Swine Flu

[Modest_Man]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

How about everyone stop living in fear?

Oh noes, not teh swine fluezulles! So what? It is this years scary new disease, trying to scare us!

Wake up people....It is not that bad, cook your meat properly. Remember West Nile? SARS? Avian Bird Flu? Mad Cow? Yes, there are diseases. No, you don't need to live your life in fear of them....

This post just shows you how ignorant you are of what is actually going on.

The swine flu is not being transmitted by eating pork (though it could happen). It's a strain of the influenza virus that primarily affects pigs, but can infect humans who come into contact with pigs through direct contact (respiratory droplets mainly).

Where it gets scary is that this virus has now mutated and can be transmitted human to human. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigenic_shift)

So far it has a death rate of 6%, while other flu virus pandemics have had a .001% fatal rate. Look up the 1918 influenza pandemic, where an estimated 30-40 million mostly young healthy people were killed. This flu is not attacking the already immunocompromised (very young, very old, already sick, pregnant), it's attacking and killing people who should not be dying of the flu.

I think it takes a background in the biology sciences (genetics, cell and molecular, etc.) to really understand how terrifying this could very easily be. Hell, half the American population still thinks you can take antibiotics to treat a viral infection.

This cannot be compared with SARS (774 total deaths) or mad cow disease (206 total deaths). The influenza virus "normally" kills around 500,000 people a year. When (not if) a pandemic occurs upwards of 50 million people will die.

 

[beblondie]

just nature thinning the herd

 

[cassharper]

This post just shows you how ignorant you are of what is actually going on.

The swine flu is not being transmitted by eating pork (though it could happen). It's a strain of the influenza virus that primarily affects pigs, but can infect humans who come into contact with pigs through direct contact (respiratory droplets mainly).

Where it gets scary is that this virus has now mutated and can be transmitted human to human. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigenic_shift)

So far it has a death rate of 6%, while other flu virus pandemics have had a .001% fatal rate. Look up the 1918 influenza pandemic, where an estimated 30-40 million mostly young healthy people were killed. This flu is not attacking the already immunocompromised (very young, very old, already sick, pregnant), it's attacking and killing people who should not be dying of the flu.

I think it takes a background in the biology sciences (genetics, cell and molecular, etc.) to really understand how terrifying this could very easily be. Hell, half the American population still thinks you can take antibiotics to treat a viral infection.

This cannot be compared with SARS (774 total deaths) or mad cow disease (206 total deaths). The influenza virus "normally" kills around 500,000 people a year. When (not if) a pandemic occurs upwards of 50 million people will die.

Don't get me wrong, I trust Wikipedia entirely but here is the CDC report of confirmed cases in America. 20 cases? Let me go duct tape my air vents and get my respirator out....


Ok, I'm back. Yes, swine flu has killed quite a few people in Mexico. I do understand their 2nd world health care system is top notch, but me thinks the mortality rate (and infection rate, at that) will be much lower in America. It's like bird flu, deadly stuff I hear. But almost every single fatality was in Asia Major (with bird handlers too, but that's a moot point since bird flu was passing from human to human).

So, in my opinion Rmorse isn't a moron for not freaking out (even though he's not the required infectious disease expert you say is required to understand this conundrum), but merely a pragmatist. And if being a pragmatist is equivalent with being a moron, well I guess I'm a moron.

Cass = thinks media hype over diseases with pandemic potential is hilarious.

 

[Ak-Kronic]

the new flu pandemic that is goin around in mexico and parts of the us is an engineered strain consisting of : Avian Bird Flu, 3 types of Swine flu and the common human flu......this is a terrorist attempt to get all infidels sick to the point they die....there is no vaccine for this flu......freakin mexico is shuttin down their schools and all public events.....what are we doing in america??? tellin ppl to wash their hands!!! that's it!! this is all a plot to globally enslave the world.....get us all sick.....make us think we are goin to die or kill alot of us in the process then when we all get freaked out they will develope a "vaccine" that we all much be innoculated w/.........this is all a giant plot to create a mass histeria amonst the global population or at least the american continent......the media isn't even talking about where the hell this thing even came from!!! well it was made in a friggin lab ppl!!! shlt like this don't happen in nature.........they have been trying to engineer common flus and small pox for years!!!! you all need to watch a movie called "endgame: plot for global enslavement" this will all make alot more sense........

 

[Modest_Man]

Don't get me wrong, I trust Wikipedia entirely but here is the CDC report of confirmed cases in America. 20 cases? Let me go duct tape my air vents and get my respirator out....


Ok, I'm back. Yes, swine flu has killed quite a few people in Mexico. I do understand their 2nd world health care system is top notch, but me thinks the mortality rate (and infection rate, at that) will be much lower in America. It's like bird flu, deadly stuff I hear. But almost every single fatality was in Asia Major (with bird handlers too, but that's a moot point since bird flu was passing from human to human).

So, in my opinion Rmorse isn't a moron for not freaking out (even though he's not the required infectious disease expert you say is required to understand this conundrum), but merely a pragmatist. And if being a pragmatist is equivalent with being a moron, well I guess I'm a moron.

Cass = thinks media hype over diseases with pandemic potential is hilarious.

I wasn't saying we should freak out, my full body bio-hazard suit is still in moth balls.

