swine flu

[fivetails]

You're right, it does make much more sense to use a larger facility - and I just came from seeing a few photos on CNN that showed GUARDS standing outside the hospitals themselves in Mexico. :001_huh:

 

I'll have to google your Alex Jones fella - sounds like there might be some interesting reading there...

 

Wild theories are abounding on a few boards I've seen - there was one yesterday where someone said that this might have been intentionally released in retaliation for something that was sent overseas recently, something to do with the other kind of flu, the bird one... another that this was some sort of experiment gone awry...

 

I wonder if we have the same "martial law" sort of thing up here.. if our "they" could use something like that.... Ha, I can see it now, Canadian mounties politely rounding up sick people, apologizing and promising a stop at Tims along the way. ;)

 

You two want some conspiracy reading? Try Rense.com. Some of the stuff on there makes me scratch my head; some of it makes me want to direct the writers to the spell check and a crash grammar course - and some of it links to information released overseas that we don't necessarily get here. Interesting reading, at the very least, and some intriguing ideas for the novel I've always been meaning to write!

 

Thanks, I'll check it out. :)

 

*sidenote: frustrated with dh - he refuses to even discuss this, as he hasn't heard anyone else talking about it and thinks it's just some crazy thing I read "on the internet". :rolleyes:

[Highereducation]

Thanks, I'll check it out. :)

 

*sidenote: frustrated with dh - he refuses to even discuss this, as he hasn't heard anyone else talking about it and thinks it's just some crazy thing I read "on the internet". :rolleyes:

 

My dh is rolling his eyes at me a bit as well. I'm not panicked, I just want to get as much info as I can. There are currently five unconfirmed cases in my state, and they won't release the locations until they're confirmed.

[fivetails]

Thanks, I'll check it out. :)

 

*sidenote: frustrated with dh - he refuses to even discuss this, as he hasn't heard anyone else talking about it and thinks it's just some crazy thing I read "on the internet". :rolleyes:

 

My dh is rolling his eyes at me a bit as well. I'm not panicked, I just want to get as much info as I can. There are currently five unconfirmed cases in my state, and they won't release the locations until they're confirmed.

 

Yeah I'd like to be prepared - just kinda hard to do that when dh won't even give it the time of day. The kids and I are supposed to leave in three weeks for a flight across country and if this hasn't been nipped in the bud, I may refuse to take them because I do NOT want to be in airports and airplanes with people from who knows where carrying who knows what germs!

 

(Though I almost envy him. I dreamt about this last night, for crying out loud.)

[hillfarm]

Here's a link that gives specific preparedness information:

 

http://www.simplylivingsmart.com/community/sls-blogs/tags/915/

 

(my cousin's blog!:D)

[fivetails]

Sometimes I just don't understand how people *think* ....

 

A Canadian health agency is warning against travel to Mexico, where there's an outbreak of human swine flu, unless absolutely necessary.

The Public Health Agency of Canada issued the warning late Monday, saying travellers should postpone any non-essential travel to the country until further notice.

So, Public Health is advising AGAINST travel to Mexico unless it's *absolutely necessary* ...

 

Yet, this travel agency is "encouraging" people to go ahead with their plans. Makes perfect sense to me. :001_huh:

 

Kim Paterson, who works at the Travel Cuts located at the University of Calgary Student Centre, said she has fielded dozens of calls from students and parents worried about upcoming trips to Mexico, mainly graduation trips to all-inclusives in Cancun.

 

"We can't give them their money back," she said. Her office is encouraging travellers to Mexico to continue on with their plans but take the necessary precautions, especially if travelling to Mexico City

[fivetails]

Here's a link that gives specific preparedness information:

 

http://www.simplylivingsmart.com/community/sls-blogs/tags/915/

 

(my cousin's blog!:D)

 

Sounds like a smart, prepared family.:) I wish ours could be like that - but even just buying the things on her list would have dh throwing a fit since he thinks this is all stupid and something crazy I read online. (I'm HOPING someone at his workplace will mention it so he starts to think it might be a real potential threat. He'll never believe just me about it.) ... I can prolly sneak some of that onto a basic grocery list though... ;)

[Highereducation]

Here's a link that gives specific preparedness information:

 

http://www.simplylivingsmart.com/community/sls-blogs/tags/915/

 

(my cousin's blog!:D)

 

Thank you for that link!

 

Preparedness is not my strong suit, so it's good to have a list to work from.

