Swine flu

[Hilary B]

I gather (from friends on another forum) that the problem is a sort of over-reaction by a strong immune system, hence the fatalities among that portion of the population with strongest immune systems. My immune system is nothing special, so I reckon I am safe!

[StephenH]

Not being a cynic some of these press storys are generated from the power's that be to take the population's mind of more serious things that they want us to put into the back of our mind's....jacob

What would you say if you were being a cynic?

[di]

Sorry,but like most,all the hype winds me up!This morning there was a chap on the news talking about IF swine & avian flu mutated & were the strain that affected humans,then there'd be dire consequences...Yep...probably there would!!!...but could the same not be said about plenty of other stuff???
I hold the same view as Jacob...trying to worry us about this is diverting our attention from something else!
Although I'm the worlds worst worrier about little things,"the end is nigh" stuff really doesn't get to me...if it happens it happens...but having grown up with a mum that did worry incesantly(sc)about such things,I can totally understand that there's folks out there really panicking.
But then on the flipside...if we weren't given the info & there was a pandemic,we'd probably all be moaning that we weren't forewarned!

[bluemoon]

Well, I've lived through the press hysteria about Salmonella in eggs, 'Mad Cow Disease', SARS, Avian Influenza and nothing serious came of any of it (I admit small numbers were affected, I'm talking about the serious consequences the press were raving about) It sells papers and I do feel it's a convenient distraction. I know of at least one poultry keeper who went out of business during the AI scare and his business had nothing to do with poultry, but he lived and worked in a small village, everyone knew he kept chickens and avoided buying from him. He wasn't even a food retailer. I'm sure there has to be a way of providing us with the information without the media's usual over-the-top reactions.

[Hilary B]

Well, I've lived through the press hysteria about Salmonella in eggs, 'Mad Cow Disease', SARS, Avian Influenza and nothing serious came of any of it (I admit small numbers were affected, I'm talking about the serious consequences the press were raving about) It sells papers and I do feel it's a convenient distraction. I know of at least one poultry keeper who went out of business during the AI scare and his business had nothing to do with poultry, but he lived and worked in a small village, everyone knew he kept chickens and avoided buying from him. He wasn't even a food retailer. I'm sure there has to be a way of providing us with the information without the media's usual over-the-top reactions.

OTT reactions sell papers. The media aren't interested in moderation (or good taste).

[MrsC]

No, they didn't know about it, they hold the stocks of flu anti-virals all the time as they do here in France 'just in case' after all the hype about avian flu. They just don't want to be caught with anything like the pandemic of 1918/1919 so have the stocks ready and waiting.

I understand what you mean now Tony, thanks for clearing that up in my mind

[NOG]

No, they didn't know about it, they hold the stocks of flu anti-virals all the time as they do here in France 'just in case' after all the hype about avian flu. They just don't want to be caught with anything like the pandemic of 1918/1919 so have the stocks ready and waiting.

Actually they dont. They have contracts for a quantity of AV to be deliverted if needed.

The WHO is at Stage 3 of the pandemic plan. Stage 6 is where it all kicks off. But it needs to kick off so that they and identify the strain and start producing the AV.

There will only be enought for 1-4 of the population. A pandemic will list 18 months to two years and will have three rounds of infection so even if you get the AV on phase one it could mutate and you will not have full protection to phase two or three.

You are going to need than a spoonfull of nite nurse to sort it out.

[cwipnip]

Well, I've lived through the press hysteria about Salmonella in eggs, 'Mad Cow Disease', SARS, Avian Influenza and nothing serious came of any of it (I admit small numbers were affected,

the thing is about them were any of those disease passed on by human to human ?

[FionaH]

Actually they dont. They have contracts for a quantity of AV to be deliverted if needed.

The WHO is at Stage 3 of the pandemic plan. Stage 6 is where it all kicks off. But it needs to kick off so that they and identify the strain and start producing the AV.

There will only be enought for 1-4 of the population. A pandemic will list 18 months to two years and will have three rounds of infection so even if you get the AV on phase one it could mutate and you will not have full protection to phase two or three.

You are going to need than a spoonfull of nite nurse to sort it out.

Oh cheers! That makes me feel so much better!

[NOG]

Oh cheers! That makes me feel so much better!

Darling I wrote this a number of times, to make it less and less frigtening.

I will say it is scary and a big pandemic is expected. But a lot of work is being done in the background.

A lot of Work.

[FionaH]

Darling I wrote this a number of times, to make it less and less frigtening.

I will say it is scary and a big pandemic is expected. But a lot of work is being done in the background.

A lot of Work.

I would hate to see the scarey first draft! Things will be as they will be I guess. I am not going to change the course of a pandemic by worrying abut it, so I shant

Good to know the techy chaps have a handle on it though

[MrsC]

Actually they dont. They have contracts for a quantity of AV to be deliverted if needed.

The WHO is at Stage 3 of the pandemic plan. Stage 6 is where it all kicks off. But it needs to kick off so that they and identify the strain and start producing the AV.

There will only be enought for 1-4 of the population. A pandemic will list 18 months to two years and will have three rounds of infection so even if you get the AV on phase one it could mutate and you will not have full protection to phase two or three.

You are going to need than a spoonfull of nite nurse to sort it out.

Correct me if I'm being a bit dim but, my understanding is that, if they can identify 'swine flu' and tell you how it has come about and list 'people' who have got this type of flu, (acrording to the press!) then therefore they can produce an anti-viral to suit. Why does it need to progress to stage 6 before they can do this? According to the press, people already being injected to the h1, n1 virus or whatever they have called it are responding, so it doesn't make sense. If you go to the GP with an ulcerated hand, you don't wait 'til it's about to drop off before you do something do you?

[Capsid]

Correct me if I'm being a bit dim but, my understanding is that, if they can identify 'swine flu' and tell you how it has come about and list 'people' who have got this type of flu, (acrording to the press!) then therefore they can produce an anti-viral to suit. Why does it need to progress to stage 6 before they can do this? According to the press, people already being injected to the h1, n1 virus or whatever they have called it are responding, so it doesn't make sense. If you go to the GP with an ulcerated hand, you don't wait 'til it's about to drop off before you do something do you?

There are anti-virals that will work (such as Tamiflu) for all flu strains and this is what they are treating the infected people with. Perhaps you are confusing the anti-viral drugs with a vaccine which does need time to produce to match the flu strain specifically. Although this is a H1N1 strain it is different enough from the previous vaccine strains of H1N1 that a new vaccine will need to be produced.

[Jardiniere]

all i'm thinking is the plot line from "Survivors"...................

[MrsC]

There are anti-virals that will work (such as Tamiflu) for all flu strains and this is what they are treating the infected people with. Perhaps you are confusing the anti-viral drugs with a vaccine which does need time to produce to match the flu strain specifically. Although this is a H1N1 strain it is different enough from the previous vaccine strains of H1N1 that a new vaccine will need to be produced.

Hi Capsid, I understand the Tamiflu etc, 'will treat all flu strains' except this one? but what I don't understand is that if they have 'confirmed' cases of 'swine flu' then they can make vaccine, can't they? Yes, it will take time to make, but why does it have to go to level 6 as previously mentioned by another poster before doing anything?