Swine Flu Pandemic Thread

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Pandemic II has made me learn that I should move to Madagascar in the event of a pandemic. It looks like a nice vacation too 😀

madagascar1.jpg
 
This is beginning to sound like a pandemic of media proportions.
 
Carboxide said:
From the WHO:

http://www.smh.com.au/world/only-7-swine-flu-deaths-not-152-says-who-20090429-aml1.html

Only 7 reported deaths as of today. Total. All in Mexico.
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All in in Mexico or FROM Mexico. I do not agree with labeling that child's death as the first US casualty. He came here with it darn it! Just praying dat noone else dies from Mr. H1N1..Damn viruses...like we don't have enough to worry about in this bad economy..

Anyone that sneeze in this household is getting Tamiflu...I can tell you dat!
 
So the front page of my newspaper today (The Seattle Times) had an article about some 5 year old boy being blamed as the start of the swine flu, which of course his mother sounds horrified over.

Some journalism. It's important for epidimeologists to figure out how diseases start, but we don't need the media blaming some kid for starting a pandemic, unless he's a child genius that made some bio-terror threat in his basement.

I really miss The Seattle PI!
 
Oh the irony... Roche stock tumbles as Avastin trial goes south then the Swine Flu increases Tamiflu distribution...

If I didn't know any better, I would say big pharmas have something to do with flu virus.
 
Carboxide said:
Actually, there are only 20 reported deaths in Mexico that are FOR SURE from the swine flu. I believe as of the other day there were 150 or so POSSIBLE deaths. While 20 people dying is a terrible thing, it's hardly cause for global concern. On top of this, NO ONE in the US or Canada has died or is in danger of dying. So maybe people are dying in Mexico because (although it's our neighbor) it's still a 3rd world country with 3rd world health care. On top of this, the flu responds readily to Tamiflu.

I really don't think this is a big deal.
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Re-read what I said. I never quoted any mortality/morbidity numbers.

Second, as you are not a health professional, your comments of "I really dont think this is a big deal" is naive as you have no background to make that statement. (Not a personal attack).

For example, find out how do you confirm a swine flu case? (What is the method, how long does it take for confirmation, how expensive is it?)

Second, find out the pharmacology of Tamiflu. (When is it best used? What does it do to the flu virus itself? What is the outcome versus side effects?).

Third, read up on the Flu virus and what makes it so dangerous. What are scientists most afraid of? Do humans have immunity to it? How infectious is it (days before onset of symptoms and after)?

Those are just the surface of the entire thing. You also got to worry about economic consequences, mutation of the virus, etc.
 
I'd like to say it's no big deal in the sense that the media is making it seem like we can't do anything against this new strain of the flu. The WHO and healthcare organizations around the world are quite on top of it. Hospitals and other institutions have been given warning and are in preparation just in case. This is not a sign of a pandemic as the media seems to want the public to think it is but rather a sign of good management.

Yes, the flu is deadly and contagious and every year, people die because it. All strains of the flu are a big deal but it's not as if no one is taking measures to learn more, prepare better, combat it as best as we can. I think that the situation is being handled well and the necessary steps are being taken well in advance.

Aside from being more cautious and definitely practicing good hygiene, what more can the public do? Generating public only congests the resources being allocated in the event of a really massive outbreak. Don't you agree that the more fear the media instills in the public, the greater the chances of widespread panic, and the greater the strain on the healthcare organizations?

I know I'm just a student and a pharmacy tech at best, but I think my opinion is not uninformed or naive.
 
1 case was reported on my campus today- the student has already recovered, which means they probably had it before all the publicity which means they probably didn't realize it was serious, which means they probably came to school in the beginning, which means there will probably be more on campus. w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l!
 
shelle said:
1 case was reported on my campus today- the student has already recovered, which means they probably had it before all the publicity which means they probably didn't realize it was serious, which means they probably came to school in the beginning, which means there will probably be more on campus. w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l!
Click to expand...

Tested/confirmed?
 
fhx06 said:
I'd like to say it's no big deal in the sense that the media is making it seem like we can't do anything against this new strain of the flu. The WHO and healthcare organizations around the world are quite on top of it. Hospitals and other institutions have been given warning and are in preparation just in case. This is not a sign of a pandemic as the media seems to want the public to think it is but rather a sign of good management.

Yes, the flu is deadly and contagious and every year, people die because it. All strains of the flu are a big deal but it's not as if no one is taking measures to learn more, prepare better, combat it as best as we can. I think that the situation is being handled well and the necessary steps are being taken well in advance.

