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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not really care about swine flu?

109 replies

Kayzr · 30/04/2009 09:24

I am so bored of swine flu now. The news are making it out to be the end of the world. 168 people have died in Mexico but only 8 have been confirmed of having swine flu. So they might have died of something else, 1 person has died outside of Mexico and he had recently been to Mexico and apparently ill anyway.

Everyone apart from 1 person round the world that has swine flu has recently been to Mexico.

So IABU for really not caring?

OP posts:
Sassybeast · 30/04/2009 10:36

But Pennies - you should be doing all that ANYWAY. Why do we need hysterical reporting to teach us to wash our hands and use tissues ?

Original poster
Kayzr · 30/04/2009 10:37

People die everyday, people get ill everyday. It is horrible that people are dying but I don't understand why people are acting like the end of the world is nigh!!

OP posts:
wasabipeanut · 30/04/2009 10:40

Apparently this leaflet that is going to be sent out lists things like coughing and sneezing as symptoms of flu. On that basis 80% of the UK population would be in trouble.

As it is I get really wound up by people that get a cold and claim to have flu. This is grist to their mill. If you have flu you can't move for the best part of a fortnight.

If people in this country with its (despite everything) excellent health infrastructure are panicing they need to get a spine.

squilly · 30/04/2009 10:41

Not unreasonable. I understand your thought processes. You just mean the whole fever (if you'll pardon the pun) surrounding swine flu, rather than the sad losses that have been suffered. I think it's a bit simplistic to assume that you mean you don't care about the people involved.

Sassybeast · 30/04/2009 10:44

Can I ask why people are buying water ? Will 'they' cut the water off ? Why would 'they' do that ? And who are 'they'?

And I've heard of people stock piling candles and batteries for torches. Will the virus freeze the National Grid ?

Confused of Inverneggy.

Original poster
Kayzr · 30/04/2009 10:44

My DH says there is a simple flu test you can take. Put £50 on the floor next to the flu symptom. If they have a cold they will get up to get it, if they have flu then they won't be able to get the money.

OP posts:
cory · 30/04/2009 10:47

And how MUCH water are they buying? Presumably the virus would take quite a few months to burn itself out? Not like a hurricane that will blow itself out in a matter of days? The plague went on for several years, didn't it? Could you really stockpile that much bottled water?

Or whatever would be the use of isolating yourself for a fortnight and emerging with a parched tongue the moment the virus really gets going?

pranma · 30/04/2009 10:48

It is interesting that this epidemic has come to our attention at a time when governments[especially ours]are under a lot of pressure because of the global financial situation.I wonder how many people would get flu in this time period anyway.I think it is horrible when anyone dies of any disease anywhere but they do.

Pennies · 30/04/2009 10:49

Of course I do that but I won't be using hankies for a while, I'll use tissues and let's face it hardly anyone washes their hands after sneezing or coughing into a tissue, which is what they're advising on the BBC radio station I'm listening to right now.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 30/04/2009 10:53

Having had flu for the first time in 15 years last November (I wouldn't have been able to pick up £5k) I have just ordered some basic food to keep in the garage.

I was very lucky that DH some how managed not to catch it and took over through out the 3 days of which I have absolutely no memory and beyond that as I was really rough for 3 weeks. If we were both to go down with something at the same time, I want to know that there is something available for the DC's to eat, as we are rubbish and have a tendency to grab what we need for food that day and not do proper shops, which doesn't feel very responsible atm.

Pennies · 30/04/2009 10:58

pranma - not sure I subscribe to that because this is more likely to do a lot of harm to the global economy, regardless of whether it gets to a pandemic situation or not.

lal123 · 30/04/2009 10:59

re stocking up on water/candles etc. I think the thinking behind this is that if 50% of the population is out of action because of flu (25% with flu, 25% caring for folk with flu) then public services would be affected.

