Swine Flu

[Raiha]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So, what do people think about the new Swine Flu outbreak from Mexico? As someone who lives in California, which is a bit closer to Mexico than other people on the OB I must confess I'm slightly worried. In allergy season my immune system is severely depressed and I've been getting spring colds like crazy.

Here's an article that'll probably serve to scare you like crazy.

[URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_swine_flu_emergency"]CDC declares state of medical emergency that is most likely going to stir up people and send them into a panic and possibly give them a flu that's a psychosomatic response rather than an actual infection.[/URL]

Are you afraid based on your location if you live in the U.S.? Do you think the borders should be closed until the situation is handled? Will this turn into a pandemic?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[chibi-master]

I live in WNY, so not too much worry here. Oh, wait! No worry except for the fact that I always end up catching every bug that comes along!:animedepr

[Sabrina]

[FONT="Tahoma"]I've heard about it, but I'm not worried about it. The way I see it is that it will either spread or it won't. All the worrying in the world won't change that. I'll still be careful with washing hands and such, but I do that anyway. [/FONT]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Oh hell. Another moderately bothersome disease that a couple of people may or may not have died from. I think we should all be panicking in the streets and prophesying about the end of civilization as we know it about now. Sounds like a job for Mass Media![/FONT]

[Sara]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So, what do people think about the new Swine Flu outbreak from Mexico? As someone who lives in California, which is a bit closer to Mexico than other people on the OB I must confess I'm slightly worried. In allergy season my immune system is severely depressed and I've been getting spring colds like crazy.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE][size=1]My understanding is that having a robust immune system increases your chances of dying. Death occurs as a result of the immune system overreacting. That's why most of the reported deaths have been healthy young people (unusual), rather than the very young or very old (normally at risk).[/size]

[John]

[quote name='Sara'][SIZE=1]My understanding is that having a robust immune system increases your chances of dying. Death occurs as a result of the immune system overreacting. That's why most of the reported deaths have been healthy young people (unusual), rather than the very young or very old (normally at risk).[/SIZE][/quote] Wait, what? Did the writers of [I]House[/I] design this virus?

[Sara]

[quote name='John']Wait, what? Did the writers of [I]House[/I] design this virus?[/QUOTE][size=1][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine_storm][b]Cytokine storms.[/b] (link)[/url]

Suspected cytokine storms are one of the similarities between swine flu and the 1918 epidemic.[/size]

[Raiha]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So in other words being a person with a shoddy self defense system means I'm saved.

.....I wish that was as reassuring as it should be.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Sara]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So in other words being a person with a shoddy self defense system means I'm saved.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE][size=1]Sort of, kind of, maybe?

I don't think anyone really knows at this point.[/size]

[Rachmaninoff]

I think I'm going to save worrying over it until it really has caused more problems. I certainly hope it does not spread more, but it sounds like it already has. Only time will tell if it becomes a serious problem or not.

[eleanor]

[font=trebuchet ms] I don't even know if I've had the flu before. My parents never took me to the doctor when I got sick, so I basically treated each cold/flu/I don't even know the same way and knew it would go away eventually lol.

So, no, I'm really not concerned at all.[/font]

[Adam]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]So in other words being a person with a shoddy self defense system means I'm saved.

.....I wish that was as reassuring as it should be.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Mental note: Drink moar alcohol and eat nachos.

[Gavin]

[quote name='Adam']Mental note: Drink moar alcohol and eat nachos.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Ah the college student diet, along with copious amounts of takeaway and carbonated refreshment.

On a more serious note I have to agree with Sabrina's sentiment, there's no point in ordinary people getting too worked up over this because aside from basic precautions there's very little they can do.[/SIZE]

[Aaryanna]

[FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DarkGreen"]Other than to take the normal precautions, there's not a lot one can do. So I opt to not worry over it. Even if I did, it would change nothing. o_O If it spreads, it does. I suppose I should feel worried over it, but I just don't see the point in doing so when it changes nothing. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[Drizzt Do'urden]

Damn pigs...If we only shared the [B]Pulp Fiction[/B] approach to eating everybody would be okay...and for anyone to young to get the reference watch the movie.

[SunfallE]

[FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]I've had one of the nastier versions of the flu before. Scared the crap out of me since I had never been that sick before. However, in spite of no vaccine being available, the meds they speak of did work beautifully in nipping it in the bud. So in the end, I'm not worried about it. You either catch it, or you don't. I'll of course be cautious like I always am anyway, but beyond that, I don't plan on worrying. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[Sara]

[quote name='Drizzt Do'urden']Damn pigs...If we only shared the [B]Pulp Fiction[/B] approach to eating everybody would be okay...and for anyone to young to get the reference watch the movie.[/QUOTE][size=1]Yeah, I don't really think eating pork is the problem here.[/size]

[Drizzt Do'urden]

[quote name='Sara'][SIZE=1]Yeah, I don't really think eating pork is the problem here.[/SIZE][/quote]

Well, see if I try to put a humorous spin on a subject while you're around Sara.