Aside from being more cautious and definitely practicing good hygiene, what more can the public do? Generating public only congests the resources being allocated in the event of a really massive outbreak. Don't you agree that the more fear the media instills in the public, the greater the chances of widespread panic, and the greater the strain on the healthcare organizations?

I know I'm just a student and a pharmacy tech at best, but I think my opinion is not uninformed or naive.
Click to expand...

Nope. In fact it is a good thing that the public is well informed. A lot of uneducated parents do send their kids even if they are sick. People dont wash hands or cover their mouth when they cough.

The fear and widespread panic you speak of does not exist. Sure there might be a couple of hypochondriacs going into the ER, but if it isnt the flu, they will find something else to be worried about.
 
nlax30 said:
Tested/confirmed?
Click to expand...

Yes, tested/confirmed/cured

I probably should've included: we are about mmmm 2 miles away from St. Francis Prep- the "Epicenter of Swine Flu In NYC" as the wonderfully sensitive news stations have been referring to it. So, I would think that played a role in it reaching our campus.
 
lol...I'm sitting in my pharmacy...and right now the director has put all of our Tamiflu in the narc vault...totally inventoried...has to be signed out.

I guess the CDC called him and made him order more to cover the town should it reach us. Hahaha....wtf?
 
NormalSaline said:
Keep your visibility low with fever as your only symptom, while building up your resistances. The once it gets in everywhere....jack up the hemorrhage 😱
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Pandemic II is impossible to win 😡 Makes me think the swine flu won't win either. It's too visible, not spread by rodents or insects and needs more hemorrhaging, pulmonary edema, kidney failure and boils. Madagascar has probably already closed their port. 😡
 
We sold out of surgical masks yesterday. Ordered in 1 box of Tamiflu today.

I thought these we worn to prevent contaminating a sterile environment not to prevent infection. There must have been a picture of people wearing them while riding the subway in Mexico City on the news.
 
I don't think its so much about what the H1N1 illness currently is; its about what it has the potential to become and trying to avoid a worst case scenario.

Does the media engender fear? Yes, I'm sure it does. However, it is also a valuable tool to educate the public about what they should be doing. Probably more people are going to watch the Today show before they go to work than are going to look at the CDC website (although I'm sure that's getting plenty of hits right now as well).
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
lol...I'm sitting in my pharmacy...and right now the director has put all of our Tamiflu in the narc vault...totally inventoried...has to be signed out.

I guess the CDC called him and made him order more to cover the town should it reach us. Hahaha....wtf?
Click to expand...


Our Tamiflu supply is locked up in the narc room too.

From what I've observed, many of the first patients getting Tamiflu are actually MDs writing it for themselves and their family members.

Looks like some of them are stocking up...
 
The title of this thread is misleading, the swine flu oubreak is *not* a pandemic.

I don't share the alarmist paranoia that our media and uneducated politicians do with regards to swine flu. I believe in due diligence, preparedness, etc. But ignorance spreads like fire and flu outbreaks are notorious for following that path. First, it isn't a pandemic. Second, halting pork imports is absurd since it isn't transmitted through consumption.

WHO Pandemic Criteria
Emergence of a disease new to a population. (yep)
Agents infect humans, causing serious illness. (yep)
Agents spread easily and sustainably among humans. (not proven)

It's unlikely swine flu is sustainable and "easily" couldn't be more general, subjective and useless.

Let's check the CDC's definition (from their FAQ):
A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, begins to cause serious illness, and then spreads easily person-to-person worldwide.

Once again, it's unclear if "global" has been met, or that it spreads "easily from person to-person worldwide."

The spokeswoman for the CDC even stated on public radio that the only reason they raised the threat level was to gain access to federal and local government preparative resources.
 
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One of the workers at a hookah bar I go to got sick, so I'm pretty sure whatever he had has been transmitted to me because the workers "start" the hookah (extremely long inhalations to draw in the heat from the charcoal into the molasses/tobacco.)

Other than a little headache, I feel fine, not gonna go to the doctor for this ****, I'll let my battle hardened immune system take care of it.
 
Sparda29 said:
One of the workers at a hookah bar I go to got sick, so I'm pretty sure whatever he had has been transmitted to me because the workers "start" the hookah (extremely long inhalations to draw in the heat from the charcoal into the molasses/tobacco.)

Other than a little headache, I feel fine, not gonna go to the doctor for this ****, I'll let my battle hardened immune system take care of it.
Click to expand...

If you die from the swine flu, can I have your car?
 
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