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| Admin |
So, swine flu, hype or apocalypse?
(Admin is of the view that millions of Britons will just get bad colds over the summer unless it mutates into something a lot more nasty.)
Admin
| 1 May 09, 11:11 AM littlenic 5 yrs |
I'm a fan of the "hype" theory... but I do wonder if that's because I personally haven't lived through a flu pandemic. All I've seen are a few health scares that came to naught (bird flu, SARS etc.) - so it's easy to assume this will be the same. Whereas if you look at history, there *have* been flu pandemics that have killed millions (we all know the one about Spanish flu killing more than WW1). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic I've never had flu - I'm sure it's pretty distressing (and as someone who lives alone I can imagine suffering that way would be pretty miserable). But really, there's no point panicking about this one anyway - it's not like there's anything you can do about it right now. I think they're waiting to hear today whether a fella in Scotland got it from the couple that had been to Mexico. That'll be an interesting sign - the fact it's started to pass around in this country rather than just infecting those who've caught it elsewhere. I want a poobadour! | |||
| 1 May 09, 11:56 AM x_Thunder_x UK(E), 9 yrs     |
There have been many times I've had a bad cold and thought I had flu until a few years ago when I caught flu and realised what a nasty little virus disease it actually is I'm pretty certain that many people having bad colds this summer will panic into thinking they have flu Yes the 1918 flu pandemic killed millions but I suspect that with increased awareness IF there were to be a spread of this virus then it will not be of apolyptic proportions. Of course flu of any sort affects the weakest more than the fit (i.e the elderly and the youngest) as far as I'm aware flu itself doesn't kill but reduces resistance to other disease and puts strains on an already frail body but living conditions in the UK are nowhere near those which existed in 1918 ^Thunder^ | |||
| 1 May 09, 11:59 AM Iphis_me UK(E), 4 yrs |
Hype. And tremendously convenient for distracting attention from the fact that the economy's in crisis. "That hurts......please don't stop!" | |||
| 1 May 09, 12:05 PM littlenic 5 yrs |
Not necessarily true - in the link I posted you'll see the 1918-1920 pandemic actually killed a disproportionate number of healthy young adults, the theory being that it caused an overreaction in the immune system. Hence those you'd normally think would be best off died in a far greater number than the young / old / weak, who already had weakened immune systems.
I want a poobadour! | |||
| 1 May 09, 12:27 PM x_Thunder_x UK(E), 9 yrs |
Hmmm interesting though the linked article goes on to say of swine flu "However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that symptoms reported from this strain so far are similar to those of normal seasonal flu, with the CDC stating that there is "insufficient information to date about clinical complications of this variant of swine-origin influenza A virus infection." ^Thunder^ Edited 1 May 09, 12:28 PM by x_Thunder_x | |||
| 1 May 09, 1:24 PM blacksheepboy UK(CR), 4 yrs |
Repent, ye sinners ... it could be the aporkalypse! Personally, I think most people will come to no ham. The thing is, this strain is H1N1, which isn't especially dangerous to most people. If it were bird flu (H5N1), then we should be worried. What's the point having cake, if you can't eat it? | |||
| 1 May 09, 1:36 PM JJBoy UK(SE), 11 yrs |
i think it is a ruse on behalf of New Labour to hide bad news, as is the New Labour announcement on the BBC last night that summer will be 'hot & dry'! and that we should all take a 'stay-cation'!! No doubt this is a part of some clear NL strategic thinking on how to stop the worldwide proliferation of swine flu? To staycate - a verb. vb has its derivation in 'vacant; empty; or hollow; examples; to; 'stop the proliferation of swine flu? - a vain hopeless, last minute political headline grabber, or; to-remedy-the-credit-crunch-and-win-back-new-labour -voters-by-getting-everyone-to-holiday-in-blackpool -and-cleethorpes-and-spend-huge-sums-on-roadfuel-an d-gamble-away-their-money-in-super-new-casinos-to-b olster-treasury-coffers. To staycate; a late hollow guesture of nothingness Aaagh; i feel so much better now; my head is no longer throbbing and my nostrils are cleared......
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| 1 May 09, 1:36 PM littlenic 5 yrs |
Yep, I'm sure we'd have heard more panic by now if it was out of the ordinary - I was just trying to balance the misconception that flu *always* attacks the weak more than the strong. I want a poobadour! | |||
| 1 May 09, 6:31 PM proccie UK(HP), 6 yrs  |
I am old enough to have had H1N1 in 1977/78 so I am quietly confident that I will be at least partially resistant. Unlike all the young-uns. proccie Zen S&M: The sound of one hand smacking. | |||
| 1 May 09, 6:47 PM merrynb99 UK(SL), 6 yrs |
I'm convinced it's hype, based on the "State of Fear" phenomenon ETA: Just to clarify, I'm not endorsing the book or the author's point of view on global warming, I'm just saying he has a point when it comes to scientists with vested interests who manipulate data and use the media to create a constant state of fear in the First World population.
Edited 1 May 09, 6:50 PM by merrynb99 |
