Flu Watch

Swine Flu

Honestly don't know what to think. SARS, Bird Flu, haven't we been through the mass hysteria enough times? I don't know, and I don't know if this is any different, but I'm not taking any risk.

There was a swine flu scare back in the 70's. It was all gloom and doom and had everyone scared to death. Nothing happened, or at least, not much anyway. I know people that just returned from Mexico.....I'm a little concerned about being around them right now but I guess if they came to my door right now I would let them in.

now there seems to be 40 cases of this flu up from 20 from yesterday.

I'll offer a few links to help distinguish between the useless fearmongering that sadly counts as journalism nowadays and the valid concerns from health professionals:

Swine flu: a quick overview--and new New York and Kansas cases
Swine flu: What you need to know

And for the latest news and updates, keep an eye on Effect Measure. It's a blog written directly by public health administrators, scientists, and practitioners.

There certainly is cause for concern, which is why public health officials are taking it seriously, but the end of the world scenarios that have been all over the news the past few days are hilariously unwarranted. Last night's Daily Show had a wonderful roundup of clips, if anyone saw it.

Heretic wrote:

I'll offer a few links to help distinguish between the useless fearmongering that sadly counts as journalism nowadays and the valid concerns from health professionals:

Swine flu: a quick overview--and new New York and Kansas cases
Swine flu: What you need to know

And for the latest news and updates, keep an eye on Effect Measure. It's a blog written directly by public health administrators, scientists, and practitioners.

There certainly is cause for concern, which is why public health officials are taking it seriously, but the end of the world scenarios that have been all over the news the past few days are hilariously unwarranted. Last night's Daily Show had a wonderful roundup of clips, if anyone saw it.

Speaking of scenarios that are unwarranted, on another thread about swine flu, Mirage actually made the claim that the Democrats are to blame for this outbreak.

Mirage wrote:

If you really want to go there this thing in Mexico didn't even pop up until Obama and his super majorities in Congress were in power, so on this one in fairness it's all on the Dems.

I believe that risk assessment should be a required subject in every public school and that every elected official in this country should have to pass a risk assessment course. In spite of all the hysteria about swine flu in the media, the fact is that we are much more likely to meet our demise during our commute to work than as a result of the swine flu.

I wrote:

There certainly is cause for concern, which is why public health officials are taking it seriously, but the end of the world scenarios that have been all over the news the past few days are hilariously unwarranted. Last night's Daily Show had a wonderful roundup of clips, if anyone saw it.

Here's the link: Snoutbreak '09 - the Last 100 Days

sparks wrote:

I believe that risk assessment should be a required subject in every public school and that every elected official in this country should have to pass a risk assessment course.

It certainly couldn't hurt.

Heretic wrote:

There certainly is cause for concern, which is why public health officials are taking it seriously, but the end of the world scenarios that have been all over the news the past few days are hilariously unwarranted. Last night's Daily Show had a wonderful roundup of clips, if anyone saw it.

Here's the link: Snoutbreak '09 - the Last 100 Days

Thanks for the link. BTW - Did you happen to catch the story that broke yesterday which showed that one's political ideology determines how he/she perceives the Colbert Report?

Colbert Study: Conservatives Don't Know He's Joking

Since Colbert has been on the air for years, I found this story difficult to believe, but sure enough, I found a link to an abstract of the study, which was published in this month's issue ofThe International Journal of Press/Politics.

The Irony of Satire

That's awesome. :rolfcry:

Indiana now has a confirmed case of the swine flu, at Notre Dame. It was just on the news.

I hope they are able to contain it to Notre Dame.

As long as people can remember to use common sense, washing hands, coughing, &sneezing (preferrably in the "elbow area") or a tissue, at the very least, washing your hands after coughing or sneezing- that should help lessen spreading the virus around.