The Swine Flu thing...

[AquaExplorer]

I really like Joe, but I think that this was an irresponsible thing for him to say. For him to privately think that is one thing, but to speak those words over the media from his position as the VP of the US is another.

Why though? Even in Mexico the idea is to limit ones exposure by NOT congregating in large masses. Thus it is perfectly sensible to say "I would limit my exposure to small areas crammed with masses of humanity for the near-term".

 

[Fin59]

All of a sudden you trust the Mexican government now that their numbers are what you want to hear?



She said she spoke with one of the doctors on the island, not the government.

Things like this, the information they "allow" us to hear, remind me of the bumper sticker I saw that said "I'm from the government and I'm here to help." Yikes!

 

[Fin59]

I just got off the phone with my doctor. I told him I was on Coz mid March. I told him I flew via Cancun. I just told him my symtoms of this cold/flu I am almost over and that my wife has now taken over. The advise was are you having difficulty breathing. No. Then stay in bed. Youve got the flu.

So my question is could I have incubated this from the flight mid March to one week ago? I'm not worried about this at all. Just curious. gotta go my nose is dripping.....

We just need Scotty to beam us all to Cozumel

 

[don Francisco]

Once again the American "it's all about us" media has it exactly backwards. Regardless of the nature of the flu outbreak, and how virulent this particular strain might be, the plain simple fact is that the greatest risk isn't to Americans who travel to Cozumel or the Yucatan.

The greatest risk is to the folks in Cozumel and other isolated outposts which are currently free of the virus, but might have it imported in the chest of an inbound tourist. While Mexico City might be ground zero, the fact is that there isn't a ton of intra-Mexico travel, so the vector for transmission won't be a Mexican, but much more likely a highly mobile American, who brings it to or from his home town.

If the worst should happen, and this strain is most dangerous, and does go global, Cozumel, by virtue of being an uncongested, fairly remote island might be one of the safest places on earth.

My fear isn't going to Cozumel, but that when I'm ready to go they might lock the doors to protect themselves, and I'll find myself on the outside looking in.

 

[1KWIK_69]

Wow, I was having a very nice little vacation in my head here at work until I got to the following paragraph and suddenly realized you were talking about the U.S.
:lol:

It's a shame that such a beautiful country with so many wonderful people and inmense resources, has been run for decades by unscrupulous thieving bastards and is at their mercy and at the mercy of the dark interests they serve, they have no right to do this to an entire country, as if the billions they steal every year weren't enough.

 

[DandyDon]

<smirk>

I just got off the phone with my doctor. I told him I was on Coz mid March. I told him I flew via Cancun. I just told him my symtoms of this cold/flu I am almost over and that my wife has now taken over. The advise was are you having difficulty breathing. No. Then stay in bed. Youve got the flu.

So my question is could I have incubated this from the flight mid March to one week ago? I'm not worried about this at all. Just curious. gotta go my nose is dripping.....

The standard incubation period for flu is generally considered 1 to 4/7 days. Sorry, you have a local strain I think; no news interviews forthcoming. March is often a big month for flu, whether it's the new strain or one of the old ones...

Flu activity typically does not reach its peak in the U.S. until January or February. Getting the flu vaccine soon after it becomes available each year is always a good idea, and the protection you get from vaccination will last throughout the flu season. However, flu activity can occur as late as May so getting a vaccine later in the season, including in December, January or even later, and even if flu activity has already started in your area, can still offer protection in most years.

Of course, people die from most strains so it's good to take them all seriously, the old ones we know & understand, and maybe the new & mystifying ones too...

 

[1KWIK_69]

On the today show Biden told the public that he has advised his family to not ride the trains.
This will not help travel to Cozumel etc

Yeah but that's because he was on a train that was shot at and forced to land over in Afganastan!
:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[deeper thoughts]

Yeah but that's because he was on a train that was shot at and forced to land over in Afganastan!
:lol: :lol: :lol:

The "retractions and clarifications" have already started by the WH.
The airline and travel industries have said he is a fear mongerer while others in the administration are saying dont panic.

