us to job sites or give us time charge numbers, but they'll dish out cash for this crap no problem.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (May 1, 2009)

Scientists have just released their first high resolution electron microscope view of the new flu virus!


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## snickerd3 (May 1, 2009)

My boss just sent this same picture out to the unit.


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## Master slacker (May 1, 2009)

Do YOU have the swine flu?

http://doihaveswineflu.org/


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## EM_PS (May 1, 2009)

civengPE said:


> I will be so pissed if the stupid gubment stops travel to Mexico. We have been planning this trip for months.
> I swear I have less and less faith in my fellow man every day. Is it just me or are most people really this stupid? :brickwall:





dude said:


> *CivengPE* - as far as going to Cancun... my mom said "are they stupid?" Cancun has been a hot spot for the virus. most attractions in Mexico have been shut down (so there won't be much to do). Travel within this country should be no problem... but don't go there!
> I do have some more info... but it is not very interesting, probably what you would guess about the whole situation... it doesn't look like it will be a big deal in this country, but why tempt fate and go to Mexico (esp. Cancun).
> 
> Also, Cancun probably won't be much fun, because everything will be shut down....
> ...


Yeah, i kinda gotta lean towards Dude's moms opinion here. But 'stupid is as stupid does'. . . or so its been said


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## wilheldp_PE (May 1, 2009)

snickerd3 said:


> My boss just sent this same picture out to the unit.


Mine too. I told him that I was going to go do that to the pigs in the Jaurez Zoo since they are sending me to El Paso next week.


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## frazil (May 1, 2009)

I had to read up on it because I was wondering the same thing - if tens of thousands of people die from the regular flu each year, what's the big deal?

From what I gathered, viruses that are spread from animals are more radical so our immune systems are not equipped to deal with them. The 30,000 people who die each year from the regular flu are typically senior citizens with respiratory illnesses already. The 150 people in Mexico who have died from swine flu are mostly healthy people in their 20s - 40s. Their immune systems over-reacted to the strange virus.

I also agree with Dude - while it seems like medicine is available to deal with it, why tempt it?


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## EM_PS (May 1, 2009)

At least some companies are benefitting from the "pandemic" or whatever it is:



> Mask Manufacturers Ramping Up Production As Swine Flu Concerns Rise.The Salt Lake Tribune (5/1) reports that officials at Alpha Pro Tech's Salt Lake City plant, which manufactures N-95 respiratory masks, "said that production should be ramped up 10 fold as raw materials, such as filters and aluminums, are delivered." Similarly, other manufacturers such as 3M are also ramping up production "to keep pace with orders from pharmacies like Rite-Aid and CVS, which are reporting heavy sales of the tight-fitting masks." While "the Centers for Disease Control is not recommending that people wear the masks, saying there is limited evidence that they effectively prevent the spread of the disease," this "hasn't blunted consumer demand."
> 
> Similarly, the Dallas Morning News (5/1, Jean) reports that Prestige Ameritech, "the nation's largest maker of surgical masks, is flooded with orders in response to heightened fear of a swine flu pandemic," according to company officials, who said that "sales are doubling," although whether this is the result of "people stockpiling, or panicking or if it's a shortage" is unknown. "The problem is that Prestige has no extra capacity, so orders are piling up. ... The 85-employee company is shifting to a seven-day-a-week production schedule from five, is trying to add machines to the factory floor and plans to hire 15 to 20 people as soon as possible."


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## RIP - VTEnviro (May 1, 2009)

This is the standard respirator the Emperor Surgeon General is recommending...


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## Sschell (May 1, 2009)

the reason for all the hype was the 7% death rate from the flu in Mexico... the 1918 flu epidemic only had a 2.5% death rate, which is really bad...


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## TouchDown (May 1, 2009)

> I also agree with Dude - while it seems like medicine is available to deal with it, why tempt it?


Or just go to the store, buy up some Tami-flu... and Drink heavily at Senior Frogs.

**NOTE: You might have the beach all to yourself!


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## wilheldp_PE (May 1, 2009)

TouchDown said:


> Or just go to the store, buy up some Tami-flu... and Drink heavily at Senior Frogs.


Tamiflu and relenza require prescriptions, and some places are already running out of them both due to the mass hysteria.


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## FLBuff PE (May 1, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> Tamiflu and relenza require prescriptions, and some places are already running out of them both due to the mass hysteria.


Leave me alone...I'm stockpiling.


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## Dleg (May 3, 2009)

dude said:


> the reason for all the hype was the 7% death rate from the flu in Mexico... the 1918 flu epidemic only had a 2.5% death rate, which is really bad...


I've heard some of my medical/public health type friends say that the percentage is probably far less than 1%, and that's because we really have no idea what the true numbers are in Mexico - it's far more likely that "over a million" have already been infected, but the reporting is so bad there that all we are hearing about is a fraction of that, so the death rate _seems_ higher.


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## geofs_PE (May 3, 2009)

I vote we send as many network "journalists" as we possibly can to get an accurate count.


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## Sschell (May 3, 2009)

Dleg said:


> I've heard some of my medical/public health type friends say that the percentage is probably far less than 1%, and that's because we really have no idea what the true numbers are in Mexico - it's far more likely that "over a million" have already been infected, but the reporting is so bad there that all we are hearing about is a fraction of that, so the death rate _seems_ higher.


I agree, it is a skewed data set


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## cement (May 3, 2009)

I'm glad to read what Dleg sent, I had been thinking the same way.

with that said, my long weekend in Cancun early next month is starting to look like a real long shot...


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## Dleg (May 3, 2009)

I wouldn't go... I need to re-emphasize that my friends said the swine flu threat is being overblown "for now", but it does have the "potential" to become something more threatening.

