Swine Flu

[Walkoff Balk]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/...xico_swine_flu

Should we be concern about this flu strain?

[Kalalau]

I don't know if this is serious or not. 4 people in this county, San Diego County, have had it and they all recovered. If over 1,000 have had it in Mexico and 80 have died it does not seem to have a terribly high fatality rate, it may be basically another flu that might be a bit more contagious than most, but not "the big one" in the sense that Bird Flu is predicted to be, being both contagious and deadly. As of this morning about 1100 people in Mexico are said to have been sick with it, with 83 deaths, 25 New Zealanders who visited Mexico appear to be sick, several students in New York City appear to be sick with it, and it has appeared in Texas and Kansas.

The news media has often tended to sound false alarms: it sells papers, it draws viewers and listeners. This may well be just another variety of flu. It may not. Only time will tell. But it would seem wise to be cautious--to wash the hands frequently, maybe to avoid crowded rooms and to avoid hospitals unless necessary.

[Frankie's Market]

The news media has often tended to sound false alarms: it sells papers, it draws viewers and listeners. This may well be just another variety of flu. It may not. Only time will tell. But it would seem wise to be cautious--to wash the hands frequently, maybe to avoid crowded rooms and to avoid hospitals unless necessary.

Avoid hospitals unless necesary, sure. But assuming you're not a hypocondriac and you think there's even a slight possibility you have contracted the virus, don't hesitate to seek help! Delaying treatment could be a deadly mistake.

[tutusue]

FWIW...
US declares public health emergency for swine flu

[matapule]

I currently reside in Los Cabos, Mexico. No flu here at this time, but it is sure to come. The epicenter of the flu outbreak appears to be Mexico City, the smoggiest city in the world. The "reported" 1000 cases of flu and 83 deaths are, for the most part, in Mexico City.

In my opinion, Mexico does not have a very good track record in keeping accurate statistics. Consequently, I am not concerned.

[lavagal]

Simply because this is Hawaii, it's not a question of IF swine flu gets here, but when.

I ride the express bus #80 each morning from Hawaii Kai. My friend from the State Department spent last week in Mexico and Texas. She sits next to me on theBus. I'm worried. I hope she didn't get it, and if she did, I hope she stays home until she feels better.

My husband wonders if I shouldn't ride theBus for a while. I was just telling him that on the #1, which is one of the buses I catch at Hotel Street to get to work, is full of people who cough freely into the air, without covering their mouths or caring about their spray. I head it's against the law to pound someone. I guess it's OK to cough all over the place.

I shouldn't get started on theBus. It's a flippin' freak show.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

I absolutely am concerned by this.

[Ron Whitfield]

This may be Obama's Katrina.

And supposedly, a guy he met with about the matter recently, died the next day from it.

[Frankie's Market]

I head it's against the law to pound someone. I guess it's OK to cough all over the place.

I think the difference between maliciously assaulting someone vs. a sick person who can't help their coughing/sneezing is obvious.

If one is that concerned and wants to do something right now, then they could start wearing a breathing mask out in public.

Recall that about 5-6 years ago, there was the SARS epidemic scare coming out of Asia. But while it put a damper on the number of tourists coming from Japan and China, Hawaii managed to get through it okay.

The important thing is not to press the panic button, but to keep abreast of the latest news and to take whatever instructions are issued by state health officials.

[Leo Lakio]

The important thing is not to press the panic button, but to keep abreast of the latest news and to take whatever instructions are issued by state health officials.

Well advised, FM.

Take the usual precautions that you should do every day, to prevent the spread of disease - regular hand-washing is a simple one that we take for granted in the "first world."

[Mike_Lowery]

Cops getting sick now?

I always wonder about it when a disease supposedly breaks out in a foreign country. It always happens to be in a country that is a US trade partner. Did Mexico do something to the US recently, and are US spin docs throwing this out there to damage the Mexican economy?

[TATTRAT]

I ride the express bus #80 each morning...