[Twinmom]

I'm in NC now, but I heard that they just closed my neighborhood elementary school just north of Dallas, TX for 3 confirmed cases of the swine flu. Richardson, to be specific, in case you are wondering.

[fivetails]

It's hard to know what to think about the whole "boosting immune systems" stuff that some people are talking about - because the news reports are saying about how it's the HEALTHIER people (in Mexico) that have died from this when their immune systems went nuts and caused that 'storm' thing.. so it's almost like maybe NOT having the greatest immune system response could be better in the long run... which seems completely backward! :001_huh:

[wulfbourne]

It's hard to know what to think about the whole "boosting immune systems" stuff that some people are talking about - because the news reports are saying about how it's the HEALTHIER people (in Mexico) that have died from this when their immune systems went nuts and caused that 'storm' thing.. so it's almost like maybe NOT having the greatest immune system response could be better in the long run... which seems completely backward! :001_huh:

A good immune system and healthy, hygienic habits could help prevent you from getting sick in the first place though. It would be once you have the illness the cytokine storm would cause problems. I certainly wouldn't binge on sugar and become sleep deprived to lower my immune system purposefully.

http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2009/04/swine_flu_and_deaths_in_health.php

However, even if we do see an excess of deaths in that middle age group, there could be other reasons besides the "cytokine storm." Perhaps this group has exposures that have made them more likely to contract the virus than other age groups, so the greater number of deaths is simply a result of a greater number of exposed individuals. Perhaps they were less likely to have been vaccinated in recent years, meaning they had no cross-protective immunity. (This also is a big question mark, as we don't know, even in vaccinated individuals, that any immunity to human H1N1 viruses would confer any protection). Perhaps they've simply been more likely to be noticed in this outbreak, and thus their cases have received more attention and were more likely to have been worked up (as far as obtaining a culture, etc.) than those in the typical influenza risk groups. There are just too many unknowns right now to address these questions, but certainly they will be investigated as more surveillance data is collected.

 

Additionally, other clues may come from additional analyses of the virus itself. In H5N1 and the 1918 H1N1 strains, we know there are certain mutations in both of them that have been associated with increased virulence. When all the genes of the novel swine virus are sequenced, the presence or absence of these mutations can be determined, suggesting it may or may not be likely to induce the type of cytokine response that has been associated with the highly virulent strains. Expect an information overload when researchers have more of a chance to examine the virus itself in greater depth...

[fivetails]

I'm wondering how slow/fast the numbers actually get out, for cases.. seeing conflicting info around.. I recently joined twitter and just went through some "tweets" (right word?) and saw references to 23 cases in Scotland and 19 in Australia -- both are different (higher) #'s than I've seen on the news so far...

 

It makes sense, I suppose - it takes time for "official news" to get released by the "official person" to the "official station" yada yada... whereas people, regular people like you or I or any of us who might be right there, living down the road from the suddenly closed school or such, would hear it first and pass it on via social networking sort of things and whatnot...

 

*thoughtful*

[fivetails]

A good immune system and healthy, hygienic habits could help prevent you from getting sick in the first place though. It would be once you have the illness the cytokine storm would cause problems. I certainly wouldn't binge on sugar and become sleep deprived to lower my immune system purposefully.

http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2009/04/swine_flu_and_deaths_in_health.php

However, even if we do see an excess of deaths in that middle age group, there could be other reasons besides the "cytokine storm." Perhaps this group has exposures that have made them more likely to contract the virus than other age groups, so the greater number of deaths is simply a result of a greater number of exposed individuals. Perhaps they were less likely to have been vaccinated in recent years, meaning they had no cross-protective immunity. (This also is a big question mark, as we don't know, even in vaccinated individuals, that any immunity to human H1N1 viruses would confer any protection). Perhaps they've simply been more likely to be noticed in this outbreak, and thus their cases have received more attention and were more likely to have been worked up (as far as obtaining a culture, etc.) than those in the typical influenza risk groups. There are just too many unknowns right now to address these questions, but certainly they will be investigated as more surveillance data is collected.

 

Additionally, other clues may come from additional analyses of the virus itself. In H5N1 and the 1918 H1N1 strains, we know there are certain mutations in both of them that have been associated with increased virulence. When all the genes of the novel swine virus are sequenced, the presence or absence of these mutations can be determined, suggesting it may or may not be likely to induce the type of cytokine response that has been associated with the highly virulent strains. Expect an information overload when researchers have more of a chance to examine the virus itself in greater depth...

