Stop the flu misinformation! Loosen your TFH's!

BTW, here's a good reliable site I frequently lurk at. It is mostly emergency medical personnel and Doctors Without Borders. Information is being posted there almost in real time.
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/index.php

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"Challenges are what make life interesting -- overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

If that's directed at me, in no way did I say people shouldn't be prepared. This *could* turn out to be a bad pandemic, and I think everyone should be prepared for that possibility.

But I do see people panicking and I see the media milking the story for all it's worth.

A panicked public will help nobody.

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It's comforting to know that a friend of mine is now recovering from it. She caught it in Louisiana a couple days ago. They are treating it with natural methods, using garlic and oregano oil. She's improving and feeling much better today.

It hit her hard and fast on the trip home. She laid down in the back seat for the last 100 miles. By the time they got home she had a very high fever. She's not in the age group it's worst for, but not far past 45.

Now I know who I'll call if I get sick...

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Was it truly swine flu, Spinner? Did she require any medical attention?

Oh no, Ladycat, that was not direct at you at all. It was directed at I'm so very sorry! I was speaking to RiverPines. I just felt his post was on the disrespectful side of belittling those who are concerned and prepping.

But I do have to say I just don't see anyone panicking; especially on this site or any other site I've been on the last couple of days. I see people getting prepared, waiting and watching; but I don't see panic. Maybe I have different sense of what panic is.

Panic to me is when you start running around doing ridiculous things because you can't think what to do or how to prepare for the coming infringement. Like everyone running out at once to the grocery store for things they don't even use or need; rioting and looting; loading up the car and heading to the hills; etc.

As far as the media goes, this is HUGE news; so of course they're going to get the most bang for the buck. That's their job anymore.

Anyone here old enough to remember when the 'news' reports were the facts and only the facts? They would fire someone for sensationalizing the facts. But today, there's just so much information out there that in order to have people tune you in; you have to be the most interesting. Sometimes I long for the good 'ole days when the general public didn't know anything..LOL.

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"Challenges are what make life interesting -- overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

I forgot to mention that the 1918 Spanish flu death rate was 2.5%; this strain so far has a 7% rate.

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"Challenges are what make life interesting -- overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

GC?!? Thank you! Better said than I could have but sure wanted to.

You brought u some very good points, not being flu season was one of the first tings that hit me.

What was the time frame for this being figured out in Mexico? Anything on the testing done in NY?

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And now Kansas.

Kansas was an oddball for me. I couldn't figure out why Kansas. It's not the border, and I don't know that there's a large portion of the Kansas population who vacations in Mexico.

One thing Kansas does have though is commercial agriculture. And where there's commercial agriculture in the United States ... there's Mexicans.

The 2.5% for the 1918 pandemic is on the low side of the estimates. It ranged up to 5% with an estimated one half the world's population being infected at the high point. Places like China and India were the hardest hit mostly due to the overcrowding.

Does America of 2009 look anything remotely like 1918? I'd say not. We're far more mobile and numerous. A disease won't be confined to the backwaters of the rural heartland, but rather will jump whole states at a time, much like we're seeing now.

Seems odd to me too, Ernie. Of course, with international travel being so prevalent, it could even be a flight attendant, businessman. Even a migrant worker coming back for planting season after visiting his family. But, in past epidemics/pandemics they begin somewhere and spread from there.

The odd thing is this sprain only has less than a 48 hr. incubation period and then hits very suddenly with a vengeance. It isn't like people have time to travel, come home, go about their daily business, etc. -- and then find out their sick. You have sympthoms within 24 hrs. of contact.

During a CDC briefing, they confirmed that information that one of the school children had been to Mexico in the past week, was not correct. They have no idea yet how it got there.

One of the things that WHO and the CDC is looking into is whether Mexico City is actually 2 separate viruses of the same strain. One that strikes more like the regular flu (like what we're seeing in the US) and then the next strain hits while you're in a weakened condition.

Although it's concerning, it's kind of interesting at the same time. This virus is certainly unlike anything we've seen before.

I'm really looking forward to Pony's post when she finds her notes on virus as to why this could be something man-made rather than a natural occurrence.

Virus are pretty fascinating critters. It's amazing how intelligent they are and how they adapt/mutate when they are threatened. They actually communicate.

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"Challenges are what make life interesting -- overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

Some mighty good links:

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=flu+virus+swap+genes&btnG=Google+Search&aq=o&oq=

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Man, I spend a couple of days at a church conference & come home to this!

And the main speaker was coughing quite a bit. Did he infect us all?

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God bless,
Bonnie
Opportunity Farm
Northeast Washington

"While we have the opportunity, let us do good to all." Galatians 6:10

I didn't see this post as disrespectful, just a different opinion and part of what keeps things in balance on this forum. This isn't general chat and I hope we can still express opposing opinions without upsetting others...at least we've been able to up til this point. I'm one of those preppers and I didn't get the least bit offended by this post.

Don't forget spring break is recently over for many colleges and students travel widely.

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Mess with me? I may let karma take care of it. Mess with my family? I become Karma.

Now it's in New Zealand of all places. Students who had been in Mexico.

The husband in the Kansas couple had attended a business meeting in Mexico. He upon his return he infected his wife. Pretty good catch by his doctor in Kansas!

just FYI. I work in the County in Texas (Guadalupe) where they closed the high school this week due to 3 teens coming down with the swine flu. 2 of the students knew each other and hung out... but the third didn't, the only connections is they all went to the same high school, and it's a big school. I go into that school at least once a week with my job.... the town is just barely north of san antonio

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I wasn't raised on Country Sunshine... But I got here as Quick as I Could!!!

Remember the Hong Kong flu in 1972? It killed my mom at age 35. Flu is nothing to mess with. We will go to church today but otherwise avoid groups until we know how this will play out.

Kansas has a substantial Hispanic population working in many occupations. It is not uncommon for Hispanic families to travel to Mexico to visit family members still residing in Mexico.

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Faye Farms Website
Faye Farms Soap

Well I know what I'll be doing a while, avoiding a couple friends of mine. The one works at a hospital so most likely he would be exposed first. My other friend's girl friend works at a day care. Seems she is always getting sick with something, brings it home, and gets my friend sick and then me. Every time they are sick I'll get sick with in a day or two. Heck right now I am recovering from the last duesy from them.

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