Okay, folks... :( I am listening to all of the news and am starting to get a little ansy. It sounds like we're headed for something the likes of which we haven't seen in my lifetime. I hope I'm wrong...But O was on the tube, discussing it just now...That's not a good sign. I heard that the national news was saying that it would be a good idea to have a 10-day supply of food onhand, in the event that public venues were shut down. What has anyone else heard?
We've been talking about this in the Politics section. There is a lot of good info posted by the regulars. I will post here a link I found for those that don't venture into the Politics section.
Here is a government website for all things flu. There is a ton of info on here.
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/index.html
For your local information check:
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/whereyoulive/index.html
David
I went onto google and found a map that shows how widespread this thing is...Naturally, China/Russia show no swine flu at all. They're either very lucky or are not reporting it on purpose. I'm surprised we haven't been moved to Phase 6 in this thing.
Just be watchful, don't panic. Do you remember the Swine Flu of 1976? We got our shots and life went on. Follow the advice on personal protection. It's not to stage 6 but might get there. If local schools start closing in mass, then it's time to stock up on extra food and stay home for awhile. For most people Tamiflu takes care of it. We now have 2 confirmed cases on the UD campus two blocks from me and the UDPD officers are now wearing mask and gloves. Looks funny. David, those sites you posted are very good. Thanks!
The more accurately named "North American Flu" is giving pork producers a bad name. This flu strain doesn't come from eating pork products or being around live swine.
People should just be mindful and if they feel ill or know anyone who does, then go to the doctor! And stay home! Good advice for "normal flu", too.
The main thing is: Wash your hands!!
I love it! Rudy, I think they are making a big something out of this when it is not necessary. Hong Kong flu, and b- virus, a-virus killed many people even when they had been vaccinated. I have not had the flu for many years and have been very careful to get my immunizations. I stay away from obviously sick people, wash hands often and don't kiss too many pigs! Ha! Boy do I hate it when I am out shopping and hear somebody with a big case of the crud hacking away and smearing it all over whatever they are around. Good job idiot! You just contaminated the baby food, and guess who gets so sick they cannot recover? Just don't get me started. Ted was immuno-suppressed and we were very consious of those things. I wouldn't allow him to read a mag in the Dr's office. In my opinion that is just asking for it! After we left that office we would use hand cleaner/sanitizer. This is a great invention IMHO!
After doing a little research I think that they may be over hyping this thing. I mean, roughly 36,000 people die each year from the regular flu. So far in the U.S. there has been only 1. Just take the normal precautions.
We have two more confirmed cases on campus and about 10 others who are sick and awaiting their results. Our grocery stores have put out alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer at each checkout and people are using them. I taught an impromptu class at the deli counter in one store. (They know I'm an EMT) and I think it helped some of the older ones be less afraid. It's hard to know how to handle this. Some you have to just about have to hit them over the head so they'll take it seriously enough. Others you risk scaring them silly if you give them just a little information. Some people think their flu shot from last fall will take care of this too. Not so, this is A/1N1. Not the same at all. The main thing is do what you normally would to avoid airborne germs and go to the DR. if you get sick. Tamiflu is what is usually given and I know some people do act a little goofy after taking it. It can have few other common side affects. Tobina, stay well. I don't think you can take it.
If you go to the right country you can't get the swine flu.
Uh, would that be Siberia? lol
No. That would be where swine is not kosher, so it will be called the Mexican flu. Israel being one of them.
Quote from: BillyakaVarmit on April 30, 2009, 03:56:17 PM
So far in the U.S. there has been only 1. {death}
This one death occurred in Houston....It was a two year old visiting here from Mexico. The main concern the media has here about this death is that the child spent a day at the Galleria before he showed symptoms.
We have shut down 4 schools so far. One teenager was reported to have the flu in Ft Bend Cnty (just sw of Houston) and she has already recovered and is back in school.
