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AIBU?

To think that people really need to get a grip over the whole swine flu business?

246 replies

wannaBe · 27/04/2009 10:59

Let's face it, we are all going to die. Nobody knows how, nobody knows when.

100 people have died of swine flu. 100 people. And yet people are talking of panic buying/keeping children home from school/wanting to know why flights from meccico have not been stopped.

100 people. worldwide.

I wonder how many people were killed on the roads during that time?

If you're going to catch swine flu, you'll catch it whether you panic about it or not. And given only 100 people have died of it so far, currently, the odds are pretty slim. And even if it reaches pandemic level (such as bird flu/sars didn't but the media were desparately hoping they would) there's still not much you can do about it.

100 people.

seriously.

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Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:37

I'm sure everyone will be keeping a lazy eye out, but there is very little else we can do.

Besides, as others have said, we have seen these scares before and they amounted to nothing. If you cry wolf often enough you can't expect the public to take you seriously.

Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:37

lowenergy - don't you have a bunker to sort out or something?

Idranktheeasterspirits · 27/04/2009 16:40

No we havent seen these scares before. We have seen SARS and that was overhyped. We have seen avian flu and that was overhyped.
This is different because of two factors.
It spreads person to person.
It is spreading fast and across more countries.

LadyFio · 27/04/2009 16:40

I have shit my own pants today
about all this swine flu business

Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:41

They thought bird flu spread from person to person did they not?

Idranktheeasterspirits · 27/04/2009 16:41

Am not going to build a bunker by the way.

Idranktheeasterspirits · 27/04/2009 16:43

No. Bird flu was from bird to human. It never mutated beyond that.

Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:45

Actually it could, in theory. If that person was already infected with a different influenza virus and was exposed to avian flu, the virus could mutate and pass on from person to person, as the common flu virus does.

ABetaDad · 27/04/2009 16:45

Morloth/lowergylightbulb

It has crossed my mind that Governments in the UK and US are 'bigging up' this story to distract from their useless mamagement of the credit crunch and make it look like they are doing something.

Lets face it - the UK Govt were useless when the Foot & Mouth happened or the floods (UK/US) or dealing with the credit crunch.

There is a certain amount of trying to news manage to reassure people that someone is in charge.

Haribosmummy · 27/04/2009 16:45

I'm sure Gordon Brown is pushing this story for every grain of media attention.

Keeps it off our shite government who are just bankrupting us as we speak.

Can't see the point in worrying over something we can do nothing to control, when we seem to do little as a nation to change the things we CAN control.

hobbgoblin · 27/04/2009 16:45

Recession, terrorism, forthcoming election...what better diversion to stop people thinking too much about the real day to day stuff that might have real reason to get them stamping their feet and ousting current Government.

wannaBe · 27/04/2009 16:46

"Also, as the virus works it's way through the global population it will evolve - and it could possibly develop a resistance to current anti viral treatments." Yes, it could. Or it might not. This is the thing - we don't know. So while the health professionals might need to take it seriously, and take steps to deal with a pandemic if it occurs, Joe public really does not need to panic. Because panicing will achieve.... absolutely nothing.

"If people don't understand how serious this situation is then they're idiots." Matter of opinion. Personally I think that people threatening to keep their children home from school/wearing masks/buying in water/tinned food after only 100 deaths worldwide are idiots.

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Idranktheeasterspirits · 27/04/2009 16:49

Im not saying it couldnt mutate. Im saying it didnt, which is why this latest threat is more serious because it already has.

Apologies for no apostrphes, am on sodding ipod.

hobbgoblin · 27/04/2009 16:50

Oh, I see ABetaDad has already said that

Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:50

Flu has been around for a long time. If they can develop vaccines for certain strains of it then I'm guessing that those strains are easily containable.

This is a new virus, so it's hardly going to start mutating now is it?

The 1918 flu outbreak killed so many because hygiene was poor, there were open sewers ffs and only the rich could afford medicine.

We are not in that position today. However if the global economy collapses, I wonder how it would be before we are back to 1918 conditions?

Idranktheeasterspirits · 27/04/2009 16:51

I hardly think the government would hype the story to distract from recession. You do realise this will kill the travel industry if it gets worse?

wannaBe · 27/04/2009 16:51

actually, given the population of meccico city and the amount of people affected it doesn't sound that bad to me.

How many million people live in meccico city?

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Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:51

Not mutate, I mean become resistant.

ABetaDad · 27/04/2009 16:52

Don't want to panic anyone but....

Just thought you ought to know that if nuclear power plant workers could not get to work as there was no transport (or were too ill from flu to go to work) the nuclear power plants would gradually heat up and then go critical and then melt down like CHERNOBYL.

Of course there would be no food in the shops, water or sewage services, or health care with generally anarchy on the streets.

Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:52

And don't forget that Mexico City is very poor, I wonder how many of those who died lived in the slums without proper access to medicine?

Idranktheeasterspirits · 27/04/2009 16:52

Mutation is what the flu does. Thats why its such a bugger. Thats how the virus survives.

bubbleymummy · 27/04/2009 16:53

Surely we get new strains of the flu virus every year which is why new vaccines are developed every year - to deal with the new strains. I agree that this is something that needs to be kept an eye on but I don;t think panicking will achieve anything - especially at this early stage when we really don't know if it's anything to panic about!

There is also the skeptical side of me thinking how convenient it is that this virus is responding to the anti-viral drug tamiflu that was stockpiled years ago for the avian flu pandemic that never happened - for a start - different strains of the virus but same anti-viral drug? A way to get rid of all those stockpiles maybe and inject a bit more money into the economy? Just a thought...

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hobbgoblin · 27/04/2009 16:53

Idrank, I am a pessimist. What's a leetle thing like the whole tourist industry compared to the collective ego of any Political Party, eh?

Rhubarb · 27/04/2009 16:53

I know, I didn't mean mutation I meant become resistant.

So far it can be treated. If you have access to treatments that is.

wannaBe · 27/04/2009 16:56

it's also interesting that

only 20 of the 103 deaths in meccico have been confirmed to be from the virus

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