Just read on CNN that even though a vaccine will be develoepd within another week or so (?), it will take* 6 months* to go through testing &amp; be manufactured in quantities enough to release to the public.


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## rudy (May 4, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> Tamiflu and relenza require prescriptions, and some places are already running out of them both due to the mass hysteria.


My sister wanted me to get her some hand sanitizer from Costco to stock up. Apparently, the regular stores have run out. The Costco near our home does not carry hand sanitizer.

Part of this "hysteria" may be that with internet and instant phone calls, the news is getting out faster making people more cautious right away.

The concern is that closing government offices, schools, and some restaurants for 25 people who have died in a city with over 8.8 million people, does not make sense. I'm no health expert, but 25 out of 8.8 million is not statistically significant. To me, this implies that the numbers are higher. And.... why would Mexico City be ground zero for swine flu? Mexico City is an industrial region, not a farming one.


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## Supe (May 4, 2009)

A teacher friend of mine up north in Conroe told me that some of the schools were closed on account of swine flu.


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## snickerd3 (May 4, 2009)

The elementary school I went to was closed on friday due to swine flu. My mom said all the kids were outside playing.


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## BluSkyy (May 4, 2009)

rudy said:


> My sister wanted me to get her some hand sanitizer from Costco to stock up. Apparently, the regular stores have run out. The Costco near our home does not carry hand sanitizer.
> Part of this "hysteria" may be that with internet and instant phone calls, the news is getting out faster making people more cautious right away.
> 
> The concern is that closing government offices, schools, and some restaurants for 25 people who have died in a city with over 8.8 million people, does not make sense. I'm no health expert, but 25 out of 8.8 million is not statistically significant. To me, this implies that the numbers are higher. And.... why would Mexico City be ground zero for swine flu? Mexico City is an industrial region, not a farming one.


the numbers are higher...as I understand it, the calculations made are based on # of cases, not total population. I think it was probably an overreaction too, but 25 out of hundreds or even thousands of cases is hella more significant than out of 9 million.


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## GulfCoastCivil (May 4, 2009)

My biggest concern with the whole thing is stuff getting shut down. I plan to go stock up a bit for the house in case panic spreads to over here and there is an overrun on supplies or stores close down.


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## Supe (May 4, 2009)

Well, they just added to the hysteria by walking around handing out bottles of Purell here at work.


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## FLBuff PE (May 4, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> Tamiflu and relenza require prescriptions, and some places are already running out of them both due to the mass hysteria.






FLBuff PE said:


> Leave me alone...I'm stockpiling.






Supe said:


> Well, they just added to the hysteria by walking around handing out bottles of Purell here at work.


Damn...I thought I had gotten all of those too.


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## cement (May 4, 2009)

GulfCoastCivil said:


> My biggest concern with the whole thing is stuff getting shut down. I plan to go stock up a bit for the house in case panic spreads to over here and there is an overrun on supplies or stores close down.


secret stimulus agenda!!


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## snickerd3 (May 4, 2009)

Supe said:


> Well, they just added to the hysteria by walking around handing out bottles of Purell here at work.


so now we are turning it into a super bug with everyone swarming to purell and its relatives. some germs are ok and often necessary. killing 99.7 or whatever stat they are using now only leads to further problems down the road. non-antibacterial soap and water all you need. purell should be used sparingly and only when soap and water is not readily available.


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## Guest (May 4, 2009)

Dleg said:


> What, no love for JR???? ^^That's a great one-liner!!


Thanks!!!! :bananapowerslide:



cement said:


> secret stimulus agenda!!


He shoots ... and scores!! :appl: :bowdown: :respect:

JR


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## rudy (May 4, 2009)

snickerd3 said:


> so now we are turning it into a super bug with everyone swarming to purell and its relatives. some germs are ok and often necessary. killing 99.7 or whatever stat they are using now only leads to further problems down the road. non-antibacterial soap and water all you need. purell should be used sparingly and only when soap and water is not readily available.


What's funny is that my sister and brother-in-law are so paranoid about this swine flu, they're cleaning and sanitizing like crazy. They're always cleaning, it brings me to shame, with my 6-day-a-week dirty house ('cause we only have time to clean on Saturdays). Here's the funny part, all their cleaning, didn't stop them from getting sick yesterday. Who knows? Maybe I'm the carrier, and they get sick after I visit, dropping off all my dust bunnies.


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## Sschell (May 4, 2009)

beats me I have a dirty house 6.67 days out of the week (cleaning lady comes once every three weeks)


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## wilheldp_PE (May 5, 2009)

Well, I'm in El Paso...and I'm feeling a little under the weather...


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## Supe (May 5, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> Well, I'm in El Paso...and I'm feeling a little under the weather...


:banhim:

Before the board gets a virus!


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## GulfCoastCivil (May 5, 2009)

I use Purell a lot, but I get pink eye really easy. I have it all over the house and anytime I touch my son's diaper, even on the outside, I Purell. Since he's been born (he's 2) I've had pink eye about a dozen times. Half of those I was the only one in the house to get it.

And I have some Tamiflu stockpiled. I bought it in February when my husband and son got the flu a week before our ski trip. They got over it in time, but I didn't want to catch it right before or during the trip. I only ended up taking half the pack and kept the rest.


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## Sschell (May 5, 2009)

pink eye is caused by e coli... which is in poop... you've got poop in your eye! poop eye!

just teasing... but damn, that makes me want kids even less!


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## GulfCoastCivil (May 5, 2009)

I'm overly susceptible to it. And yep, it's from poop in the eye, but not always. I got a case of the viral form a few months ago. I got infections before I had a kid though not as often, mostly got them from gnats. And only once every other year.


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## Sschell (May 5, 2009)

hmm.. kids, gnats, don't want either!


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