My mom works in the nurses office at a local High School. Yesterday they sent two kids to the hospital with suspicion of the flu. Others have been sent home with fevers. No official word yet if these are associated with the flu. The school has not been shut down.
I'm very interested in what your Mom finds at school as this thing progresses. Thanks for sharing.
We need more from first hand sources.
Quote from: Wilma on May 01, 2009, 10:07:42 AM
We need more from first hand sources.
Instead of the hyped news media reports.
We keep hearing from the officals that this is no more dangerous than the regular flu. So why all the extra precautions? During the flu season I don't recall them issuing travel precautions, calling out the National Guard to guard medicines etc. It just seems to me that there is something they are not telling us.
Interestingly enough our Joe Biden got swatted because he said he would tell his family to avoid tight public transportation. Ha! Just now a big plane diverted and landed because a passenger had come down with flu symptoms.
Billy,the extra precautions are because this is a new mutation that we didn't have a chance to take shots for like we did last fall. Huge numbers of people take regular flu shots that are made to try to catch what- ever the"winter flu" will be. That hasn't been able to be developed for this one yet; it caught everybody by surprise. Nobody has been immunized against this one Not medical staff, not nobody not no how. I promise to share with you anything i find out I do know CDC is about to get a better idea of who seems to be the most vulnerable to it, how long people are down sick and so forth. It seems to me to be not very bad as bugs go, but more will come out as this thing continues.
Diane it has been my expirence that the only time I have ever gotten the flu is when I had the shot. Even if they develop a shot for this one I believe I will have to take a pass.
Sure, but if you do get sick, please isolate yourself so you don't pass it to others. I doubt the shot would be mandatory even if this thing hasn't blown over by the time CDC gets it made.
I don't know Diane, flu shots are mandatroy in New Jersey
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27225500/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27225500/)
That's for the annual flu shot, not this special situation. I hope you don't feel the same way about polio, DPT and the rest. That's a public health issue. I don't believe you would risk your kids like that.
Quote from: Diane Amberg on May 01, 2009, 09:04:04 AM
I'm very interested in what your Mom finds at school as this thing progresses. Thanks for sharing.
Update for the day.....the loudmouth at work said that there was a confirmed case in my mom's school. the principal is denying it.
No principal wants the schools to close this week due to statewide testing. (test scores are used for bonuses and such)
My mom truly believed they would shut down the school today because of the flu...but it did not happen.
One more school has shut down to the southwest of us (richmond / rosenberg area). And the entire school system in Navasota TX has shut down (navasota is nw of houston.....just south of Bryan / College Station ---- Texas A&M
some of the school closures are for an indefinite period of time, others are closed till May 11.
most schools are abiding by the CDC recommendation, which states that if students are sent home because of the flu, then the school should remain closed for 14 days.
My aunt who works in the health care field told us that they are monitoring the CDC for info
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm
locations of school closings in Houston area (if you are interested)
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/feature?section=news/health&id=6788579
You can see the progression of the virus
Quote from: Diane Amberg on May 01, 2009, 02:42:45 PM
Sure, but if you do get sick, please isolate yourself so you don't pass it to others. I doubt the shot would be mandatory even if this thing hasn't blown over by the time CDC gets it made.
They better not make it mandatory.....I'm allergic to the flu shot. So I have never had a flu shot and I don't remember ever having any flu's (or flues or....what is the plural of flu?)
I have had bad colds, bad allergies, ear inf. etc but never the flu (that I remember)
Gosh, how old are you? Bet you don't remember the Asian Flu, do you? That was a miserable one. Hubbie and I had it. It skipped the kiddies.
34, on may 21
You don't remember the Asian flu. I wish I didn't.
Wasn't that 1957? I didn't get it, but I remember the school having lots of kids and teachers absent. I think we might have had a day or so off because they ran out of substitutes.
That might have been the year. My youngest was born in 1956 and she wasn't very old.
I think the fact that none of us remember the details of the 1958 and 1968 pandemic flu speaks volumes as to how panicked we should get to the current pandemic flu of 2009. Just follow good health, sanitation, common sense practices.
