I don't think we need to panic over the swine flu, but I definitely think we need to be aware of it. The media over does stuff and they make it seem like we are all going to die tomorrow. Everyone just needs to be up to date with the information and be cautious. Try not to travel to Mexico and other poorer countries that have it spreading like crazy. My husbands manger went on vacation for 3 weeks to Argentina and some part of Mexico. He said he wasn't feeling 100% so he went to go see a doctor today. I'm not panicking but the minute he and I start feeling any type of sickness we are seeing a doctor. I am not going to mess around with this.

Just some random facts for you....


Did you know that 20,000 to 36,000 (depending on where you find your stats) people die every flu season in the Unites States alone? Flu season averages to about four months in length. Which means that every month of flu season, anywhere from 5,000 to 9,000 people die. Break that down even further and that makes an average of 166 to 300 deaths PER DAY.

So far, we've only experience about 55 deaths per day due to swine flu (which aren't all confirmed swine flu either, so the number could be less than that). NO WHERE NEAR the average number of daily deaths due to the typical influenza (55 per day [swine flu] versus a minimum of 166 per day [typical influenza]).

Is there a reason to be so much more concerned over the swine flu than over your typical yearly influenza bug? The numbers aren't even comparable yet.

And while it is tragic that a child has now fallen victim (it always is no matter what the situation), it still doesn't justify the widespread panic that is developing over this more so than your typical yearly influenza season.

Maybe it's just me, but until the numbers drastically EXCEED those of the typical influenza, I'm not going to get panicky over it. And even then I probably won't get panicky. I just don't see why such the crazy fright over a bug that has only caused a mere FRACTION of the deaths influenza causes in the same amount of time (yearly influenza, in three days, causes about 498 to 900 deaths). So thus far, swine flu has caused only 18 to 33 percent of the number of deaths influenza typically causes). So why are people so much more scared of it than they are of a regular influenza?

Well said.

Even in light of how many confirmed cases of swine flu there have been worldwide and how many worldwide deaths there have been because of swine flu, the statistics STILL are only a mere fraction of the contractions and deaths of the regular flu.

Just thought I'd toss that in there also in case someone had that sort of question to ask.

I agree with this. According to this, over 60,000 people a year die of pneumonia, in the US alone and it's not considered a pandemic, epidemic or anything other than a "serious illness."

Exactly, so why such a widespread near-panic over the swine flu? Is it just because people haven't heard about it or something? It STILL hasn't reached the proportions that typical influenza, or as you stated pneumonia, reaches every year, and yet people are getting to scared it's crazy.

amen!

Pneuomonia is a mode of disease, rather than a specific virus/bacteria. Swine flu is a particular virus. So you can't really compare them. Pneumonia can be caused by various bacteria or by viruses (including the flu). You can't consider a mode of disease a pandemic.

I think we need to patrol our borders a little more right now. If people don't think we need to then they deserve to get sick because they are just asking to get infected by people who are infected. This may not be the most serious thing but it is passing to other people and it will. I don't want infected people who shouldn't be in our country. Close the borders or maybe actually patrol is better then we have. I think it should be mandatory for people to check themselves in a hospital after they traveled outside the country too. Our standards of sanitary is different from other countries.

I'm sorry if I offend you, but saying that people who travel to other countries should check themselves into a hospital has got to be one of the most ignorant statements I have heard today (and I hear quite a few, actually!). Do you have any idea of what that would do to the global economy? For starters, tourism to and from the United States would suffer greatly, since nobody would want to come to the country and spend money here when the government is going to check them into a hospital upon their arrival. I'm not even going to touch the issue of international trade, but let's just say that even countries like China, with its non-democratic government practices, has resorted to electronic scanners in order to avoid pandemics instead of putting travelers in quarantine.

Sorry if you feel that way, but it is needed. Why risk the possibility of spreading it if we can control it in some way? I think your statement is ignorant if you ask me. Sorry that I care about the other people and our safety. Tough, if people don't like it then let them think that way. What needs to be considered is the safety of others who are not in contact with it.

The media is making a fuss. The world is overpopulated anyway. Let it spread and kill some of us off. But... it won't. More common prevailing diseases kill everyday but no one makes a news story about it. I living in a first world country helps take the edge off.

that was supposed to be "I guess*..."

My son stayed at home sick today, and I have had several people to tell me to watch out that he may have the swine flu. Do you know how sick I am of that? Panic. Panic. Panic. People!! Get a freaking grip!

Kevin's life is so hard

TOTALLY off topic here, but I had to tell you An Unfinished Lady, that your eyes (from what I can see in that picture) are VERY alluring.

LOL, too bad the rest of me isn't!

Show them the statistics I posted, then ask them if you should keep your son home from school every day between November and April, because he's got more of a risk of contracting and dying from your typical human influenza than he does swine flu.

Know why PMS is called PMS?



Because Mad Cow Disease and Swine Flu were already taken!


Waka waka waka....

hahaha!

LMBO! Nice.

Pretty much everyone that has this Swine Flu was in Mexico. Basically, those damn mexicans did it again. haha jk. That was really racist... =/
But anyways, it really isn't spreading too fast if most cases are in Cali, Texas, and NY.
I'm trying not to worry about it too much, because if I do, then I'll put the symptoms into my head and think I have it, when it's just my mind playing tricks.. ya know?

My school system back home is going to be closed the rest of the week...there are 2 probable cases in my hometown. :( they are both six year olds that have NOT been out of the country but they are still trying to find out for sure if they have it. :(

It's getting closer and closer :-/. I read about the two 6 year olds (I didn't know thats where you were from though!), as well as one confirmed in LaGrange, GA, two in Hamilton County, TN, and one in Nashville, TN. All hitting pretty darn close to home, if you ask me.

Yeah, I grew up in a little north of where I am. Wanted to get away for college :-P
I just read a third case was found in Montgomery. Oy. :-S