 

I'm already a sugar nut who doesn't sleep enough :tongue_smilie: .... thanks for the link, read through and am following some rabbit trails to other articles as well from there...

[fivetails]

am following some rabbit trails to other articles as well from there...

 

one of those rabbit trails led here where there's some different 'natural' alternatives listed, in two groups - and that "elderberry" stuff that was mentioned earlier is there in the "not" suggested group because although it's supposed to boost immunity, it *also* raises those cytokine things... there's stuff listed in the top part that is supposed to boost immunity but *lower* the potentially dangerous cytokine things... interesting. Garlic is at the top of the list and I do love my garlic.. now, if I can just hide the stinky stuff in everyone else's food. :tongue_smilie:

 

(is it just me, or does the term "cytokine storm" itself sound scary? The very words, I mean - even before you know what it means.)

[amyco]

My dh just sent me this link to a swine flu tracking map:

 

 

http://bit.ly/P2mcc

 

Hope that shows up...it's on google maps.

[Aubrey]

Thanks, I'll check it out. :)

 

*sidenote: frustrated with dh - he refuses to even discuss this, as he hasn't heard anyone else talking about it and thinks it's just some crazy thing I read "on the internet". :rolleyes:

 

I barely saw it as the headline on Yahoo when I went to check my mail (Sun night, maybe?). In my inbox was a note from a friend who does regional sales for a whole foods/vitamin type distributor. He was suggesting products to respond to this. (And he's a close enough friend that it wasn't a sales pitch, lol.)

 

I ignored that & came here, where the top thread was this one (the other day). So I felt rather bombarded by the sudden information (no tv). I'd have thought the same as your dh, probably, if it hadn't so inundated me. :001_huh:

[LNC]

one of those rabbit trails led here where there's some different 'natural' alternatives listed, in two groups - and that "elderberry" stuff that was mentioned earlier is there in the "not" suggested group because although it's supposed to boost immunity, it *also* raises those cytokine things... there's stuff listed in the top part that is supposed to boost immunity but *lower* the potentially dangerous cytokine things... interesting. Garlic is at the top of the list and I do love my garlic.. now, if I can just hide the stinky stuff in everyone else's food. :tongue_smilie:

 

(is it just me, or does the term "cytokine storm" itself sound scary? The very words, I mean - even before you know what it means.)

 

Wow thanks for that link with the medical journal reference to Sambucol. My order was placed on hold bc they sold out, and I went ahead and cancelled it. THANK YOU!!

[fivetails]

Thanks, I'll check it out. :)

 

*sidenote: frustrated with dh - he refuses to even discuss this, as he hasn't heard anyone else talking about it and thinks it's just some crazy thing I read "on the internet". :rolleyes:

 

I barely saw it as the headline on Yahoo when I went to check my mail (Sun night, maybe?). In my inbox was a note from a friend who does regional sales for a whole foods/vitamin type distributor. He was suggesting products to respond to this. (And he's a close enough friend that it wasn't a sales pitch, lol.)

 

I ignored that & came here, where the top thread was this one (the other day). So I felt rather bombarded by the sudden information (no tv). I'd have thought the same as your dh, probably, if it hadn't so inundated me. :001_huh:

 

Yeah, but now that you're aware - you're prolly thinking seriously about it, right? Unfortunately, I think my dh would have to see people keeling over right in front of him before he'd acknowledge that maybe his flighty wife whose socks never match and couldn't park the van straight if you paid her in gold plated whiskers actually was talking about something, y'know, real. ;)

 

(Don't get me wrong, I love the guy to bits and back again. :D He just drives me bonkers sometimes!)

[Impish]

I wasn't particularily nervous...until my 4 yo popped a fever of 103.5 last night, has vomited 4x, and the fever and vomiting persists this am :001_huh:

 

So, NOW I'm nervous, yup.

 

My health link says no biggie, take 'im to the dr if it keeps til tomorrow, or I can't keep him hydrated, take him to ER today.

[Jumping In Puddles]

See, I hear the talk of having "samples" taken from people with the flu - and I think Huh?

 

My 4yo dd went to the doctor in December because she didn't seem to be getting better from what the doctor said was a virus earlier in the week. He swabbed her nose (WOW, did she HATE that!!!) and it came back positive for influenza type A.

