W.H.O. Done It - Swine Flu

Posted April 29th, 2009 by nina

alfred hitchcockOkay, I get it now.  Swine flu is very bad. It’s killed over 150 people in Mexico. Now it’s spread (like any other bug) in various cities across the globe with most recent cases in the US. But now the hysteria is really taking form and I feel myself part of a pandemic movie plot (eg, 28 Days or I Am Legend) without the helicopters and CDC sanctioned Marshall Law yet. The first reported death in the US came last night of a 23-month old baby in Texas.  I’m thinking, that’s terrible.  But then I pause and think: How many non-swine flu (but still some form of influenza) deaths are there? Turns out, A WHOLE LOT.  Despite all of the flu shots, sani-wipes, and Lysol we already use, there is still an average of 36,000 deaths per year! Is this new strain going to be more deadly than what we already know and live with? I don’t know, and have not found any information to definitively say otherwise.

The W.H.O. (World Health Organization) has not recommended restricting regular travel or border closings, but warns to delay anyone displaying obvious symptoms of being ill for medical attention and testing. There is a W.H.O. Scientific Review meeting today and hopefully some better guidance will be given on the state of battling this new strain.

Ham n Cheese Sandwiches?

ham sandwich

No, you can’t catch swine flu from eating well-cooked pork and pork products. Egypt has ordered the slaughter of its pig stock anyway. This might sound little ignorant, but I didn’t realize that Egypt had ANY kind of pig to begin with! Who knew !?

I’m leaning on the side of cautious concern when I say that the media machine is being a bit of a drama queen. Considering that spring allergy season has just begun, we are guaranteed to see sneezing and other cold-like symptoms. A disheveled older man coughed on the train this morning and everyone politely attempted to move away from him while giving each other the “get me outta here before he kills us all” eye signals. I’m just glad no one yanked the break and tried to jump out of the subway car. And forget about corporate elevators. One clearing of the throat or wiping your nose (from the pollen) I’m sure the disinfectant brigade will be spraying you and the air down in the sign of a Christian cross or something. Ugh.

I suppose that since I live in New York City, I must have some super desensitization, considering that we have unintentional contact with millions of people per day. However, two Queens schools closing have provoked me to wash and wipe a little more than usual. Hey, I’m no germo-phobe - but I’m not stupid either. Looks like I won’t be going to my favorite Mexican restaurants for a while.  Sorry Burrito Loco.  Sigh.

~Nina

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  • Whateva
    First of all the last thing we need to do is get all freaked out. This is not a new disease, the flu has been around for years, and I mean years. There were 2 other swine flu outbreaks in both 1976 and 1988. This is just a new strain of an existing flu. The 2 important things to take note of in this case are; 1. Swine flu is not antibiotic resistant. Which means it can be treated, and they have already stated that Tamiflu and Relenza are effective in treating it. 2. Know the symptoms of flu, and see a doctor if you are concerned.
    Here are a few interesting sites to browse thru:

    http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/regular.flu/index.html
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza

    I think I already had it, I had a bad case of flu a few months back, with a 104 fever and all the symptoms listed on wikipedia. I went to the dr after not getting better after 4 days with it, and now i'm fine...
    In my opinion, this is just another attempt by the pharma industry to increase profits, think of the number of increased prescriptions just in the last few days...
    Oh, and about the Egypt thing...they're probably not eating it, just selling it to us...what does that tell you......hmm
  • Tamiflu is an anti-viral not an antiboitic. Viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics, but I do believe the hysteria is getting out of control. I mean, more people die from the regular flu so the emphasis is interesting to say the least. The backlash against illegal immigrants is already rearing its ugly head. Come to think of it, my entire office office was sick about 3 weeks ago, it was gross. This too shall pass.
  • H. Holmes
    This is crazy stuff, NYC closing 3 schools, Chicago closing another and 95 cases in the US. I understand you saying that other influenza have kill 30,000 plus people a year and I also understand your question about what's the difference...the difference is that this flu is growing rapidly and has kills over 150 people in Mexico. Think about this if this flu killed 150 people in 5 days what would it do in these highly dense areas in NYC and other major cities. That’s is what has everyone freaked out.

    Thanks for the post!
  • Nic Nice
    I'm vacillating back and forth about this new epidemic. On the one hand, I'm alarmed that with so few deaths there has been not only global media coverage, but the tossing around of words like "pandemic." Every minute over 24,000 people die across the world from starvation and malnourishment, yet ~110 deaths in Mexico from swine flu is cause for alarm?

    Has anyone stopped to notice that Mexico is not willingly conforming to the US policies on free trade and immigration, and this happens to be the HEIGHT OF THE SPRING BREAK SEASON?? Feels like a shake down to me, just like the tomato crisis a few months back. This bad press and hysteria marketing is going to demolish Mexican tourism for a long time to come. Now I may be paranoid and conspiracy-bound, but it is difficult to ignore global politics when the US media jumps to do the bidding of Capitol Hill assholes. Just like Iran, Iraq, Panama, Ecuador and so many other countries the US has raped for her imperialistic dream, Mexico is no stranger to our ways. Sadly she will suffer.

    Swine Flu is real, so is Avian Flu and the good old fashioned Influenza which there is no vaccine for. I'm coughing on trains, stairs and elevators on purpose. Hell I might even let some saliva fly out, just to freak out the mindless drones out there. PEOPLE, if it was a real issue they would have closed the bridges and tunnels. Until Queens is put into quarantine, I'll continue to consume Cuban sandwiches and love the pig that in em.

    oh, and Nina I was shocked over the Egypt thing too...I thought Muslims didn't eat pork? Maybe it's a form of currency for the desert nomads...go figure.
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