the dodgy swine flu

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 5th May 09, 07:49 AM

I agree with THANMUWA, and the other posters, who saw this as something other than a pandemic. Watching the woman in a military uniform in Washington DC give repeated press briefings made me wonder if this wasn't being overplayed for purely political reasons. I believe it is one thing for a Government to be "ahead of the story"-- that's called preparedness. But it's an entirely different matter for a Government to be "behind the story"-- that's called propaganda.

Was/is the scare mongering about swine flu agenda driven? I honestly don't know, but it does seem to be vastly blown out of all proportion.

**beloitpiper** · 5th May 09, 08:22 AM

http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com/

As you can see on the map, though the has spread everywhere, it hasn't really gotten a lot of people. Plus, only Mexicans have died from this flu strain. So basically, if you have access to modern health facilities, you'll more-likely-than-not survive.

This whole thing is blown out of proportion. The REGULAR flu has killed more people than the H1N1 virus.

**Galician** · 5th May 09, 08:36 AM

The point of concern is that this is a brand-new strain, and the full effects might not have been seen yet.

**beloitpiper** · 5th May 09, 09:21 AM

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/20...inefluglimpse/

**piperdbh** · 5th May 09, 09:33 AM

Has anyone else seen the video on the "news" of the little boy in Mexico who was supposedly the first person to have the porcine pandemic? He's fine, and running around playing soccer. I think this is a whole lot of media inflation, as usual, and is probably diverting our attention away from something really important.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 5th May 09, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

Has anyone else seen the video on the "news" of the little boy in Mexico who was supposedly the first person to have the porcine pandemic? He's fine, and running around playing soccer. I think this is a whole lot of media inflation, as usual, and is probably diverting our attention away from something really important.

Ya think?

**Nervous Jock** · 5th May 09, 01:24 PM

I'm sure smoking and drinking will account for more

**McClef** · 5th May 09, 01:25 PM

The ordinary strains kill thousands of people during the winter months every year and we don't get all this panic.

Certain groups are known to be more vulnerable than others and they are advised to have an annual flu jab - me included as a diabetic. The jab of course only covers strains that are known at the time. The vaccine for this one is already under preparation though.

Why Mexicans seem to have found this strain to be more fatal for them compared with other countries has not yet been explained.

**beloitpiper** · 5th May 09, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by McClef

Why Mexicans seem to have found this strain to be more fatal for them compared with other countries has not yet been explained.

Most of them, unfortunately, do not have access to the kind of medical attention that so many of us are privileged to.

**Pleater** · 5th May 09, 05:21 PM

I saw an analysis of the Swine flu virus, which indicated that it has not got the factor which causes the immune system to over react to it, and that it attacks the upper respiratory area rather than the lungs, plus it doesn't have multiple cell penetrating 'tools' on its surface.

Putting all those together would seem to indicate that it is not a 'killer' any more than the usual winter 'flu' viruses, though some people will not survive it if their hold on life is fragile.

I heard that at least one country is slaughtering pigs - which seems to indicate that they have got the situation wrong - the virus has some genetic material from pig flu, but once the illness had passed to humans it was spread around the world by holidaymakers, although some of them do act like swine when on holiday......

If people do act sensibly then the numbers dying will be reduced.

Precautions will not work unless the illness is taken seriously.

I was once ordered to go into work when I had 'flu' and a temperature of 103 degrees, because I could not get a sick note from the doctor within three days. I duly turned up, got told off by my boss for not obeying the rules and the following week I was on holiday as the whole workforce went down with 'flu', including all the managers.

Anne the Pleater