Yes I realize that the flu (A respitory virus that would not survive in the pigs body long enough for somebody to become infected by eating said pit) mutated into a strain that could affect the human body. Then, where it bested Avian flu, mutated again into a nasty little bug that can be passed from human to human.

See my first post was MUCH more entertaining then rattling off the same thing everybody already knows...

[chibi-master]

Yesterday after dinner, I was putting my plate into the washing machine. So I had an itch on my forehead and, like anyone would, scratched it. Then my mom went into this lecture about how with the Swine Flu going around, we can't touch our faces as much and we have to wash our hands even more than usual and blah blee blah, all stuff I already knew. *scratches forehead* I ARE REBELLING!

[Sara]

[quote name='Drizzt Do'urden']Well, see if I try to put a humorous spin on a subject while you're around Sara.

Yes I realize that the flu (A respitory virus that would not survive in the pigs body long enough for somebody to become infected by eating said pit) mutated into a strain that could affect the human body. Then, where it bested Avian flu, mutated again into a nasty little bug that can be passed from human to human.

See my first post was MUCH more entertaining then rattling off the same thing everybody already knows...[/QUOTE][size=1]It might have been humorous, but then instead of actually [i]making[/i] a funny comment, you simply alluded to one, patronisingly implied that anyone who didn't understand your allusion was "too young," and instead of helpfully explaining the reference, invited them to watch a two and a half long movie for the privilege of understanding your comment. =p

Anyway, there's a lot of speculation and misinformation flying about. The fact is, [i]not[/i] everybody knows what's going on. My concern wasn't that you believed the statement in question, but that other people do. There are lots of people who simply aren't as informed as you, and the spread of the idea (even via innocent joke) that the flu can be contracted by eating pork is not a good thing.

[url=http://www.calgaryherald.com/Health/Pork+bans+concern+Alberta+producers/1545041/story.html][b]Several countries have banned US pork imports[/b][/url], and despite the [url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/04/28/09/pork-sales-dip-not-because-swine-flu-farmers][b]recent statement[/b][/url] of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, there is [url=http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090427-716784.html][b]real concern[/b][/url] that the virus, despite not affecting the meat, [i]is[/i] affecting sales and futures. In agricultural areas (my state has 4700 hog farms), there are a lot of people who make a living based on the fact that people eat pork and they were [url=http://www.startribune.com/business/18435089.html][b]already struggling[/b][/url] due to normal economic factors. (Bolded phrases link to related articles.)

Financial health aside, the belief that H1N1 can be caught from pork products can be downright dangerous if the disease continues to be deadly. If misinformed people believe that it can be evaded by avoiding pork products, they may not observe recommended practices (be it hygiene, avoiding crowds, or whatever), assuming that the disease "does not apply" to their situation. [/size]

[Sangome]

[SIZE="1"][U][URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_re_eu/swine_flu_world"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_re_eu/swine_flu_world[/URL][/U]

For those too lazy to click, the first paragraph says it all:

[I]The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.[/I]

...crap.[/SIZE]

[Rachmaninoff]

[QUOTE=Sangome][SIZE="1"][I]The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.[/I]

...crap.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]My understanding is that it's treatable via anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza, and that they're already sending stuff out so states will have it on hand. Still, I'd rather not see it spread like that.

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"][U][URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_re_eu/swine_flu_world"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_re_eu/swine_flu_world[/URL][/U]

For those too lazy to click, the first paragraph says it all:

[I]The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.[/I]

...crap.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I'm gonna go curl up in a corner, as soon as I decide which one I want to die in.

Because no doubt humanity as we know it will be over in a week.

On the bright side, guess I don't need to do my homework now! :animesmil[/FONT]

[Raiha]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]*stuffs down another plate of nachos and follows up with a bowl of ice cream*

I don't know exactly what everyone's so hot and bothered about. It's not like there's a pandemic of a new and deadly ebola virus... But on the other hand our brave new leader has 'strongly encouraged' schools showing swine flu outbreaks to close. That'd be super considering finals week is around May 14th. Plus there's the added bonus of people being too afraid to come back to school, cutting down on the excess student population ensuring I get into the classes I want to get into.

But I like how SWINE FLU has completely eclipsed the news. China could be invading South Korea right now and we'd never know because it'd be on like page 15.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Sangome]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"] But on the other hand our brave new leader has 'strongly encouraged' schools showing swine flu outbreaks to close. That'd be super considering finals week is around May 14th.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Finally, someone mentions that.

Having no school is fine and dandy for me [provided I don't get infected and wind up hacking my innards out], but this close to finals? Sorry, no dice.

Dangit, why'd everyone get infected now? Couldn't it have waited until, like, June? No one cares about June.[/SIZE]