swine flu and travelling

dazzer68

dazzer68

New Member
dont want to get over hyped about this , but whats the chance of flights and holidays being cancelled due to the swine flu? im flying from uk to the usa, we have already been advised not to travel in the eu? will usa be next?only 19 days to go hope it doesnt all go wrong now....
 
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ClemsonTigger

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
tjkref418 said:
One of my primary concerns is that a lot has been made about the type of pesron who had been affected the most by the virus (particularly in Mexico). Most all reports are saying it affects "healty adults" with "good inmmune systems" as opposed to the normal flu targeting the very young and elderly the worst.

A couple of questions come to mind that I really don't have the answer to, and I am hoping some of you can help with (because I can't find the answers anywhere):

1. Isin't it usually other illness caused by a weakened immune system (and not the flu itself) that casues the most danger?

2. With so few confirmed deaths worldwide, is there a risk of falling into a small sample size issue and not having sufficent numbers to back up if the "healty adults being affected the most" claims are true?
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I think you are right with your confusion, resulting from a lot of poor reporting, and trying to make conclusions based on limited data.

Generally speaking, the very young and the elderly have significantly reduced immune system function. This not only makes them more suceptible to getting an infection/disease, but also getting a worse case with stronger symptoms and a greater chance for death. "Healthy" people still get the flu, and other diseases, their healthy immune system just helps for the symptoms to be less, duration shorter, and greater potential for recovery.

The sensationalistic news reporting was trying to infer that "healthy" people were dying at the same rate as those that are immunodeficient. You are correct, that there is not the information or numbers to make the conclusions they are making.

As to your question #1, there are diseases that attack the immune system (HIV, herpes) as there are physical deficiencies, diseases (leukemia) and some drug treatments (methotrexate, monoclonal antibodies like Enbrel and Remicade), chemotherapy and anti-rejection drugs like Orthoclone OKT3) all work by reducing or eliminating parts of the immune system or process. This is good in treating rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and transplant rejection, bad in fighting off other infections. HIV essentially destroys your immune system, so most of those infected develop secondary infections by agents that none of us would ever get sick from.
 
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skichriscross

skichriscross

New Member
2 days away...

I'm leaving for Disneyworld in 2 days so the stupid media better not be at fault for screwing up our vacation. I've heard rumors that Obama will be closing all public gatherings soon. I HOPE that this will not happen. Not this close...
 
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Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
skichriscross said:
I'm leaving for Disneyworld in 2 days so the stupid media better not be at fault for screwing up our vacation. I've heard rumors that Obama will be closing all public gatherings soon. I HOPE that this will not happen. Not this close...
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He will have one heck of a time doing this considering that it violates the first amendment. From a legal standpoint I believe that he would have to declare martial law to even begin doing this.
 
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MissM

MissM

Well-Known Member
In the news today:
As the World Health Organization raised its infectious disease alert level Wednesday and health officials confirmed the first death linked to swine flu inside U.S. borders, scientists studying the virus are coming to the consensus that this hybrid strain of influenza — at least in its current form — isn’t shaping up to be as fatal as the strains that caused some previous pandemics.


In fact, the current outbreak of the H1N1 virus, which emerged in San Diego and southern Mexico late last month, may not even do as much damage as the run-of-the-mill flu outbreaks that occur each winter without much fanfare.



-source
​
We all just need to calm down about this. It's seriously NOT the end of the world.
 
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M

MouseMadness

Well-Known Member
Erika said:
That definitely sounds made up to me.
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Yeah, I don't see it. I mean, not that money is more important than people's health, but given that, for the time being, this isn't seeming to be as dangerous as first feared, can you imagine what would happen to the economy if public places were just shut down til this goes away? :eek:
 
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F

fosse76

Well-Known Member
happymom52003 said:
You know, it is really easy for some of you who have not been directly affected by this to make fun of people who are concerned or worried. But I take offense to the sarcastic tone some of you have towards people who are concerned.

Would you like to know why? Well, I had to keep my son home from school today because he had fever and sore throat, etc. Was I worried? Not really, I figured it was a cold.

But guess what? I just got a message that his school is closing. Why? Because of several cases of flu that were reported today....and are in the process of being confirmed (or hopefully) unconfirmed as Swine flu. Seeing how I live in Texas in a city where there have already been confirmed cases, there is a pretty good chance these are going to turn up positive for swine flu.

And you know what else? One of these students has had direct contact with my child.

So while you all sit at your computers tomorrow making sarcastic remarks in this and other threads about swine flu, I will be taking my little guy in for a flu test, and praying that it is negative....especially since his younger sister is in a high risk category for the flu.

So give it a break, will you? People have every right to be worried about this. Stop making us feel like we are stupid for doing so.
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The "swine" flu isn't any more dangerous than the regular flu. Two of the four medications that work against the regular flu work against "swine" flu. This is just another flu. People shouldn't treat this any more differently than they treat the regular flu.