 

So, now you've at least heard of someone having it done. :D

[dani3boys]

My dh just sent me this link to a swine flu tracking map:

 

 

http://bit.ly/P2mcc

 

Hope that shows up...it's on google maps.

 

It's very interesting to see exactly where it is.

[LNC]

We have had very bad experiences with Influenza A in our family - and yes, we found out the diagnosis with nasal swabs. My now 7yo son had it when he was 3, and he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 4 months later. I had it 2 1/2 years ago, and I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (severe flare) 3 months later. My MRI's showed many older lesions, but we think the Type A flu kicked it into high gear and now I still walk w/ a cane two years later...

 

SO, I'm struggling with fear for my healthy daughter to get the swine flu or any flu. Even though it is supposedly "mild", I know what regular old Type A flu can do. Plus, I have two sons with serious lung issues and they would for sure be hospitalized with it. My husband and I are praying a lot, taking normal precautions but still very worried about this.

Edited April 28, 2009 by LNC

[Aubrey]

Yeah, but now that you're aware - you're prolly thinking seriously about it, right? Unfortunately, I think my dh would have to see people keeling over right in front of him before he'd acknowledge that maybe his flighty wife whose socks never match and couldn't park the van straight if you paid her in gold plated whiskers actually was talking about something, y'know, real. ;)

 

(Don't get me wrong, I love the guy to bits and back again. :D He just drives me bonkers sometimes!)

 

By contrast, I called my dh, who was out working, asked if he'd heard of it, read him some of the hilights of this thread, & he wanted to go straight out & buy face masks.

 

Which isn't necessarily wrong, but kind of freaks me out, kwim?

[wulfbourne]

I wasn't particularily nervous...until my 4 yo popped a fever of 103.5 last night, has vomited 4x, and the fever and vomiting persists this am :001_huh:

 

So, NOW I'm nervous, yup.

 

My health link says no biggie, take 'im to the dr if it keeps til tomorrow, or I can't keep him hydrated, take him to ER today.

Aww, I hope he feels better. A sick kid is horrible even when there isn't 'pandemic potential' being blared by the media.

[FO4UR]

I should not have looked at that google map - I'm in NC - dh works around tons of people. Several of his co-workers have been s.i.c.k. for the last week or more.

 

I'm now paranoid! (off to go sanitize everything dh touches...)

[OH_Homeschooler]

By contrast, I called my dh, who was out working, asked if he'd heard of it, read him some of the hilights of this thread, & he wanted to go straight out & buy face masks.

 

Not that your DH is actually planning to do this, but I heard on the news last night that the masks are worthless in protecting against swine flu.

[TeacherZee]

Not that your DH is actually planning to do this, but I heard on the news last night that the masks are worthless in protecting against swine flu.

 

That's what they have been saying on the news here all day (I'm not having a very productive day:D).

 

The advice here (and in the UK) is to wash hands often, if you are sick cough and sneeze into disposable tissues and disinfect things. One expert actually used the "Coughs and Sneezes spread diseases" line. Made me laugh :D:lol::D:lol:

[Perry]

Not that your DH is actually planning to do this, but I heard on the news last night that the masks are worthless in protecting against swine flu.

 

 

Those flimsy facemasks probably aren't helpful at all. The N95 respirators I posted about elsewhere do give some protection. They are most effective when worn by an infected person, to prevent them spreading the virus to others. But they do offer some protection to an uninfected wearer as well, as long as you are careful to not touch the mask and then your face. You can buy them at Menards, Home Depot, etc. You have to adjust them so they make a good seal around your face to be effective.

[fivetails]

It's made it here to Alberta.

 

Two human cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Alberta, the province's chief medical officer of health said Tuesday.

 

 

Both individuals are male with a mild form of the illness. Neither was hospitalized.

 

 

One man from northern Alberta has fully recovered. A second man from Calgary is on the road to recovery.

 

 

Both men contracted the illness during recent trips to Mexico.

 

 

What ticks me off is the way they identified one as being from Calgary, but yet they just say "northern Alberta" for the other - hello, a TOWN or COMMUNITY would be nice. Y'know, for those of us in the northern parts here who might like to know.

