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[gaelic_flame]

So a while ago, there was this virus that was spreading around. People gearing up in Hazmat suits and the whole bit. Everyone started freaking out. Some countries closed their borders to international travel. Kids were taken out of schools.

That started mid-way through March. Where is your swine flu now?

It's killed 176 people in total. IN

Comments

[maideleh]

I completely agree, but I do feel the need to point out that the first, off-season wave of the Spanish Influenza in 1918 was fairly weak, killed rather few, and was generally not a big deal. Come winter, the second stronger wave appeared and people were dying in droves. Don't discount anything until the proper flu season! It will be interesting to see how this plays out, don't you think?

[gaelic_flame]

While the first wave of the Spanish flu pandemic was rather weaker, it also affected everyone whom you would expect - the already ill and the elderly. The reason that the second, stronger wave even spread might have had something to do with the First World War. Viruses that are too strong die out quickly, since they can't be carried around during a long incubation period. But in a military situation like that, it doesn't need to have a long incubation period to spread - an infected soldier in the trenches of France will come in contact with a lot of other soldiers, and even if he's removed from battle, he spreads it to even more crowded field hospitals and the like.

Then again, if I'm wrong and swine flu does end up throwing out a second wave like the 1918 pandemic, it'll hit in August. I guess we have no choice but to wait for regular flu season, I guess.