I ride the DC Metro everyday...after moving here, I went through about a 6month spell of getting sick every other week, IT SUCKED. Bottom line, Dr. said it was a mix of me having a lowered immune system and the fact of being exposed to thousands of people in confined spaces...hand rails, sneezing, coughing all in a spce the size of a bus multiplied by 6-8train cars=A LOT of potential for some serious spreading of junk.

[Kalalau]

So it turns out Republicans cut out $890 million from President Obama's budget that would have gone for epidemic control, calling it "pork". And now we have a swine flu epidemic. Cosmic irony.

[MyopicJoe]

My dad once overheard a nurse in a hospital say she had just come back from a vacation is South East Asia, during the whole SARS outbreak...

Convenience trumps caution.


Forests have survived fires for millions of years. Trees sunk their roots deep enough to survive the heat. Then humanity started using technology to put fires out and "save" the forests. Instead of being burned off little by little, undergrowth started building up year after year, until a super fire fed on it all. These super fires burned so hot, they destroyed the roots of trees. Humanity's attempt to save the forest ended up killing it.


Medicine's dedication to saving every life is noble, but it's not balanced by population control (which is a whole can of ethical worms). As population densities increase, we're setting ourselves up for a biological wildfire. So yeah, I'm worried, but people don't change until they suffer, so I'm not holding my breath.


Sorry for getting bit off topic there. So yeah, wash your hands and wear a mask if you're more worried than embarrassed.

[MyopicJoe]

So it turns out Republicans cut out $890 million from President Obama's budget that would have gone for epidemic control, calling it "pork". And now we have a swine flu epidemic. Cosmic irony.

Haha, pork.

[Ron Whitfield]

They could start wearing a breathing mask out in public.

Those flimsy surgical masks won't do a thing towards protecting someone against airborne molecules. There may be better quality examples available now, but you'd have to also cover your eyes and ears. Time for a bubble head!

[Peshkwe]

Could be interesting here in Michigan, the migrant farm workers are starting to filter in. We already have one case in the state but that was from a vacationer who went to Texas.

[tutusue]

Media coverage and proliferating alarms are increasing.
(eta: nothin' like a good case of redundancy!!!)

[anapuni808]

I got the swine flu vacine back in 1976 (free shots at Long's Drugs) so I wonder if I'm still "covered"?

[Leo Lakio]

I got the swine flu vacine back in 1976 (free shots at Long's Drugs) so I wonder if I'm still "covered"?

Sadly, no - different variant strain. No vaccine exists for this one - yet.

[Walkoff Balk]

KHNL is scheduled to show Vaccine:Pandemic on Wednesday at 8:00. This was in today's Midweek. Wasn't this tv schedule set to print in Midweek before the Swine Flu started making the news headlines?

[SusieMisajon]

I'm sure that nobody will be surprised if I dust off this old thread...

http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthr...ighlight=preps

[btwnc2c]

I was on a flight back yesterday from the Northwest and stuck at PDX for 6 hours. Time to board and there's two Asian guys in line with face masks on. Haven't seen anyone the whole time in 6 hours with face masks on but I figure, well, that's just them. Get to my seat and who am I seated next to...these two. Great. At beverage service, the flight attendent starts speaking to them in Japanese and I pick up that they just came up from Mexico. Oh, double great!

[matapule]

Okay, here's the latest. Had to go to the doctor this afternoon for another problem (a condition known as CRS) and asked him about the flu. He said the whole thing is way overblown. He said masks do absolutely no good. He said that the 16 to 25 age group is at the greatest risk. He said those over 25 have antibodies to resist the most virulent forms of the flu. He said that those over 25 have probably already had swine flu at least once in their life. He said if I do come down with the flu it will be at most like a bad cold. He said should that happen, get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. He said it will be gone in a few days.

I am not a medical professional, I am only repeating what he told me. So if you disagree, don't roast me.

[TATTRAT]

my bacon sneezed on me this morning...I think I have a very short time left.