[Heather in WI]

I didn't see this posted yet, but printed this out over a year ago for our emergency kit. I think it is a pretty thorough resource:

 

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/individual/index.html

[Impish]

Tell you one thing that worries me...Where my dh worked last year, his boss would regularly bring a crew in from Mexico, due to lack of workers here. I wonder if he's already done that this year, or if he was changing his mind about that due to the economy, and that one of the workers disappeared last year when it was time to go back to Mexico and his work visa was up. That would mean approx 20 folks just arrived from Mexico in the last week or 2, because the landscaping season is just gearing up :001_huh:

 

Oh crispy crud...I just had another thought. Dh's buddy went back to work for the same co. Dh has gotten together with this bud recently. Tazzie has a temp around 103.5, vomiting etc since yesterday afternoon.

 

I now have Mommy alarm shrieking. How long is that incubation period again?

[TeacherZee]

Tell you one thing that worries me...Where my dh worked last year, his boss would regularly bring a crew in from Mexico, due to lack of workers here. I wonder if he's already done that this year, or if he was changing his mind about that due to the economy, and that one of the workers disappeared last year when it was time to go back to Mexico and his work visa was up. That would mean approx 20 folks just arrived from Mexico in the last week or 2, because the landscaping season is just gearing up :001_huh:

 

Oh crispy crud...I just had another thought. Dh's buddy went back to work for the same co. Dh has gotten together with this bud recently. Tazzie has a temp around 103.5, vomiting etc since yesterday afternoon.

 

I now have Mommy alarm shrieking. How long is that incubation period again?

 

2-5 days.

 

I'm so sorry your littl'un is doing poorly. :grouphug:

[fivetails]

That would mean approx 20 folks just arrived from Mexico in the last week or 2, because the landscaping season is just gearing up :001_huh:

 

 

 

Yeah and I was just reading about how Mexican farm workers are still gonna be coming into Quebec (and a few other places) with an extra doctor or two checking their temperatures. :001_huh: So, someone could be symptom free the day they come - passing that extra health check - and flat out like a dog the next day, spreading the virus around. I don't get it. It seems like common sense that you would NOT want to bring in a bunch of workers from a country currently under such a devastating (there) health crisis!

 

(I also don't get why there is this huge need for imported workers when there are SO MANY Canadians out of work, but that's a diff thread)

[Tree House Academy]

Yeah and I was just reading about how Mexican farm workers are still gonna be coming into Quebec (and a few other places) with an extra doctor or two checking their temperatures. :001_huh: So, someone could be symptom free the day they come - passing that extra health check - and flat out like a dog the next day, spreading the virus around. I don't get it. It seems like common sense that you would NOT want to bring in a bunch of workers from a country currently under such a devastating (there) health crisis!

 

(I also don't get why there is this huge need for imported workers when there are SO MANY Canadians out of work, but that's a diff thread)

 

Unfortunately, they offer extremely cheap labor. My husband's uncle hires migrant workers each year for help around the farm. I am not even sure where/how he finds them since we live nowhere close to the Mexican border.

 

I will tell you all that I did have a sense of panic last night and some this morning...especially after discovering 5 cases right in my back door (20 mile drive from me at a University), however, God has given me a peace lately about the whole thing. And it is definitely a peace that passes understanding...which is why I can safely say it is from God. We all just have a storm to weather. The worry can cease...it is time to buckle down and do what we can to keep our families safe. God bless to you all and I pray that this never turns into what it has the potential to turn into.

[fivetails]

Unfortunately, they offer extremely cheap labor. My husband's uncle hires migrant workers each year for help around the farm. I am not even sure where/how he finds them since we live nowhere close to the Mexican border.

 

I will tell you all that I did have a sense of panic last night and some this morning...especially after discovering 5 cases right in my back door (20 mile drive from me at a University), however, God has given me a peace lately about the whole thing. And it is definitely a peace that passes understanding...which is why I can safely say it is from God. We all just have a storm to weather. The worry can cease...it is time to buckle down and do what we can to keep our families safe. God bless to you all and I pray that this never turns into what it has the potential to turn into.

 

I'm assuming you're in the states, right? See, I know there are different wage laws there ... I believe (I could be wrong, but I don't think so) that here in Canada, employers of imported workers (um, I have a feeling that term isn't what I want.. makes 'em sound like walmart sneakers for heaven's sake. What do I want? They aren't immigrants, because they aren't immigrating... temporary out of country workers? That's a mouthful LOL..workers from Mexico? ..anyway!) would have to be paid minimum wage by law - the same wage that would likely be offered to a Canadian --- back on the island, almost everyone does a stint at working on a potato farm and the pay is usually about $9/hour, smidgebit more than minimum... so I don't know how it would be cheaper here... then again, I could be wrong about wage laws...

