Swine Flu Health Emergency - Will it affect your behavior?

[Keim]

I checked no. However, I am coordinating an international conference that will bring 1200 people to my town. Attendees will be from all over the world. It is something we are discussing at that level.

 

[Moscyn]

I chose "No" because after living through SARS in Hong Kong, I had some adopted some habits which I just continued to practise like avoiding crowds if I can, wash my hands, cook food throughly, stand far far away from people who do not cover their mouths when coughing, stay away from office when I am sick,etc etc. There were some scary moments during SARS in Hong Kong for e.g. the evacuation of 2 buildings because tenants in the flats had died. Also, a few medical staff died attending to patients. I hope the swine flu won't get so bad and can be contained.

 

[HFWR]

I haven't changed a thing...

 

[jambo101]

At this point its just media hype as 30k+ people generally die every year from flu related illnesses, When the death toll starts hitting 100+ per day it might be in ones best interest to start taking precautions but even then it falls short of the number of people who die in car crashes every day and no one seems to worry about that.

 

[Keim]

Jambo101:

Neither of your comparisons hold water. Of course both currently kill more yearly than swine flu. The worry with swine flu is 1. its apparent transmittability. If it transmits as easily as feared, it will grow exponentially. 2. The fact that the infected won't show signs for several days, during which time they are spreading the flu to others. Therein lies the fear. The items you compare it against don't grow exponentially. They are a more or less static number.

 

[Zathras]

Jambo101:

Or to continue on Keim's comment, it is relatively simple to take precautions now and most likely those precautions will do more good the earlier they are taken.
Yes, it may be a false alarm, but if it isn't the downside is huge.

 

[Bestwifeever]

DS is flying to Mexico this Friday for a wedding near Cancun. Hope the resorts are taking this seriously.

 

[Robert the Red]

I figure that by the end of May we'll be fighting swine flu zombies in the streets. Fortunately, we've got plenty of old LPs with which to defend ourselves. So we don't need to change anything to get ready.

 

[bbbamI]

Chicken pox, swine flu, bird flu, mad cow disease.......they're all out to get us! Perhaps I should become a vegetarian.....

 

[Rustic23]

Zathras,
Why would we suspect, just because the party in power said something like "Never let a good crisis pass you buy" And, just to show you I don't blame the current leaders of government, the past leaders did the same!

 

[steve88]

I went in chase bank today with my mask on. 2 security guards lock the doors and a patrol unit showed up. I had a black jacket on. every teller was staring at me to see what my first word would come out of my mouth. To make it more interesting I reached in the back waist and the secrity guard hand were now on their guns.

 

[Zoocat]

Did we mention that Maui has one of the state's largest populations of Latin American immigrants?

Did we mention that Hawaii has the nation's highest rates of hepatitis, tuberculosis, dengue fever, and West Nile virus?

Gee, thanks, Nords, for pointing that out while I'm dreaming fervently of my tropical reprieve from snowy colorado. (Three snows in the past 30 days.) Are you Hawaii residents trying to dissuade tourists these days? In any case, with respect to your warning I won't be kissing any Hawaiians while on Maui.

 

[LOL!]

I'm more curious about the folks who recovered from this flu. There must be hundreds of them in Mexico. The last time I had the flu, I was in bed for a full week. I imagine that if I get it, I will be in bed for a full week again. I guess I don't see a reason to go to a doctor unless I start coughing up blood.

I've taken Tamiflu before, but I found it absolutely useless ... probably because you need to start taking it before you get sick. And it makes you puke. So if you take it after you get the flu, it does you no good whatsoever. But it was also reported a while ago that most current flu viruses are resistant to these influenza neuraminidase inhibitors now.

Anyways, any stories on how long it takes to recover from this virus?

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidance_homecare.htm

 

[tmm99]

I went in chase bank today with my mask on. 2 security guards lock the doors and a patrol unit showed up. I had a black jacket on. every teller was staring at me to see what my first word would come out of my mouth. To make it more interesting I reached in the back waist and the secrity guard hand were now on their guns.

Steve, are you serious? Where are you at? NYC??

 

[tmm99]

One of the reasons medical experts are nervous about the swine flu outbreak is that many of the people who have died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy.

That's kind of scary.

 

[Zathras]

Zathras,
Why would we suspect, just because the party in power said something like "Never let a good crisis pass you buy" And, just to show you I don't blame the current leaders of government, the past leaders did the same!

Yes, obviously it is a plot to cause everyone to cough into their sleeves and buy more dial soap
And yes, an INDIVIDUAL that is a member of the democratic party made that statement, and most likely cost himself the next election.
And yes, lots of politicians in both parties were probably thinking the same thing every time a crisis comes around, just few are stupid enough to say it.

Refusing to take simple, yet effective precautions seems to me to be similar to standing outside when a tornado sirens are sounding. The government controls those sirens, it must be untrue that there is really any danger??

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I am washing my hands more, keep hand sanitizer in the car also. Have beefed up my diet with extra vitamins and I am rethinking my vacation plans which involved foreign air travel. I think I might take a car trip instead. I am also trying to get more sleep and I am staying away from crowded venues where food sanitation might be less than optimal.

 

[simple girl]

Well, looks like the cruise lines are taking this seriously.

Swine Flu Update: Mexico Cruise Itinerary Changes - Various

Our cruise in less than 3 wks is supposed to stop in Cozumel and Progresso. Looks like now it will go Key West plus add a sea day. The changes are effective for current cruises and those departing 4/30 - 5/4/09.

I've never been to Key West, and love sea days, so I'm fine if it changes for us, and I'm happy they are taking the risk seriously. We are also able to reschedule if we like.

 

[Nords]

Are you Hawaii residents trying to dissuade tourists these days?

Actually the visitor numbers are even worse than they were the month after 9/11. Last November's visitor drop was the worst since Hawaii started keeping records-- in 1927. Waikiki is so quiet that even a few locals have been observed patronizing the local busineses. Bargains & discounts abound. So, no, c'mon over and jumpstart our local economy!

In any case, with respect to your warning I won't be kissing any Hawaiians while on Maui.

Yeah, sure, that's what they all say when they're getting off the plane, but then...

 

[steve88]

Steve, are you serious? Where are you at? NYC??

i am serious. i had a good laugh

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I am doing nothing now and don't plan to change. I ain't going to Mexico this week, but then I wasn't planning to.

I won't be going to crowded places, though. I already wash my hands like crazy.

 

[FinallyRetired]

i am serious. i had a good laugh

I thought you had made a funny joke. But if you were serious, wow, that's really funny... and a bit scary.

 

[HFWR]

Swine flu and the internets...

xkcd - A Webcomic - Swine Flu

 

[ziggy29]

I wonder if the cruise company will modify these cruises--either stop at more remote locations (some of those little private islands that dot the Caribbean) or maybe just delay these cruises for a few months. Do those trip insurance policies pay off in the event of pandemic?

It now appears that at least some of the cruise lines are now going to skip the Mexican part of their itinerary for at least the rest of the spring cruising season. These will be replaced with other ports of call or an extra day at sea depending on the cruise line and the specific itinerary.

In such a case, currently ticketed passengers may be allowed to change their travel date without penalty.

 

[TromboneAl]

In case you missed this in another thread, it's important that you all know the symptoms of the swine flu:

1. Headache
2. Cough
3. An irresistible urge to make love in the mud.

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I remember hearing that joke in the 70s when the last swine flu came around.

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I seem to remember that some flus, perhaps like this one, are more deadly to younger people, but I don't remember why.