ThePhantomPlopper · 30/04/2009 11:04

pranma - the gov isn't going to invent a flu pandemic just to take the pressure of the mess they've made with the economy. If the coverage of this continues like this the economy is going to get alot worse.

sarah293 · 30/04/2009 11:04

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Tee2072 · 30/04/2009 11:05

Sassybeast the thought is that if people are ill, those services could stop, because there will be no one to run them.

TwoIfBySea · 30/04/2009 11:17

Are people really stockpiling? Probably thanks to the media hysteria that is going on.

Seriously, regular flu kills hundreds each year. There are so many strains of flu, in 2007 for example, there were outbreaks of this particular variant (Influenza A, H1N1) in more countries than are currently affected. If WHO is getting serious about it then perhaps we should pay attention but there are more immediate things to worry about.

I had the flu a couple of years before having dts and to be honest I don't remember a single thing about it. In fact I had to be reminded that I'd had it, a whole week has gone missing so I don't know how bad it was other than what people tell me.

Dts2 had a touch of the flu last year, luckily it only lasted a few days so wasn't particularly potent but still.

wannaBe · 30/04/2009 11:26

I think it's highly unlikely that so many of the country will be ill that water and electricity will be cut off. Talk about scaremongering...

And let's be honest if you're that ill with flu you're not going to want to eat anyway are you? so not much point having loads of food in the house

mamadiva · 30/04/2009 11:48

But I would have thought it highly unlikely that human and pig flu could mutate together to create a deadly virus...

I am not stockpiling things I am buying some things incase of the unlikely event that it spreads to our area and a quarantine is applied, I know there is a tiny chance of that happening but the fact is there will always be that chance!

I just want to make sure that we have some sort of half decent stock of things in, we live a mile and a half from the nearest supermarket and we dont drive so if we were to come down with anything no matter what it was we would be pretty screwed. I should have done it before but it has just taken this to give me a kick up the backside!

sarah293 · 30/04/2009 11:58

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TwoIfBySea · 30/04/2009 12:02

Maybe they are bulk buying tins of tomato soup, wannaBe, that is the only thing I can eat when I'm ill!

Peachy · 30/04/2009 12:03

I have some long life stuff in, milk / goats milk/ cereal / paracetamol (kids and adults). The thinking is that if we went down with it shopping would be the last thing on our minds but the chhildren might want to eat, tehre is nobody to help them out bar us.

Above that level, my concerns are simply that I dont know wamnyopne who could help with childcare and flu + children sonds impossible; and B I don't much fancy being ill from anything, this or any general virus.

Oh and that I bought DS3 a mexican costume for the fancy dress party on Saturday and can't afford to replace it so I hope nobody thinks I am taking the piss.

I think my worry levels are normal but the supermarket is empty and so have been baby groups. On that level, i'm rating a low mild.

YanknCock · 30/04/2009 12:08

I remember when I started my public health training, the first thing we learned was how much disease could be stopped if everyone would simply wash their hands often and thoroughly. Now can't remember the exact figure, but it was enough that at the break, every one of us was in the loos, washing our hands in hot, soapy water while singing the alphabet song twice! (Most people don't wash long enough, alphabet song x2 is helpful for remembering).

YANBU to not run around panicking. There's nothing to be gained from that.

lal123 · 30/04/2009 12:12

wannabe - if I get teh flu I might not be hungry - but I'll still have to feed my DD?

Sassybeast · 30/04/2009 12:14

Right. So the water and candles are in case the whole country comes to a standstill next week ? Get a grip folks - if this becomes a pandemic we aren't all going down at once. This will run for months and months. Wonder how far into the pandemic the media will get bored with it ? I'll give them 3 weeks. And uurrgh to not washing your hands after you sneeze into them. it's no wonder thses things spread.

katiestar · 30/04/2009 12:25

Littlepollyflinders '25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981.
I think that's a trifle more than all the flu scares put together??

The 1918 flu pandemic killed up to 50 million people in a couple of years !!