David
I think the biggest reason this flu has spread so fast is the lack of sanitation in Mexico. Up here where standards are higher and where so many people want to call home, we will take steps to keep from contracting the flu, if possible. If, in my home where I can wash my hands with soap and hot water, or if I go out, I can take my bottle of hand sanitizer with me, and where I can avoid the problems faced in other places, there should be no problem.
Did anyone see on the news about the little villiage where this epidemic began? It is a very small villiage that has huge pig operations by Smithfield, a US based company. It seems that the regs that our farmers are required to abide by are not required in that country. Thus an impending disaster, just another example of the United States passing the buck so to speak. We allow our companys to go abroad and escape our regulations yet we bring the product back into the United States. Not only are the sanitation regs avoided but the wages and employment standards are also avoided. We may pay anyway for not taking more care of what is occuring in the world, including our neighboring countrys. I truly believe that we should not import any product that is produced under conditions that are not allowed in the United States. :( :(
Was there any mention of chickens or birds.? That seems to be in the mix also.
Diane, bird or chickens were not mentioned in the news item I saw. Just an interview with the childs' mother and several of the villagers. The little boy is fine by the way. However with the open lagoons that I saw in the tape it would certainly be possible for birds to be involved and rats or mice. :P :P
YUK.
Quote from: Rudy Taylor on April 30, 2009, 09:16:19 AM
The main thing is: Wash your hands!!
LOL.... Love the picture, Rudy..... I've kissed a few pigs in my time. ;D
Sixdogsmom, way to go...blame the US for the worlds problems. Wages, work enviroment, enviromental standards, of foregin countries are their problem. I swear, americia is damned if they do and damned if they don't. don't you think that the Mexcian gov't ought to be the ones to determine what goes on in mexcio? Oh, and by the way, there are reports that this "mexcian flu" started in california.
I have heard that, too. It was reported by Mexico.
Heres one link on it. It doesn't give a definite answer, just something to think about:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518572,00.html (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518572,00.html)
It is always 1918 at the CDC
http://lewrockwell.com/anderson/anderson248.html
This looks like a designer bug to me.
Are you hearing of more cases where you are? We now have 10 confirmed on UD campus. Two of the elementary schools about 8 miles away have one confirmed case each and have closed for a few days.
Haven't heard of any around here...yet.
Diane, I think that the only cases in Kansas are in Dickinson and Johnson countys; both of which are in the NE part of the state. The first cases were in Dickinson and the two people had been to Mexico. (Ha, I wonder if this flu doesn't translate well?) Just a thought. Anyway we are hearing that this may be receding (hopefully). I also hear there are a couple of cases in Kansas City Mo. which would put all the cases within a rather small area of the state. Many folks here have coughs and sniffles due to the wet conditions. It has been wet for long enough time now that mold is bothering a lot of people including yours truly. I have also been unpacking mold infested boxes from storage getting ready for the auction. :P
We have about 16 more that are ''probable" and being tested. Now I'm hearing that CDC is concerned that this thing may go dormant and then show up again in the winter....I don't know what to think about that.
I just read an article from firegeezer. Apparently a herd of pigs in Alberta Canada got the Swine flu from their owner who had just come back from Mexico. All were quarantined and are recovering. How funny is that. OK, maybe not, but it tickled me.
Quote from: Diane Amberg on May 04, 2009, 11:29:23 AM
I just read an article from firegeezer. Apparently a herd of pigs in Alberta Canada got the Swine flu from their owner who had just come back from Mexico. All were quarantined and are recovering. How funny is that. OK, maybe not, but it tickled me.
I hope the pigs don't start an effort to cull humans. ;)
David
Virus transmitted to pigs on Alberta farm By THE CANADIAN PRESS
Mon. May 4 - 5:41 AM
OTTAWA — Pigs at an Alberta farm caught the same swine flu strain that has sickened hundreds of humans around the world, federal officials said Saturday.
