I've been hearing a lot about the Swine virus that has come up from Mexico and that 150 people have died from it. I was surprised by how the systems of it are much like the systems of a flu, but with all the media attention from it and all the warnings about it has been scaring a lot of people and making everyone nervous. I think that so far it has just been a major media scare. The ways that they said that you can do to smallen the odds of getting it are much like common sence. Just keeping a good hygene and covering your mouth when you cough are just the usual things that doctors and medical staff tell you to do to so you don't get sick. Its all about making sure you take more care of yourself and those around you. I do this on an everyday basis so I don't think people should be so scared and worried about the swine virus cause if everyone takes better care of themselves by washing their hands and making sure they cover their mouth everytime they cough. We don't have much to worry about.
The Swine Virus Scare
By tore09 - Posted on April 29th, 2009
I agree- the swine flu scare was manufactured by the corporate media in order to boost their ratings to increase ad revenue. Thousands of people die every year from the regular flu- you'd probably be more likely to die from that this year than swine flu.
Of course, it could have the potential to become a terrible pandemic, but as it is now, it's waaaay overblown by the media. And yea, basic personal hygiene stuff goes a long way in keeping you healthy.
I’m not at all comfortable that the name “swine flu” is adequately politically correct. It also does not seem to be correct from a taxology perspective either because I have repeatedly read that it is a new virus combined from bits and pieces or swine flu AND human flu and avian flu. I have not actually read of a single pig that has caught the N1H1 virus so to continue to call it the swine flu is an insult to and an unfair defamation of hogs everywhere.
Further, just think how your family would feel if you were Jewish, or Muslim, or even Hindu and you were sickened or died from the swine flu! It might keep you out of Paradise and it would certainly be a major family embarrassment which could even precipitate some honor killings of sick people who might otherwise recover. In Eqypt they have already reacted to the swine flu with a mass slaughter of every pig in the country., This pig holocaust which may be repeated in other parts of the Muslim world has to have the PETA crowd riled.
Historically, we have often named flu’s after their country of origin like the Hong Kong Flu or the Spanish Flu or the Taiwan Flu. But apparently in this modern politically correct day, Mexican Flu is not acceptable. Maybe people think it might be mistaken for some odd past tense version of the proper noun, Spanish Fly? The confusion might then cause it to be erroneously sought after like Viagra which would result in needless illnesses and perhaps deaths.
Somewhere I saw somebody propose that it be called the “Undocumented Flu”. “Undocumented” is pretty close to the height of politically correct terminology and most people understand it as code that translates loosely to Mexican anyway so I think I am pretty comfortable with that. And since it is a new flu that has never previously been documented, that also fits. And, there is a very good chance that it will be spread, if it has not already occurred, by undocumented immigrants.
In the best tradition of recognizing the multicultural sensibilities of our friends and neighbors across the globe, I think it should be re-named the Undocumented Flu.
First of all, it's 'symptoms', not 'systems'. And the symptoms are similar because this is a flu virus, just like the flu virus you get vaccines for every year. It's just a different strain, and has the potential to be much more potent than the regular flu.
I heard today (I work in a hospital) that people in their 20's and 30's are dying from this virus. Now, lots of people die every year from the regular flu, but those people are those that are elderly, young, or otherwise immunocompromised. People in the 20's and 30's usually recover just fine from the regular flu. So, if they're dying now, there's something to worry about, because it's just like the 1918 flu, one of the most deadly viruses we've seen (and the reason there's some worry about whether or not we should keep the virus itself around and who should have access to it).
You're right, the media may just be blowing it out of proportion. But better to freak out about it and prevent a pandemic than to let it go unchecked and have it spread like wildfire.
~C
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Actually the Swine Flu is not new to the United States. We had an outbreak in 1918 and 1976 in FT. Dix, New Jersey. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/05-0965.htm
I personally don't believe everything I read or hear in the media but I read on Prevention.com when I was checking my BMI that the US had an outbreak of the Swine Flu between December 2005-February 2009.
All this bullshit will die down in a few days and people will forget all about it.
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I have to disagree. The H1N1 virus is just as big as they are making it. My little sister is asthmatic (on the watch list), my step dad is diabetic (also on the watch list). Not only that but during the summer I help out as a camp that cares for thousands of diabetics, kids with asthma, kids with CF, and kids with cancer. Can you tell me that we don't need to be very pre-cautious in staying safe when all of these people are at high risk?