Comments | justplainbryan: Talk to me about epidemics after the first million are dead...

justplainbryan

Talk to me about epidemics after the first million are dead...

Apr 28, 2009 10:58

I read online the symptoms of the nefariously named "Swine Flu" (because "H1N1 Flu" just isn't scary enough to capture the popular imagination). Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue ( Read more... )

Comments 4

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justplainbryan April 28 2009, 18:29:29 UTC

We'll compare notes about this at the end of May. We'll see if this really became the pandemic everyone's scared about, or if this news story evaporated in lieu of the new "scare of the month", as I think will happen. :)

jamespolk April 28 2009, 20:58:40 UTC

The problem is that the pandemic that kills millions and the pandemic that peters out in lethality quickly will look the same at the beginning.

I agree it is overhyped in the press but I don't know that the alternative (ignore it until the people next door are dying) is necessarily better.

So I'm glad to know about it and I'll start taking personal precautions when the people next door start dying.

rue_deday April 29 2009, 00:35:15 UTC

Didn't you read? 150 people died of Swine Flu in Mexico City in the past two weeks! Scary!

Of course they didn't tell you how many people die in any regularly scheduled fortnight in Mexico City. Nearly 200? Nor do they mention what percent of the people infected with Regular Flu die in Mexico City. I am skeptical.

Plus, I look fetching in the face mask.

starcrossedlady April 28 2009, 18:49:14 UTC

It was sorta funny in that ironic way... Megan just finished teaching the first graders about the proper way to wash their hands (it was a project for their science class to teach the younger set something and she and her friend H decided on hand washing). Yesterday, I got not only an email from both the elementary school, and the high school... but also an automated call from the school district. Their big recommendation? Stay away from people who are exhibiting symptoms, stay home if you are sick yourself, and WASHING YOUR HANDS.

Even at the press conference, the "officials" admitted that people can be infectous before symptoms start, and even a couple of weeks after they get better. Masks are no good. so... yeah, bread and circuses.