Too Eager to say it's Swine 'Flu

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/6016166/A-mother-died-from-meningitis-after-medics-said-she-had-swine-flu.html

Now, I'm not sure that when the doctor said that I had Swine Flu that I actually did. However, at least it wasn't anything serious.
Swine flu is now being diagnosed by people with little or no medical training in a call centre. They're given a list of symptoms and if the caller has three or more then they're told to take Tamiflu.

I was talking to a friend of mine (who's a nurse) the day before the above article came out and she said that they were expecting deaths due to meningitis and other illnesses to rise over the next few months as doctors are insisting that patients have swine flu without even seeing them!

 

I think BOM should take quick precautions and build up a quarantine forum for all those infected with swine flu.

 

This swine flu thing is pissing me off, the media love it, theyve got the country so worked up that everything is terrified of coughs and sneezes.

The current death toll, is 1154 with 162380 confirmed cases - globally

deaths in the US alone from more common strains of Flu are between 30 - 40000 a year with 25 - 50 million cases reported a year.

 

Darwin would be turning in his grave

They should release an article one day "NO CURE FOR SWINE FLU, IF YOU HAVE IT YOU WILL DIE!" and see what happens

The people I know who HAVE had it have been the ones not bothered by it at all, it is just flu for goodness sake! The media is so bent on causing a mass hysteria pandemic they may as well start talking even more to the point where only the complete hypochondriacs will pay attention and hide away!

 

Mortality rate of 0.71%

Mortality rate of 0.12%

That's almost 6 times more likely to kill so far. Now, it may be that Swine Flu has just hit the most vulnerable segments first, the ones most likely to die from it, but I'm not sure about that.

I'll also say doctors should be very careful making a diagnosis. I mean, I understand they're all swamped, but saying they have Swine Flu because they told you over the phone they have a sore throat and fever doesn't cut it.

 

I was really really sick a couple of weeks ago, might have been the swine flu. I'm not really concerned or afraid by it, as the people who die from it are already suffering from respiratory problems or body immunity problems. Kids and old people are the most likely to be mortally affected by it. Even then, they would die from pneumonia or other complications, not from an ebola style effect.

The up side from the media attention, however, is that the people most at risk understand the situation and are most likely to take action at the first sight of symptoms.

 

But those same people are at risk from all the other strands of flu, for the same reasons. The media will make anything a story these days. Journalism has really gone south...

 

You're comparing global to US, remember. Also the vulnerable segments generally DO get flu first. Most charts of flu dispersion (and many other illnesses actually) will show the weakest tend to get hit first - and usually hardest. Immune systems don't tend to take tea breaks where the sneaky little viruses wait for the time to strike only to be booted out immediately the system is back on duty - It's more the henchmen affect, The agent breaks into the compound and faces strategically placed henchmen of the same strength as his until it becomes a mild challenge, then they release the bears that fire lasers from their eyes. If the bears are old and tired, they might just snack on a henchmen instead, likewise if they're young and playful they might gnaw on a friendly henchmens ankle then run away.

 

8 - That was a very "unique" way of puttng it....

 

I'm going to make "henchmen" my word of the day.

I know that here in Canada, many of the poorer Native reservations are getting slammed with the swine flu. They already have high rates of things like TB and a few other things, and their standard of living and quality of health care is low, too, so they are the ones suffering.

But it is my understanding that some people in my city have probably had the flu, and it was just like any other flu to them, so they never saw a Dr., and they kicked it on their own. So I`m just gonna drink my OJ, bathe daily, and thank God that I live in a relatively healthy environment and have a relatively healthy lifestyle that doesn`t compromise my immune system.

 

Bravo.

Here in MA the school year is about to start up in a couple of weeks and they are already panicing. They believe that with the reopening of the schools it will spread like wildfire. I have known two people who had postive cases. My coworker got to spend ten days at home and the kid I know missed two weeks of school. Other then that they were fine.

This is just like any other flu. It kills off the old, the young, and the very sick, and makes everyone else feel like crap for a couple of days.

 

I was actually refering to how infectious it is.

 

All Swine flu is is normal flu combined with the runs. Nothing major really.

 

I have a two year old, and I'm concerned for him - not for me and my wife. Of course, I wouldn't want me son to get the regular vanilla flu either.

 

It comes in Vanilla! uuuuummmmmmm, Vanilla!!!! Getting sick will finally be worth it!

 

Aldeth, is he especially vulnerable to disease? If not, and if you keep an eye on him and his condition, I would say that he is in very little danger. Keep him hydrated and well fed and don't be afraid to see a doctor.

But I get you -- no one wants their kid to get sick with anything.

 

With my pending little bambino(DR quote) on her way and a 22 month old already blessing us, the wife and I have spoken alot about this. Her friend is in charge of Disease Control for the orangization in which they work for. A rehab hospital for neuro/spinal cord injuries. She pretty much said you have no worries. Even for little ones, they really need to be sickly for this to be deadly. Same with the elderly. It can happen, but the odds are really, really low. Just stay on top of any runny noses you see with the wee-ones and you should be good. With that said, we will keep our eldest child in daycare, she loves it! But the new baby will be with Grandma everyday for the 1st year, luckily she lives across the street.

 

There is a lot of activism and hysteria about swine flu. At work we have now disinfectant spray (alcohol) at the restrooms and in the dining area, where everyone supposedly is to disinfect his hands before picking up his food. The joke in the restrooms is, that, after disinfecting your hands, you have to touch the certainly not sterile handle of the door to get out. Huh. And in the dining area you will then grab the not sterile tablets with your freshly disinfected hands ... but hey, the disinfectant spray is great to remove ink stains

Swine flu iirc is an airborne disease. Face masks and goggles would help more, but now that would introduce a visible element, and ... how will you eat with a mask? And anyway, for such measures the disease isn't widespread enough yet.

Despite all activism, my company has set a policy that is sensible, namely that everyone who feels sick with symptoms of a respiratory disease similar to flu must not come to work to prevent the infection of others.

 

My boyfriend works at Games Workshop and there's a cold going round currently (which I bloody have now, joy) and there's always some little kid that starts raving that he has swine flu and that 'we're all going to get sick and be in hospital!'

Sometimes I'm glad I have coursework to do and I don't sit in the shop with the regulars. Was bad enough holding my tongue when one made a wheelchair comment at me

 

Ragusa, do they get to stay at home with pay? I for one will not stay home if I am not deathly ill no matter how much disease I spread unless I get paid.