Swine Flu, be afraid, be afraid...
So, just so I make sure I'm getting this right.
Just over 1000 people were infected in Mexico, and of those roughly 0.6% died as a result of their infection (mostly, as usual, the very old, the very young, and those in generally poor health).
The virus then jumped the boarder to the U.S. where there have been several hundred reported cases, but (as yet) no fatalities.
The symptoms are nausea, vomiting, fever, muscle cramps, diarrhea, etc. (usual flu symptoms).
Near as anyone can tell it's spread the same as any other flu (human contact, mucus, airborne spittle, etc.).
Why are we supposed to be panicking again?
It's the flu for Christ sake, didn't we just finish cold and flu season?
Now, I know history, so I know about all the flu epidemics that killed thousands near the beginning of the last century, but really, has it reached a point that justifies the level of panic that we're seeing in the mass media?
I mean hell it's not like we've got Asian hemorrhagic fever tear-assing across the western hemisphere, or Ebola or drug resistant anthrax or the mutant clap or anything like that.
So, for now at least, maybe the message should be 'relax people, get some vitamin C, wash regularly, get plenty of rest, avoid other people, and mellow out a bit'.
Course, if folks really wanted to reduce the likelihood of a pandemic they'd learn not to breed so prodigiously.
I mean, any farmer in the last thousand years could tell you that a densely packed stockyard is disease waiting to happen.
Do we really think we're that far removed from the other animals on this planet that the same rules don't apply?
Just over 1000 people were infected in Mexico, and of those roughly 0.6% died as a result of their infection (mostly, as usual, the very old, the very young, and those in generally poor health).
The virus then jumped the boarder to the U.S. where there have been several hundred reported cases, but (as yet) no fatalities.
The symptoms are nausea, vomiting, fever, muscle cramps, diarrhea, etc. (usual flu symptoms).
Near as anyone can tell it's spread the same as any other flu (human contact, mucus, airborne spittle, etc.).
Why are we supposed to be panicking again?
It's the flu for Christ sake, didn't we just finish cold and flu season?
Now, I know history, so I know about all the flu epidemics that killed thousands near the beginning of the last century, but really, has it reached a point that justifies the level of panic that we're seeing in the mass media?
I mean hell it's not like we've got Asian hemorrhagic fever tear-assing across the western hemisphere, or Ebola or drug resistant anthrax or the mutant clap or anything like that.
So, for now at least, maybe the message should be 'relax people, get some vitamin C, wash regularly, get plenty of rest, avoid other people, and mellow out a bit'.
Course, if folks really wanted to reduce the likelihood of a pandemic they'd learn not to breed so prodigiously.
I mean, any farmer in the last thousand years could tell you that a densely packed stockyard is disease waiting to happen.
Do we really think we're that far removed from the other animals on this planet that the same rules don't apply?
posted by Murph | 2:22 PM
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