 

Your second paragraph - you're the one who mentioned excess worry/obsession/etc before, right? (Don't worry, I'm asking for a good reason LOL) ...if you're feeling peaceful, I like it. Cuz I tend to go off the rails a bit with this sorta thing (did it with SARS too) and if another worrywart/obsessive/whatEVAH Mum can come 'round to be feeling peaceful about it all, maybe there's some hope for me too. ;) (and if I've mixed you in the stew of posters, sorries! Still happy that you have that feeling though! )

[Quiver0f10]

Fox just reported 2 possible US deaths from swine flu in CA. I am trying to trust God and not panic, but I don't have a good feling about all this.

[Alicia64]

WHAT?! Where in Ca??

 

We have three cases two miles down the road.

 

Alicia

[Quiver0f10]

WHAT?! Where in Ca??

 

We have three cases two miles down the road.

 

Alicia

 

 

Looks like LA, but again, this is just a possiblity and not confirmed. Still, scary stuff.

[LNC]

Fox news online reporting "many hundreds" of NYC schoolchildren suspected to have swine flu.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518262,00.html

[sandalwood]

http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/local/article/newberry_school_to_reopen_despite_probable_swine_flu_cases/24135/

 

A school in Newberry, SC is suspected of having "2" probable cases of it, but many more of the kids were sick. Some of the highschoolers went to Mexico on spring break.. The school was closed yesterday and today. Anyhow, the news has gone from "it's not it" to this afternoon saying "it's probable in just 2 of the cases". Lots of kids were sick, though. I have seen no mention of SC on the national news.

Edited April 28, 2009 by sandalwood

[Perry]

I wonder... if this starts showing up in more places, will they ("they"??) start trying to quarrantine people? I mean, well.. can they even do that? I'm picturing something from a movie or something in my head here, craziness - people held in their homes by armed guards and ridiculousness like that, YES I have an overactive imagination :tongue_smilie: and it's running off on me again. But still. I mean, do they *do* that kinda thing anywhere anymore? (ever did?)

 

~ quarrantine? quarantine? doesn't look right with two Rs or with just one! Maybe it's just one of those words that never looks right...

 

There is an informative post up about quarantine and isolation at Effect Measure.

 

I agree with Revere; any large scale quarantine in the current situation would be counterproductive.

[TraceyS/FL]

Oh crispy crud...I just had another thought. Dh's buddy went back to work for the same co. Dh has gotten together with this bud recently. Tazzie has a temp around 103.5, vomiting etc since yesterday afternoon.

 

It's not a vomiting flu.

 

Q. What is swine flu?

A. Swine flu is a respiratory illness in pigs caused by a virus. The swine flu virus routinely causes outbreaks in pigs but doesn't usually kill many of them.

 

Q. What are the symptoms of swine flu?

A. The symptoms are similar to those of regular flu -- fever, cough, fatigue, lack of appetite.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

It's not a vomiting flu.

 

In some people, diarrhea and vomiting are showing up as symptoms.

[Perry]

It's not a vomiting flu.

 

CDC

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu.

 

I posted about this earlier-- I'll copy here:

 

Actually, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea have been common symptoms of the American variant of the current swine flu.

 

Human flu viruses bind to receptors found mostly in the respiratory tract, causing mainly respiratory symptoms. Avian influenza viruses bind to those in the GI tract, and swine flu viruses can bind to both respiratory and GI receptors, causing both respiratory and GI symptoms.

 

GI symptoms of seasonal influenza do occur occasionally in kids, as well. But both swine flu and avian flu cause more GI symptoms than the usual flu.

[Tree House Academy]

Fox news online reporting "many hundreds" of NYC schoolchildren suspected to have swine flu.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518262,00.html

 

This a very reassuring quote from that link. “Many family members of these students and staff are also sick," he continued. "We would normally expect to see 1 out of every 5 family members of a person with flu get sick — and that is exactly what we’re seeing with swine flu. And very reassuringly all of the cases have been mild both in students and in staff.â€

[Tree House Academy]

Fox just reported 2 possible US deaths from swine flu in CA. I am trying to trust God and not panic, but I don't have a good feling about all this.

 

 

They later reported that this was misinformation. One of the deaths was 100% NOT swine flu. The other is being looked into. One was a 45 year old man who died on the 22nd from pneumonia and the other a 33 year old man with breathing trouble and lymphoma (cancer). They didn't say which was ruled out and which they were looking further into.

