Swine Flu epidemic in Mexico (and possibly US)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RUN FOR COVER!!!!!! Now 41 people have it in the US. This is making the Ebola scare look like a picnic!! Level 4 alert level 4 alert!! Call out the national guard, declare marshal law, declare a curfew, where is my surgical mask?? Must remember to inhale exhale...

You are an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christ-- this DC pollen is kicking my ass. Strollers are yellow, cars are yellow and I feel like I've been run over by a bus for 3 weeks now. ,,,,if I were more of a hypochondriac I think I'd contracted swine flu already!

Wait and see. Flu epidemics every 20 years--- we are overdue. However, this could just fizzle out like the Asian bird flu a few years back---let's all hope that is the case. I am a microbiologist with alot of training in epidemiology and every textbook used the 1918 flu epidemic as an example. While we are better off medically/hygenically than in 1918--- we are sooooo much more global that it could really go like wildfire if it were the real deal.

Geez--- as freaky as I am I haven't even thought of stocking up on flu essentials. Some of you could make Woody Allen look sane. I am waiting to start seeing masks and gloves on the Metro this week.

So what is your take on the EU recommending no travel to the US today? Overreaction?

I think the EU is always looking to jump at the chance to isolate the US! Politics... add "nanny nanny boo boo" and stir.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend just returned back to DC from Mexico. She was vacationing on an island, far from mexico City. She says she has zero symptoms of sickness and "is totally fine". She wants to come by to visit me and I am seriously thinking I should hold off. I know i am being paranoid but i have 2 kids under 3 yrs...

Also, how long can she carry the flu (of any kind) before showing symptoms? In other words, could she be infected but not know it yet? could it be dormant for a few days?

It really blows my mind that people come here with questions like this - why on earth would you ask here and believe the scores of different answers you may get as opposed to looking at the WHO website, CDC website, a local news site that has a list of info that is correct. A little bit of research at a legit health site goes a long way and will prevent any misinformation.

Why do you have to be so MEAN about it? You just made me feel really shitty and stupid. Is this what you are like with your husband, your friends, colleagues, children? I pity them. You are a grouchy negative person!

I just looked at the CDC site. She could have NO SYMPTOMS for days. Please stay away. She is probably contagious. She should also do the right thing and stay low for a couple of days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RUN FOR COVER!!!!!! Now 41 people have it in the US. This is making the Ebola scare look like a picnic!! Level 4 alert level 4 alert!! Call out the national guard, declare marshal law, declare a curfew, where is my surgical mask?? Must remember to inhale exhale...

You are an idiot.

I agree with the PP.

Idiot previous poster, you have nothing to offer right now. Will you please start your own thread, called something like "Run for cover???"

You have no understanding of what is going on, and clearly you are not interested in learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this could be a big deal, except for the fact that so far no one who has gotten it in the US has been seriously sick. All the predictions about it spreading like wildfire could end up being correct, but if most of us get sick and then get well, what's the big deal? Did the people in Mexico who died not have access to Tamiflu? (FYI, I stocked up on essentials today, because like a PP said, what could it hurt?)

We are very fortunate that the cases in the US thus far appear to be mild. If that changes however, the fact that the virus is basically out of the gate is, well, a big problem.

In addition, not that many people in the US have yet been infected. Once more are, we'll have a better picture.

The big deal with lots of people getting sick is basically one of labor/workforce... can we keep things up and running if everyone is sick? Hospitals are already understaffed on a good day -- now add 40% of the workforce sick, plus increase in patients seeking treatment (remember, seasonal flu can stress the healthcare system all by itself...) and add some pregnant patients who need C-sections but 40% of the anethesiologists are ill -- stuff like that. Keeping the trucks running and the grocery stores open.

If it is truly a mild virus, those issues will be shortlived. SO we need to wait and see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RUN FOR COVER!!!!!! Now 41 people have it in the US. This is making the Ebola scare look like a picnic!! Level 4 alert level 4 alert!! Call out the national guard, declare marshal law, declare a curfew, where is my surgical mask?? Must remember to inhale exhale...

You are an idiot.

I agree with the PP.

Idiot previous poster, you have nothing to offer right now. Will you please start your own thread, called something like "Run for cover???"

You have no understanding of what is going on, and clearly you are not interested in learning.

Because this is much more fun. I also find it curious how anxious people become over such issues. Now there will be no anesthesiologist available for women having c-sections. We also have someone with peapod as their emergency plan. And anther person stockpiling pet food.

I am interested in learning, i look at the hysterical drudge report multiple times a day. I've learned that 41 people in the US are sick out of 300,000,000 and that none have died and only one required hospitalization. I've also learned that all of the panic is over hypothetical scenarios. I survived SARS, Y2K, and the west nile. I'm much more afraid to get on the beltway.

On a side note, I visited the pediatrician today because my son has allergies and there was a line out the door for people wanting flu tests for their kids. It would not surprise me if some of these posters were in the mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RUN FOR COVER!!!!!! Now 41 people have it in the US. This is making the Ebola scare look like a picnic!! Level 4 alert level 4 alert!! Call out the national guard, declare marshal law, declare a curfew, where is my surgical mask?? Must remember to inhale exhale...