The ignorant statement was really in regards to everyone who was posting about eating pork. It just highlights how much most people DON'T understand about the influenza virus, swine or otherwise.

 

[Red Devil]

This post just shows you how ignorant you are of what is actually going on.

The swine flu is not being transmitted by eating pork (though it could happen). It's a strain of the influenza virus that primarily affects pigs, but can infect humans who come into contact with pigs through direct contact (respiratory droplets mainly).

Where it gets scary is that this virus has now mutated and can be transmitted human to human. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigenic_shift)

So far it has a death rate of 6%, while other flu virus pandemics have had a .001% fatal rate. Look up the 1918 influenza pandemic, where an estimated 30-40 million mostly young healthy people were killed. This flu is not attacking the already immunocompromised (very young, very old, already sick, pregnant), it's attacking and killing people who should not be dying of the flu.

I think it takes a background in the biology sciences (genetics, cell and molecular, etc.) to really understand how terrifying this could very easily be. Hell, half the American population still thinks you can take antibiotics to treat a viral infection.

This cannot be compared with SARS (774 total deaths) or mad cow disease (206 total deaths). The influenza virus "normally" kills around 500,000 people a year. When (not if) a pandemic occurs upwards of 50 million people will die.

thank you some one finally explained it perfectly..although not good to be overly fearfull..just keep in tune to whats going on..

 

[rmorse]

This post just shows you how ignorant you are of what is actually going on.

The swine flu is not being transmitted by eating pork (though it could happen). It's a strain of the influenza virus that primarily affects pigs, but can infect humans who come into contact with pigs through direct contact (respiratory droplets mainly).

Where it gets scary is that this virus has now mutated and can be transmitted human to human. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigenic_shift)

So far it has a death rate of 6%, while other flu virus pandemics have had a .001% fatal rate. Look up the 1918 influenza pandemic, where an estimated 30-40 million mostly young healthy people were killed. This flu is not attacking the already immunocompromised (very young, very old, already sick, pregnant), it's attacking and killing people who should not be dying of the flu.

I think it takes a background in the biology sciences (genetics, cell and molecular, etc.) to really understand how terrifying this could very easily be. Hell, half the American population still thinks you can take antibiotics to treat a viral infection.

This cannot be compared with SARS (774 total deaths) or mad cow disease (206 total deaths). The influenza virus "normally" kills around 500,000 people a year. When (not if) a pandemic occurs upwards of 50 million people will die.

Did you know, according to Wiki, pneumonia kills up to 1 million people a year? I have gotten pneumonia before. Wasn't bad.

Oh wait. I don't live in a developing country. Oh wait, I wasn't an idiot, and ignored it.


You're right. The post DID show my ignorance about the swine flu. I don't know much about it, because I refuse to let myself be drawn into the facts and fears, like a lemming running towards the cliff. However, it did not show my ignorance of the current trend of fear that our culture thrives on. I am guessing you didn't fully understand my post, as shown by this sentence "This cannot be compared with SARS (774 total deaths) or mad cow disease (206 total deaths)." I was not saying that SARS and mad cow were incredibly deadly. I was saying that you are a fool to be freaking out about these types of diseases.


Someone earlier mentioned Ebola. Should I constantly live in fear of Ebola? I mean, c'mon, the death rate is close to 100%! (Hold on, I should look it up real quick, so you don't quote it. Ah yes, it's 83%. My bad)

You mentioned the 1918 flu epidemic. Now THAT scares me! I mean, comparing how advanced we were back then with how we are today, oh man!!! How the hell did that happen? WE KNEW SO MUCH! /sarcasm

 

[rmorse]

Nope, I plan to become a zombie, so I still need them. If I die in swineflu, will I be a coughing and freezing zombie? cause that would suc*.

Jerk.

 

[le patron]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

How about everyone stop living in fear?

Oh noes, not teh swine fluezulles! So what? It is this years scary new disease, trying to scare us!

Wake up people....It is not that bad, cook your meat properly. Remember West Nile? SARS? Avian Bird Flu? Mad Cow? Yes, there are diseases. No, you don't need to live your life in fear of them....

very well put

 

[rmorse]

This post just shows you how ignorant you are of what is actually going on.

The swine flu is not being transmitted by eating pork (though it could happen). It's a strain of the influenza virus that primarily affects pigs, but can infect humans who come into contact with pigs through direct contact (respiratory droplets mainly).

Where it gets scary is that this virus has now mutated and can be transmitted human to human. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigenic_shift)

So far it has a death rate of 6%, while other flu virus pandemics have had a .001% fatal rate. Look up the 1918 influenza pandemic, where an estimated 30-40 million mostly young healthy people were killed. This flu is not attacking the already immunocompromised (very young, very old, already sick, pregnant), it's attacking and killing people who should not be dying of the flu.

I think it takes a background in the biology sciences (genetics, cell and molecular, etc.) to really understand how terrifying this could very easily be. Hell, half the American population still thinks you can take antibiotics to treat a viral infection.

This cannot be compared with SARS (774 total deaths) or mad cow disease (206 total deaths). The influenza virus "normally" kills around 500,000 people a year. When (not if) a pandemic occurs upwards of 50 million people will die.

OH SNAP!!!!!


"Swine flu not as serious as SARS: Canada's Ontario"

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE53N4PB20090424


Checkmate?