As for affecting healthy people more...that's a falsehood. Any flu could kill an otherwise healthy individual. It is BECAUSE they are healthy that they can be at risk. Healthier people are more likely to die from the flu because their bodies attack the virus with more cytokin than it needs, which ends up attacking the healthy organs as well. It could be any flu, not just the "swine" flu. Since the body isn't used to any illnesses, it overreacts...much like people are right now. SARS spread more rapidly than it should have because people were inadvertently exposing themselves to the virus by going to ERs where people who ACTUALLY had it were confined in a tight space. That is almost assuredly going to happen here. People are going to expose themselves to this virus by going to places where the virus may be lurking when they are otherwise healthy: the ER.

And it is already a pandemic. It only needs to be an infectious, contagious disease spread in two countries to be a pandemic. And the media and public are certainly overreacting. As I said above, it is the flu. No more or less dangerous than the "regular" flu.
 
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Tater48

Tater48

Well-Known Member
skichriscross said:
I'm leaving for Disneyworld in 2 days so the stupid media better not be at fault for screwing up our vacation. I've heard rumors that Obama will be closing all public gatherings soon. I HOPE that this will not happen. Not this close...
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And just where is he going to get the authority to do this and who is he going to get to enforce it?


I'm not scared of the swine flu, as I had a case of Disco Fever back in the late 70's and early 80's.
 
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C

coulty

Member
CheshireCatStef said:
I don't know, I know that stats of what you're saying and I agree it's true. However, my husband and my two sons had fevers of 103-105 plus coughing, vomiting, and "other stuff" for EIGHT days during there spring break 2 weeks ago, and I miraculously didn't catch it. Guess who in the house had gotten a flu shot this year? Guess who's getting one next year :)
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There is flu and there is MAN FLU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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CheshireCatStef

CheshireCatStef

Member
You know, we go to Disney every May and September, and I like the May trip so much more, because it seems that every September there is either a Hurricane heading for central Florida in the week before we leave OR heading for South Florida (where we live) in the week before we leave. May's trip is always so much less stressful for me. I never worry if we'll have to cancel for some stupid storm. NOW I have to worry about closings and travel restrictions and mass outbreaks of the pork flu. I think I like Sept. better now...:shrug:
 
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jmvd20

jmvd20

Well-Known Member
erstwo said:
jmvd20 - I would respectfully argue that while the strain of flu found in the US - to date - has been very mild indeed.......

The very reason that the "nerds" at the World Health Organization (and other places) are so concerned about this virus is that it is not just killing the very young and the very old (typical of most flu viruses). Instead, may of its' earliest victims were otherwise healthy young adults. The WHO doesn't freak out for no reason.

Remember the Avian Flu? While the WHO issued warnings about travel to Asia, they didn't ever issue a worldwide pandemic alert - which seems probable at this point for the Swine Flu. I tend to believe that the WHO knows better than to "cry wolf." If they say pandemic, they mean pandemic.

Just my 2 cents.

I'll get my popcorn now.......
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Actually according to the WHO this particular strain isn't really killing anyone at all. Of the few thousand confirmed cases only 10 fatalities are being linked to the "swine flu". The WHO is not freaking out, nor is the CDC, the only people "freaking out" are those that are convinced that this is the end.

I know they mean "pandemic" when they say "pandemic" - however, a "pandemic" does not mean millions of deaths as the media would like you and I to believe. In reality a "pandemic" can be very benign indeed - as is the case with this so called "swine flu".

Anyway, the true pandemic here is the needless slaughter of pigs and the effect that this nonsense is having on pig farmers due to the mass misconception that eating pork causes "swine flu".

I wonder, how many people have been killed in car accidents worldwide since I started typing this post... needless to say the number that have perished in car accidents in the past 10 minutes is greater than the entire event we have come to know as "swine flu"...
 
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ClemsonTigger

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
More stupidity...big swine flu scare at Philadelphia airport tonight...panic and talks of quarantine.......the lady had food poisoning! :brick:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/health&id=6792032

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - May 1, 2009 (WPVI) -- A 55-year-old woman was rushed to a nearby hospital after having flu like symptoms as her plane arrived at Philadelphia International Airport.
Containing the swine flu is a concern, especially for travelers flying in the confined spaces of airplanes, which explains the concern tonight when a 55-year-old woman fell ill on an incoming US Airways flight and was rushed to the hospital.
The woman was taken to Methodist Hospital with what were originally described as flu-like symptoms.
She was travelling on Flight 920 from Montego Bay when she became ill during the flight.
She was reported to be fine when she boarded the plane.
Homeland Security officials tell Action News that the woman was examined by a doctor from the CDC at the airport, who determined that she did not have the classic symptoms of swine flu, but rather was suffering from food poisoning.
Earlier this week another woman was taken to Methodist from another US airways flight. It was believed she too might be suffering from swine flu, but that was ruled out.
It is a sign of the times, as everyone remains on heightened alert about the potential spread of swine flu.
Again, this incident was food poisoning, not swine flu.
 
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