Topic: Is anyone worried about swine flu?

[Justy]

I have to confess that I have a vague feeling of unease and worry niggling at me.  I am off to Florida in 11 weeks and am wondering if it is a good idea now.   :-\

[OllieC]

We're off to Chicago on Friday, me, wife, 2 young children. No, I'm not worried in the slightest. We were over there when SARS happened too... eat lots of oranges & brassica, you'll be fine.

[Digeroo]

They seem to be having less severe symptoms in the US.  News said people were just having flu symptoms.  Seems to be in Mexico that they are dieing from it.

I should not worry it will arrive here soon enough if it is coming.  


There is only enough anti flu for 50% of the population so the sooner you get ill the more likely you are to get the stuff.

[Duke Ellington]

Thanks for that Digeroo~ I feel much better now !!

Duke :-\

[lewic]

A tad. I don't think the papers would publish it if people started dropping dead here, as they are probably under orders not to start mass hysteria. It would probably rely on word of mouth and internet rumour.

[cocopops]

For a realistic view on the situation go onto the BBC2 website and listen again to the Jeremy Vine show for today. After the first song there is a really level headed doctor from Camb. Uni. who puts the whole thing into prospective.

Maybe the media has had too much grief for all their scaremongering, but it is worth listening to.

[Mr Smith]

Can't help but smell a rat, we here  there are signs of the recession easing which in my book is Bo-----s and then along comes mad swine disease also from the Americas, ;)

[Digeroo]

Seems that the advise from the EU is for Europeans only to visit Mexico or US if it is urgent.  Suggest you keep up to date with the advise from the Foreign Office.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country

[Justy]

thanks cocopops - that was very reassuring listening (well upto a point as my mum is diabetic and has emphysema). I think he made a good point when he said we don't know how many people in Mexico have actually had this flu so if it is thousands and thousands and 'only' 100 people have died then it is not really a deadly flu. We also forget that lots of people die every year in this country of 'normal' flu.

[OllieC]

Seems that the advise from the EU is for Europeans only to visit Mexico or US if it is urgent.  Suggest you keep up to date with the advise from the Foreign Office.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country

I can't see where it says this for the USA... can you point me in the right direction?

[Hosta]

Yes me !!

Two confirmed cases here, at my local hospital !!

With another 7 people showing symptoms YIKES

[cocopops]

thanks cocopops - that was very reassuring listening (well upto a point as my mum is diabetic and has emphysema). I think he made a good point when he said we don't know how many people in Mexico have actually had this flu so if it is thousands and thousands and 'only' 100 people have died then it is not really a deadly flu. We also forget that lots of people die every year in this country of 'normal' flu.

It is really worth listening to.  My nana died ten years ago from a flu empidemic in the UK.  Not heard of it?, not surprised, just killed older people in nursing homes etc.

I strongly advise anyone that is worried about this situation to listed to the Jeremy Vine show - fear and panic spreads faster than most virus'.

Cocopos

[caroline7758]

Yes me !!

Two confirmed cases here, at my local hospital !!

With another 7 people showing symptoms YIKES

Yes, but they are recovering well, not dying!

[Moonbeam65]

If the government is that worried about swine fever becoming a pandemic all they have to do is ban everyone from leaving this country to go to the ones that have it and to ban everyone from coming into this country from the country where the main source of the swine fever is .
Anyway there is a big swine problem in parliament so they should sort that out first.

[dtw]

Who's been that close to the swine to catch it?  :o

[DAVIESFOZZIE]

Be real about this the only people who have died of this are the unfortunate Mexicans who have no access tofirst class medical care. We in the more advanced in medical terms are in no danger than a severe cold. This is again the media looking for a story guided away from the credit crunch clearly pushed by the Government who will take the credit for nobody dying in the UK and USA.

[RobinOfTheHood]

Er, SARS and Bird Flu anyone?

Not worried in the slightest.

I suggest you all switch off your televisions.  :)

[Digeroo]

50 million people died in 1918.   

[Justy]

Lets not forget 8000 people died in the SARS outbreak.

I fully agree that the media are probably whipping up a storm in a teacup however there is nothing to stop the 1918 pandemic happening again.  With air transport allowing us to travel the world in a few hours viruses can spread much quicker than 100 years ago.  However medical science is much more advanced too with anti-viral drugs and antibiotics to treat secondary infections so I suppose there is more chance to get on top of these things before they become out of control (which is probably what happened with SARS).  Lets hope that the media coverage means that people will be more careful about hygiene.

[Justy]

This is the latest news from UN who have just upgraded the pandemic alert:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier warned that the virus "could cause a new influenza pandemic".
"It could be mild in its effect or potentially be severe," he said.
"We don't know yet which way it will go, but we are concerned that in Mexico most of those who died were young and healthy adults."

Just as it was in 1918.   :(