 

That said, we WILL see deaths from this flu. It is inevitable. There is ALWAYS death with the flu - every year 36,000 people in the US alone die of the flu. As this spreads and hits immunocompromised people, the elderly, the very young, etc. there will be deaths. We just have to prepare ourselves for that fact and do the absolute best we can to take care of our own.

[fivetails]

They later reported that this was misinformation. One of the deaths was 100% NOT swine flu. The other is being looked into. One was a 45 year old man who died on the 22nd from pneumonia and the other a 33 year old man with breathing trouble and lymphoma (cancer). They didn't say which was ruled out and which they were looking further into.

 

Yeah just read this on CNN:

 

California health officials investigated two deaths for ties to the virus, but swine flu was ruled out in one case and "doesn't appear to be" the cause in the other, though lab results were pending, said Assistant Chief Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County coroner's department.

[fivetails]

I wish they'd make up their minds:

 

On Monday, the Public Health Agency of Canada issued a travel warning advising Canadians to postpone any non-essential travel to Mexico until further notice.

 

 

The agency urged travellers to take precautionary measures such as getting a flu shot, frequently washing their hands, and covering coughs and sneezes.

 

 

From most of what I've read, "the shot" doesn't help with this.

 

 

(How does one go about getting a flu shot anyway? Just call up your doc and ask? We've never done it.. well, dh had it the other year but it was through his old workplace... What if you don't have a doc? I wonder if the hospital does them... I'm gonna investigate a little anyway, see...)

 

 

(and then I've heard stories of the flu shot GIVING a person flu symptoms?)

[Tree House Academy]

The flu shot can be very effective for some...however, it takes at least 2 weeks to even get in your system and start doing some good. IMO, it is too late for the flu shot, even if it did offer some protection (which they are saying that it really doesn't for the hybrid H1N1 we are seeing now. It did contain a strain of the A - H1N1 human virus though).

 

You asked in another post if I was the one with all of the worry issues. Yep...that is me! I have been OCD all my life and it tends to manifest in extreme health anxiety. For instance, when I was pregnant, I ate a hotdog and worried for a week that I have lysteria. Some of my "episodes" are silly, others are downright life altering. For 3 years, I was convinced I had a brain tumor and was slowly declining in health. I WAS declining in health - because the stress, fear, and anxiety had taken over my life. I lost close to 50 pounds in 3 months. I didn't eat, I barely lived at all. I have also worried about my younger son dying of SIDS (when he was a baby) to the point where I didn't sleep at night so I could watch him breathe. When I say that I am a hypochondriac, I do not mean it lightly like "oh, I am a worrier" - no, I am actually a clinically diganosed OCD hypochondriac. And yes, I am finding a lot of peace in this situation.

 

When I was 14, I made the mistake of reading a book called "The Hot Zone." It was about Ebola virus. I spent a year researching Ebola and what it does to the body, how fast it spreads, etc. That disease is terrifying. If Ebola Zaire were to ever get to the US and start spreading in humans, suffice it to say, none of us would live to tell about it. It has about a 90% death rate. This swine flu...and even the avian flu do not carry as much weight as something like Ebola. They are survivable, there is a CHANCE. KWIM? That comforts me in many ways - as does my faith in the power of prayer. :)

[Quiver0f10]

 

When I was 14, I made the mistake of reading a book called "The Hot Zone." It was about Ebola virus. I spent a year researching Ebola and what it does to the body, how fast it spreads, etc. That disease is terrifying. If Ebola Zaire were to ever get to the US and start spreading in humans, suffice it to say, none of us would live to tell about it. It has about a 90% death rate. This swine flu...and even the avian flu do not carry as much weight as something like Ebola. They are survivable, there is a CHANCE. KWIM? That comforts me in many ways - as does my faith in the power of prayer. :)

 

I loved and hated that book! LOL I remember reading it and not too long after I saw an article @ an outbreak of it somewhere ( Africa, I am sure) and was terrified LOL.

[Tree House Academy]

Yeah, most of the outbreaks have been in Africa. There was one outbreak in a lab in Reston VA, but it was only transmissable between monkeys (and I think two lab workers died as well in Reston). Ebola Reston is a bit of a different virus than Ebola Zaire. Ebola Zaire is straight out of a horror movie, IMO. Whole villages wiped out in 3 DAYS. *shudder*