I guess common sense prevails and definitely take what its being said and then resaid with a grain of salt

 

[jpomerantz]

Before you expouse medical knowledge please get it right. Each year over 30,000 die from "usual" influenza.

The World Health Organization said confirmed swine flu cases rose to 257 worldwide Thursday and announced it will would stop using the term "swine flu" to avoid confusion over the danger posed by pigs. On Wednesday, Egypt began slaughtering its roughly 300,000 pigs as precaution, even though experts said swine flu is not spread by eating pork

The global body said the number of confirmed cases in Mexico rose to 97 from 26, with seven deaths. The WHO confirmed tally from the United States now stands at 109, with one death.

Other confirmed cases include 19 in Canada, 13 in Spain, eight in Britain, three each in Germany and New Zealand, two in Israel and one each in Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

There are small death #s so far, and yes they will rise but the panic out there is based on small #s so far. Could this grow - absolutely, however the natural course of ths virus is self limited (risk as usual for those at high risk) and so far has not demonstrated to be "super virulent". The majority of cases are index cases (having brought it from the area in Mexico) or primary contacts, not secondary or tertiary contacts.

And yes, I play a doctor in real life.

Where is this news that Mexico only has 7 confirmed deaths coming from? I can't find it from any US news sources on google, and most every news case is still talking about >150 deaths.

This is actually an informative article on the puzzle of why the cases in Mexico seem to be so lethal, compared to the fatality rate in other countries:

The Associated Press: Scientists struggle to understand swine flu virus

Leading hypothesis seems to be that a lot more people were infected with the virus than the Mexican authorities know about -- but the lack of samples positive for this H1N1 strain in random sampling prior to the outbreak doesn't entirely back that theory up...

 

[DandyDon]

I don't understand why anyone other those with selfish interests in travel would object to what the VP said, since it's congruent with CDC warnings. Old flu, new flu for which no one has immunities, you don't want either - and since the new one still has a lot of mysteries, is very contagious and again - no one has immunities, it's only prudent to avoid crowded places. You cowboys want to fly to Coz or Cancun - go, but don't expect any rational person to believe the action comes with only reasonable risks. It's a whole new game, folks. I hope an effective and safe vaccine can be produced before the big season.

And for Mexico only admitting 7 deaths, riiiiiiiightttt....!

Let me know when a trusted source says that the other 150 dead have been tested and ruled out - key requirement: trusted source!

A portrait is emerging of a slow and confused response by Mexico to the gathering swine flu epidemic. And that could mean the world is flying blind into a global health storm.

Despite an annual budget of more than $5 billion, Mexico's health secretary said Monday that his agency hasn't had the resources to visit the families of the dead. That means doctors haven't begun treatment for the population most exposed to swine flu, and most apt to spread it.

It also means medical sleuths don't know how the victims were infected &#8212; key to understanding how the epidemic began and how it can be contained.

Foreign health officials were hesitant Monday to speak critically about Mexico's response, saying they want to wait until more details emerge before passing judgment. But already, Mexicans were questioning the government's image of a country that has the crisis under control.

"Nobody believes the government anymore," said Edgar Rocha, a 28-year-old office messenger. He said the lack of information is sowing distrust: "You haven't seen a single interview with the sick!"

The political consequences could be serious. China was heavily criticized during the outbreak of SARS for failing to release details about the disease, feeding rumors and fear. And Mexico's failed response to a catastrophic 1985 earthquake is largely credited with the demise of the party that had ruled the country since the 1920s.

"That is foremost in the minds of Mexican policymakers now," said George Grayson at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. "They're thinking, 'We don't want another '85.'"

Indeed, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova was defensive at a news conference Monday as he was peppered with questions about why Mexico took so long to identify the outbreak, attempt to contain its spread and provide information.

"We never had this kind of epidemic in the world," he said. "This is the first time we have this kind of virus."

It remained unclear where and how the epidemic began, how it has spread, who it has killed or how fast it is growing. And the government has yet to take some basic steps critical to containing any outbreak, such as quick treatment of people who had contact with the victims.