Are you ready for pandemic flu?

[Guest]

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[TheTatiana]

Kay, that's true.  But also, Swine flu itself, or as the WHO is now calling it, novel influenza A(H1N1), is also of concern in its own right.  Half the fatalities so far are people who were previously healthy young people.  The other half are people with chronic diseases of some sort.  As the flu spreads to the developing world, into populations more vulnerable because of lack of health care facilities, chronic malnutrition, and chronic diseases of other sorts like malaria, etc. then it may be far more virulent than it has been so far in relatively developed countries.  Apparently its already having a more severe effect in Inuit populations, for instance.  Or it may mutate into a far more severe form, as the 1918 flu did. 

The interesting thing is that it's showing no trend toward slowing down, despite the fact that it's not even flu season in the northern hemisphere.  Also, many cases are not being reported.  In the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, emphasis is off of finding and reporting new cases, since that is so resource-intensive, and on to easing the impact of the virus as it disseminates through the population.  Because the disease so far is so mild, luckily our health care infrastructure hasn't been severely challenged.

I don't see the publicity as hype because nobody really knows what's going to happen, and we seriously need to get ready for the various possibilities.  It's better that people know up front, so they can prepare.  We in developed countries are so used to having some authority or infrastructure there to help us whenever we get into difficulties.  But flu pandemics have the potential to vastly overrun any infrastructure that exists, so that people will be essentially on their own for some time.  We've seen what can happen, for instance in New Orleans, when the infrastructure breaks down.  We just need to be ready to fend for ourselves for a few days or weeks.  There's good reason for warning people in advance, even though some will call it hype, since nothing terribly bad has happened yet.  If warned, a strong, self-reliant populace will do just fine.

[RichardF]

This Wikipedia article, 2009 flu pandemic, is tracking the progress of the current swine flu outbreak.

[karlynwagner]

If you are interested, I believe the Centers for Disease Control is an excellent website to follow the current flu situation.  Just follow the obvious links.  You can also sign up for the updates as they come out if that would interest you. 

http://www.cdc.gov/

If you live in California you sign up you can get weekly briefings.

cdbrief@cdph.ca.gov

To apply for e-mail distribution of CD Brief, send a request to [mailto:cdbrief@cdph.ca.gov]. Please give your name,
employer address, phone number and affiliation in detail. CD Brief is prepared by the Division of Communicable
Disease Control, California Department of Public Health.

If you have trouble getting what you want from either source and want more information you can PM me and I can send you WHO, CDC, and CDBriefs for a one time look or regularly if you desire.  We get each one regularly.  There is a lot of information but these sources probably provide the most accurate Flu information on line. 

[Wood Fairy Glenda]

Hi, Folks - 
     The last thing on earth that I, personally, want right now is more "information" about this flu.   If anyone ever hears that the Wood Fairy has died from the flu,  just consider this: dying as the result of a brief flu is so much more appealing to me than dying of many other old age diseases, that I'd consider it a blessing.  Granted, I have no particular desire to depart this wonderful world, but I really don't anticipate going out with a flash in the near future.  I'd rather not spend the rest of my life worrying about things that are extremely unlikely.
     Just my , Glenda

[Kay]

Glenda,
People born before 1957 seem to be less susceptible to the current swine flu. 

[Kay]

Kay, that's true.  But also, Swine flu itself, or as the WHO is now calling it, novel influenza A(H1N1), is also of concern in its own right. 

Of course, and one other concern, as it spreads around the globe, is that it may acquire resistance to Tamiflu and Relenza, the two drugs that are effective against it (to halt replication of the virus in the body) when taken in the early stages.  This could happen if it recombines with the seasonal flu, which is now largely resistant to Tamiflu and Relenza. 

That said, I don't plan to spend the rest of my life worrying about it either, because it could be cut short by the swine flu.

I'll never forget the 1957 Asian flu (it was a bird flu) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H2N2, though, because it was the worse flu I've ever had, by far, and it made me miserable (and I was just a kid)!

[RichardF]

People born before 1957 seem to be less susceptible to the current swine flu. 

[Canadian Here]

Ready or not, it's here!

Lorna (& "The Critters")

[Canadian Here]

Thankfully, I am in that group!

Lorna

[YowieFreak]

One of the comics in this morning's newspaper went something like this:

Person 1:  Over 5 million people die of malaria every year!

Person 2:  Ummmm   

Person 1:  53 people have died of swine flu!!

Person 2:  It's a pandemic!!!!!!!!!!