Swine flu

[StephenH]

And we still have bees.................

And runaway global warming doesn't kill off the plague survivors...

[FionaH]

There's one pig of a girl working in one of our labs. Could she be the origin of swine flu?? Funny how some bright spark normally points the finger at some scientist or other, without actually knowing one end of a pipette from the other...

Don't you just love the media? They wonder why I don't buy papers!

So its all your fault then? Or Capsids?

[NOG]

On the Good news side if it does hit. It will ease Allotment waiting lists and conjestion on the roads.

[Alison]

No point what so ever worrying about it. If you worried about everything the press told you do then you'd be a nervous wreck. Hopefully nothing will come of it, but if it does then we'll deal with it then. There are people who know far more about this than any of us who work constantly to mitigate against emergencies like this and there's nothing really any of us can do that will help that so stop worrying and get digging / sowing / replanting / etc etc. Is much more fun and a better use of your energy.

[FionaH]

On the Good news side if it does hit. It will ease Allotment waiting lists and conjestion on the roads.

Love it Mr H just suggested walking round the allotments with a flock of sneezing pigs

No point what so ever worrying about it. If you worried about everything the press told you do then you'd be a nervous wreck. Hopefully nothing will come of it, but if it does then we'll deal with it then. There are people who know far more about this than any of us who work constantly to mitigate against emergencies like this and there's nothing really any of us can do that will help that so stop worrying and get digging / sowing / replanting / etc etc. Is much more fun and a better use of your energy.

Agreed, have planted up my toms and earthed up the spuds

[SlugLobber]

So its all your fault then? Or Capsids?

Oh no, I work in Cancer Research (Drug Discovery). Can't possibly be my fault. Besides, I've been washing me 'ands, see.

[jackie j]

I think this is all being blown way out of proportion. Yes people have died and more will probably do so but no more than with any other flu conditions. Yes we need to be more careful with hygene but shouldnt we be doing these things anyway. I blame the media for the way things are being reported.
So far most of the people who have this have just come back from Mexico or know someone who has. How any more things are not reported that are just, or more serious.

[FionaH]

Still more people dying of heart disease and cancer..............

[RedThorn]

just to put this in perspective for the time being.... how many people die on average per year from complications caused by the normal flu viruses making their round? I believe the figure is rather large...

btw I am enjoying the debate, find the subject fascinating! Cheers everyone.

[NOG]

Its hard to say..because its the over 65s and those with Diabeties and Asthma that get it and most die from the Pneumonia after getting flu.

But the world wide deaths from the last 3 pandemics were:

1918 40-100 Million Dead
1957 2 Million Dead
1968 1 Million Dead

Most of them were 16-45 age range.

[selfraising]

What I don't understand is why people in Mexico have died but those who have developed symptoms in other countries seem to be responding to treatment.

[Cloud]

I tried to ring the NHS helpline today to ask about swine flu but all I got was Crackling!

[Capsid]

What I don't understand is why people in Mexico have died but those who have developed symptoms in other countries seem to be responding to treatment.

No one knows the answer to that fundamental question at the moment.

[21again]

The alert rate has now been raised to 5.

A phase five alert is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent.

Swine Flu: Alert Level To Be Raised From Four To Five - The Second Highest Level, Sources Say | World News | Sky News

[jackie j]

I think it may depend if they are the pooer people of mexico and the imune system isnt upto anything as bad as this. we will find out soon unless its brushed under the carpet.