A farmhand who travelled to Mexico and fell ill upon his return apparently infected the pigs with the H1N1 influenza virus, said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer.
"So far, basically what we're seeing in the pig is the same strain as we see in the humans," Butler-Jones said.
"The concern is that if it's circulating in a pig herd, that any other humans that come onto the farm might be exposed and be at risk."
This is the first time this swine flu virus has been found in pigs.
The farm worker returned to Canada from Mexico on April 12 and had contact with the pigs two days later. About 220 pigs in the herd of 2,200 began showing signs of the flu on April 24, said the country's top veterinary officer, Dr. Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
All of the pigs are recovering or have recovered and the farm worker has also recovered.
One other farm worker subsequently fell ill. It's not yet known if that person caught the swine flu.
Bulletins were sent to Alberta pork producers warning them of the possible danger that swine flu could present to their herds on April 24, said Gerald Hauer, the province's chief provincial veterinarian. But by that time, the farm worker was already back from Mexico and on the job at the 2,200-hog operation.
"He was in the barn, doing his work on April 14," Hauer said.
The farmer notified provincial officials that an unspecified number of his animals were showing flu symptoms on April 28. The barn was quarantined later that day and remains under quarantine.
No other area hog barn has been effected. The hogs, said Hauer, are on the mend.
Alberta agriculture minister George Groeneveld said the outbreak shouldn't affect Alberta's export markets.
"Border closures are certainly unwarranted," he said. "We'll see what transpires.
"(The Americans) at this point have no problems with the export of our pork."
Alberta farmers raise about 1.6 million hogs. They exported about 600,000 of them last year, for sales of about $50 million.
Still, Saturday's news was a chilling reminder of the 2003 BSE outbreak, which shut down exports of Canadian cattle for more than a year.
"Food safety is not an issue in this case so hopefully we'll deal with science here and not emotional issues," said Groeneveld.
The virus has shown no signs of mutation when passing from human to pig, Evans said.
"At this point in time, the issue of this being a human virus, having been introduced to the pigs, and the characterization of this virus, shows it is still that virus," he said.
"There's been no adaptation identified through the transfer from humans to pigs at this time."
The herd affected has been placed under quarantine. It's not yet known what will happen to the pigs.
It's common to see influenza in pigs and human transmission to pigs is known to occur, Evans said.
Normally detecting influenza in pigs would not generate a response from food safety officials, but with an international flu outbreak, the current circumstances are different, Evans told a news conference in Ottawa.
"The chance that these pigs could transfer virus to a person is remote," said Evans.
The swine H1N1 virus, a never-before-seen combination of swine, avian and human genes, is believed to have jumped to humans sometime back and has been passing person to person.
The World Health Organization has insisted there is no evidence that pigs are passing the virus to humans, or that eating pork products poses an infection risk.
Herman Simons, a spokesman for Alberta Pork, a producer's group, said the main worry is the possible effect of the discovery on exports.
"That's our big concern," Simons said. "The biggest concern is it may impact exports of live animals into the U.S."
In 2008, total Canadian pork exports were valued at $2.7 billion, including nearly $527 million worth of Canadian live swine exports.
In a statement, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said met with his American counterpart, who assured him the U.S. will not close its borders to Canadian pork exports.
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization dropped the term "swine flu" — a nickname that angered pork producers and led to a drop in pork sales — in favour of its scientific name: "H1N1 influenza A."
Meanwhile, Canada's swine flu caseload swelled Saturday to 85 cases as health officials confirmed a host of new cases in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Quebec.
Public health officials say Nova Scotia has 17 new cases of swine flu, as jurisdictions across Canada are starting to report the widening spread of the illness.
Meanwhile, seven new cases have been reported in Alberta, doubling that province's count to 15.
Two women, one man and a girl became Edmonton's first to come down with the disease. One woman and a boy were also diagnosed with swine flu in northern Alberta. Another woman in Calgary has also come down with the disease.