Why is this swine flu such a big deal?

i*heart*him · April 2009

I don't understand it. 36,000 people die each year from the common flu, and I don't see the news going crazy reporting it every day.

No one has died in this country. In fact most of the cases got better on their own. The news drives me crazy.

Jessie0706 · April 2009

They do love to blow things out of proportion, don't they?

AliciaSpring · April 2009

It must be just where you are b/c I have not heard anything about it today on the news but it is not in AZ to my knowledge

oregontechmom · April 2009

Part of it is because of the age group that is being affected. Young adults, which are not normally susceptible to death or serious illness by influenza. But yeah, as Obama says, it's not a reason to panic, just a reason to be alert.

mistirei915 · April 2009

Why is it a big deal? Because the media is blowing it out of proportion!!!

salt&pepa · April 2009

according to Glen Beck the swine flu is made up drama by the Democrats. I love Faux news.

Jessie0706 · April 2009

salt&pepa:
according to Glen Beck the swine flu is made up drama by the Democrats. I love Faux news.

LOL!!!

AutumnBride929 · April 2009

Seriously.. .and DH is buying into all the hype of course. I told him calmly to just follow my lead and chill out. He's crazy.

BensWife · April 2009

I couldn't agree with you more. It is like the news likes to scare people. It really pisses me off!!

christin3580 · April 2009

Sadly enough its because of the American viewer needs things to worry about because thats what has been drilled in to our society... The swine flu has been around for many of years... I heart it when douchy people get on the plane with the masks.. then take them off to eeat and drink but never wash their hands.. REALLY people...

Samantha82 · April 2009

I think health officials are worried because it's a new strain that we have never seen before. Therefore there are no vaccines available at the moment and they are months away from creating one. And they are not sure how fast this strain will mutate and become resistant to treatment, or how severe it can get in humans. They are worried that this strain will mutate fast and cause a pandemic (hundreds of thousands or even millions dead).

I think the health officials should be vigilant in order to prevent an actual pandemic. However I do think that the media is blowing this out of proportion right now. Making people panic and crowding the hospitals is not helping. Because you are right in that it's not that bad right now.

blairsgirl · April 2009

I think it is ridiculous. 44 of the 64 cases are in NYC. They had a press conference about it this afternoon. MH works in nyc and people keep asking me if I'm worried. No I'm not. He washes his hands and its not like he is kissing people on the subway and bus. I can get the flu, a cold, or pneumonia. To me, it's a huge hype by the media.

AidensMama22 · April 2009

I just saw that in L.A that they think 2 people did die from it..

Abc123 · April 2009

Samantha82:

I think the health officials should be vigilant in order to prevent an actual pandemic. However I do think that the media is blowing this out of proportion right now.

Yes

taelir · April 2009

Samantha82:
I think health officials are worried because it's a new strain that we have never seen before. Therefore there are no vaccines available at the moment and they are months away from creating one. And they are not sure how fast this strain will mutate and become resistant to treatment, or how severe it can get in humans. They are worried that this strain will mutate fast and cause a pandemic (hundreds of thousands or even millions dead).
I think the health officials should be vigilant in order to prevent an actual pandemic. However I do think that the media is blowing this out of proportion right now. Making people panic and crowding the hospitals is not helping. Because you are right in that it's not that bad right now.

This.

Yes, the media is blowing it out of proportion. But it's a strain not seen before. No one is sure on how it could mutate (or if it will).

Seeing as how the cases in KS are not that far away from me, I'm still going to be extra-careful. Crazy media or not.

rrotem · April 2009

I wouldn't be worried about it if I wasn't pregnant and/or didn't had to commute into NYC where most of the US cases are. ?

LadyNikon · April 2009

my dad JUST said that .. its a media frenzy. Next week it will be the obamas dogs took a dump on the first lawn.

mfransdell · April 2009

CA is now under a state of emergency ruling because of it.

SFNewzGirl · April 2009

Because it is a new strain, for the first time transmitted person to person. The World Health Organization has said if it blows up into a pandemic they can't work fast enough to get in front of it. A thing like this can multiple too quickly for them to stop it. Is it possible it won't get that big, yes. But health officials are taking action to be as prepared as possible in case it does and the media is working to keep people up to date.