You are an idiot.

I agree with the PP.

Idiot previous poster, you have nothing to offer right now. Will you please start your own thread, called something like "Run for cover???"

You have no understanding of what is going on, and clearly you are not interested in learning.

Because this is much more fun. I also find it curious how anxious people become over such issues. Now there will be no anesthesiologist available for women having c-sections. We also have someone with peapod as their emergency plan. And anther person stockpiling pet food.

I am interested in learning, i look at the hysterical drudge report multiple times a day. I've learned that 41 people in the US are sick out of 300,000,000 and that none have died and only one required hospitalization. I've also learned that all of the panic is over hypothetical scenarios. I survived SARS, Y2K, and the west nile. I'm much more afraid to get on the beltway.

On a side note, I visited the pediatrician today because my son has allergies and there was a line out the door for people wanting flu tests for their kids. It would not surprise me if some of these posters were in the mix.

You seem so pleased with yourself, but you just come off as an uninformed A$$.
Drudge report? Do you think that's where the WHO is getting the information that's making them nervous?

I take your point that getting into our cars is a greater risk than the swine flu (and I agree). Yet we take steps to mitigate the risk of driving: airbags, ever safer automobiles, child safety seats, defensive driving. At a point where the WHO has identified an increased pandemic risk, it seems like a no-brainer to take common-sense precautions.

[Anonymous]

PP I totally agree with you. I'm on fb and a few of my "friends" are poo poing the scare. They are actually making fun of it. I haven't read this thread, so I can't comment on those. Even though the odds are slim, we should all be mature and take healthy precautions. Wash our hands. If we have a cold, stay home and check in with your doctor.

Best of luck to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Let's just ignore the idiot. She's just posting here because she's itching for a fight and wants to start trouble.

I have a real question. Is there enough Tamiflu to treat the entire country? Is is prescription-only?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe I didn't even think about Billy Bob-we're definately going to need your help on this project-who's your agent?

If I had one, I definitely wouldn't be posting on DCUM!

Hey we're all fellow artists just trying to make it in this business. I'm an aspiring director who's been an actual waiter for 17 years.

[Anonymous]

Don't you all already wash your hands frequently and keep Motrin and Tylenol in the house? I thought everyone did this, or do we just hand wash when there is a flu scare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's just ignore the idiot. She's just posting here because she's itching for a fight and wants to start trouble.

I have a real question. Is there enough Tamiflu to treat the entire country? Is is prescription-only?

No, there isn't enough Tamiflu to treat all 300,000,000 people in the US. I think the Strategic National Stockpile has enough for something like about 10% though, which is a good start. States should have their own supply as well, and critical workers possibly have some set aside for them by their employers.

By controlling spread of the disease through things like social distancing, the spread of the virus can be slowed down to the point where not as many people are infected. Still if 40% of the counrty is infected, no there probably won't be enough Tamiflu for everyone. Howevere, if the disease is mild, most people will not need Tamiflu. It shoudl be reserved for those who have severe cases, or special health concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Because this is much more fun. I also find it curious how anxious people become over such issues. Now there will be no anesthesiologist available for women having c-sections. We also have someone with peapod as their emergency plan. And anther person stockpiling pet food.

The needs of pregnant women in a pandemic are unfortunately a concern. Fortunately there has been some good work done in this area. One plan I have heard of for a severe pandemic is to create a type of alternate care center near a hospital with special designated "flu free" doctors and staff to care for the pregnant women.

http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=816098

Hospitals may choose to continue providing labor and delivery services onsite during a pandemic. It is doubtful whether routine labor and delivery services can be maintained during a pandemic due to the anticipated decrease in available resources, including staff. However, labor and delivery services can be maintained onsite if plans are put in place before a pandemic occurs. Ideally, the entire labor-and-delivery area would be as physically isolated from areas housing isolated infected patients as possible. Within the labor-and-delivery area, designate isolation areas so that potentially infected women can be separated from noninfected women. Cohorting (placing multiple patients infected with the same illness in the same room) can be used to help maximize staff and space resources and decrease the risk of infection transmission. Effective triage and assessment are vital to identifying potentially infectious patients so that isolation and cohorting can be implemented.

See also here:

USAID: Pandemic Influenza and Pregnant Women, Children, and Health Services
http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADM022.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RUN FOR COVER!!!!!! Now 41 people have it in the US. This is making the Ebola scare look like a picnic!! Level 4 alert level 4 alert!! Call out the national guard, declare marshal law, declare a curfew, where is my surgical mask?? Must remember to inhale exhale...

immature and pathetic!

[Anonymous]

I saw a lady leaving the dog park wearing a mask today. The first thing I thought was she had some sort of terrible immune system problem or something. I had no idea until I saw a news blurb tonight that people are doing this because of the flu. Freaking hilarious.