Influenza

[bluepinecones]

Looks like that flu bug has reached north Alabama. Two children from same school; both have been treated and are reported to be doing well. The school they attended has been closed for at least 10 days while it is disinfected. As a precaution, the State Health Department has closed all other public and private school and daycare facilities in the city and throughout the county until Monday.
None of this was on the local evening news but all over the 10:00PM broadcast so assume the cases were just confirmed late today.

[Liz]

I'll take all the recommended hand-washing precautions and avoiding large crowds, but will not change travel plans.

[Bethers]

Same as Liz. The reason (the main reason) this flu is so dangerous is that there is NOT a vaccine for it yet. There's a new strain of flu every year without a vaccine - they always hope that it won't catch on. As to who said this one is affecting the middle people - wrong - it is still the babies and elderly who are most susceptible (to death anyway). And, the precautions are to do what you should always be doing - washing hands, taking care of yourself, etc. The only confirmed case in TX that I can find is of a child who was visiting from MX. Many of the cases being reported (according to the CDC) are not confirmed as swine flu, and many of them have not been swine flu.

No, that doesn't mean not to be cautious, but just remember, our media sure does know how to scare us. I figure I'm going to die of something someday - hopefully this won't be the cause of it - but I'll just take my chances (while following precautions and enjoying my life.)

[WickedLady]

Over 30,000 people die from the flu each year. This one is bad enough to scare governments around the world but seems to be mutating into a milder form than what has been in Mexico. Take precautions but don't panic.

[Getupngo]

Closed all the schools in one district today -- three potential cases -- two traveled
to Mexico and the third child was infected here. Then, two more schools in
Salt Lake City decided to shut down for a few days. We have a combined
six potential cases statewide. Waiting for the CDC to weigh in.

Y'know, it seems milder right now ... but I tend to take the World Health Organization
at its word. Officials don't know how the bug spreads. It's good that we are at the
end of the flu season ... so this should die down pretty soon. But next fall, it could
come back with a vengeance. The 1918 pandemic went on, I think, for three flu
seasons.

'Scuse me, I'm going to go wash my hands.

[Echo]

Well we got an email from a friend in ME who says that they have closed Kennebunk Elementary School because of Swine Flu.

Sometimes being such a mobile nation is not a good thing.

[retiredhappy]

I agree with Beth that we need not to panic. We have to remember that EVERY year a lot of people die from flu not just the swine flu. We should ALWAYS be careful and wash hands, etc to keep from catching anything. EVERY year we have flu that there is no vacine for which why I don't get flu shots. The media always takes stories and pounds them into the ground. Be careful out there but don't panic.

[Pooker]

Sometimes I think the media loves to scare us. They are almost disappointed if they don't have more and more cases to report. If there turns out not to be a large epidemic they will be so upset! Let's report the opposite side and put this into proper perspective. This morning my local paper reported 16 confirmed cases of swine flu in California. Forty-three possible cases. In the WHOLE state right now. If we go with the 43 number - the city I live in has 300,000 people. Even if all 43 were in my city, it would be a pretty low percent of the population.

Remember all the flurry over bird flu? And hanta virus? Made us afraid to throw away a dead bird or sweep out a shed.

We can go on with our lives, wash our hands a bit more often, or we can go out and build a bomb shelter! (That's for those of us who remember the 50's and 60's cold war!)

[sharon]

Yeah Evie, I hear you! That's ok, tho, think we're supposed to get a small shower this w/e, so the media will forget the swine flu for a night and it'll be "Storm Watch 2009". Pretty typical of the news here.

[Bethers]

Well, if you want to go with the WHO - they are predicting - from 2 different sources doing the math - 1700 new cases of this flu in the next 4 weeks. And they are showing this flu to be milder than originally predicted. They are looking at buying time to get a vaccine.

The US is usually very lucky - EVERY YEAR there is a new flu that is not in the vaccine. Usually it doesn't make it to the US until the following year, when it IS in the vaccine. Then there are people like me who are allergic to the flu vaccines and can't take them - so every year I'm in the position those of you with the swine flu are - hoping to not catch it - and hoping if I do, that it be a mild case.

This scare reminds me of people who thought they couldn't allow someone with HIV to attend school (and many other illnesses) - when the only thing to keep from getting it - is to follow good hygeine - and teach it to the kids.

[Carolinagal]

I've been to busy last couple of weeks to realize how wide spread the Swine flu is getting. I'm a person who washes her hands constantly anyway, so hope it does the trick for me, as I am in the elderly area, kids and elderly, put me in either catagory. (Haven't learned yet to act my age)

Did anyone see on the news this morning, the most bacteria covered area , in our homes, is our keyboards to our computers, they're worse then the bathrooms. Ugh!! Seems they have new ones out you can just stick down in the hot water and clean them up. Mouse too. Think I'm going to just have to wash my hands after every use.

Thanks for the thread on this subject, wised me up (ok, teachers, sorry about my english) :lol

Take care, wash hands and travel safely,
Carol

[Cedar518]

Did anyone see on the news this morning, the most bacteria covered area , in our homes, is our keyboards to our computers, they're worse then the bathrooms. Ugh!!

That's why I wipe down all 15 computers I'm in charge of at the school,... keyboards, mice, and desk areas around the keyboards. usually I do it every few days unless we're seeing a lot of colds and coughs. I sit there at my desk and see those kids coughing,.... yukky. I also keep hand sanitizer on my desk and they are all free to help themselves.