HSSimpson · April 2009

Yeah. I work at a hospital and the ERs are filled with patients after the media came out with reports of the swine flu. Now they have a slight stomach ache and people think it's the swine flu and come to the ER. Waste of money!

sprice88 · April 2009

They just said on the news too that no pigs in the US have tested positive for it!

It's annoying this is all the news is about!

SFNewzGirl · April 2009

sprice88:

They just said on the news too that no pigs in the US have tested positive for it!

It's annoying this is all the news is about!

That is because this strain does not transmit from pigs. It comes from humans.

suscq · April 2009

Samantha82:

I think health officials are worried because it's a new strain that we have never seen before. Therefore there are no vaccines available at the moment and they are months away from creating one. And they are not sure how fast this strain will mutate and become resistant to treatment, or how severe it can get in humans. They are worried that this strain will mutate fast and cause a pandemic (hundreds of thousands or even millions dead).

I think the health officials should be vigilant in order to prevent an actual pandemic. However I do think that the media is blowing this out of proportion right now. Making people panic and crowding the hospitals is not helping. Because you are right in that it's not that bad right now.

Agree--health officials are scared to death of a pandemic flu. The CDC constantly trains health care workers and public safety officials on the protocols for dealing with a pandemic flu scenario. Even though this is not anywhere near that scale, they are using some of the same protocols for dealing with the swine flu outbreak. The media is making a big deal of it, but the CDC is approaching this like it could get much worse. (Because if it got much worse and the CDC acted like it was just the regular old flu, we'd all rise up against them saying they allowed it to get to dangerous levels and didn't protect the public)

jdiaz79 · April 2009

rrotem:
I wouldn't be worried about it if I wasn't pregnant and/or didn't had to commute into NYC where most of the US cases are.

ditto this. Also, I teach in a largely hispanic community and relatives come in and out of this country and Mexico all the time.

jessicaclare · April 2009

Samantha82:
I think health officials are worried because it's a new strain that we have never seen before. Therefore there are no vaccines available at the moment and they are months away from creating one. And they are not sure how fast this strain will mutate and become resistant to treatment, or how severe it can get in humans. They are worried that this strain will mutate fast and cause a pandemic (hundreds of thousands or even millions dead).
I think the health officials should be vigilant in order to prevent an actual pandemic. However I do think that the media is blowing this out of proportion right now. Making people panic and crowding the hospitals is not helping. Because you are right in that it's not that bad right now.

This. I don't think its something to simply blow off as media hype, but its also not something that I think everyone needs to go crazy about right this very second. I will be more careful because I'm pregnant and have a small child, should there be any reported cases in my area.

mommabarker09 · April 2009

It is a big deal and I am very glad that the government is keeping an eye on it. Just because there hasn't been an epidemic in our lifetimes people don't understand the seriousness of it. According to history, we are overdue for one. Ignorance may be bliss, but at least someone is keeping an eye out for us for once.

NorBryDE · April 2009

As pp said, they're thinking 2 deaths in CA are linked to it. hundreds in one NYC school are now confirmed infected with it. hundreds have died in Mexico from it. And this has been reported for less than a week. It is serious. And yes, people die from common flu, but they're usually the sick and elderly with declined health already, not the young adults who are relatively healthy until this strikes. That's the scary part.

brideprobst22 · April 2009

Yeah..just like my SO! ERRR! He makes me so mad sometimes! I wanted to go eat out at this nice little mexican restaurant for my birthday ( I am severely craving anything mexican) and he just flat out refused to take me! Everything that has happened today has been terrible..but now I can't get that awesome salsa b/c he is afraid that I will get sick! Crying

Anyone else's man being over-protective about this stupid swine-flu??

ladysingstheblues · April 2009

salt&pepa:

according to Glen Beck the swine flu is made up drama by the Democrats. I love Faux news.

Please don't mention that name ever again. I like my bump to be Beck-free

nhonzel · April 2009

sprice88:

They just said on the news too that no pigs in the US have tested positive for it!

It's annoying this is all the news is about!

Lol - it's human to human transmission. The strain originates from pigs and birds. What is scary is most cases are originating in Mexico where people have little to no access to healthcare or have the knowledge to seek care when they're sick. Most of the deaths there are because people didn't seek care quickly enough. So that coupled with the fact that there is no vaccine for it (and is months away from being available) and all these people who are travelling to Mexico and back make me worry.

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