H1N1 Influenza - Media Hype? or Cause for Alarm? What's your thoughts?

[PinkFloydFan]

Good Evening Folks.

It seems there are quite a few people ill with one type of flu or another these days.
I thought I would post a new forum and get everyones thoughts and opinions on the matter.


For me, It's - Media Hype, (to some degree) ..

THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION



What's your opinion and thoughts?

Vin

[RobustBrad]

When the H1N1 virus first came around it was two weeks before my wedding in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Almost got my wedding canceled.

Glad we did not cancel because it was an amazing time. The hotel was 1/2 booked so our customer service experience was absolutely amazing. Also I got to come home with some choice cigars

If anyone happens to head down to Playa check out The Royal Playa Del Carmen. It's a fantastic all inclusive resort, right on 5th street. If you have any questions about Playa at all feel free to PM me.

Cheers,
Brad

[Cigary]

Not to say that H1N1 is hyped but when you factor what the reality is in terms of deaths each year according to the CDC,,,it is 67,000 per year which is a staggering number when you consider how many have died from H1N1. Hype,,,,it's all relevant according to who gains from the hype and what is being sold out there to "prevent" us from getting it. Cause for alarm? Just keep yourself in an environment where you dont spread germs or infect others, use Purell and wash your hands like normal clean living people.

[gjcab09]

I think its mostly hype, if you watch the newscasts, you'll notice that it's usually a whole bunch of "Oh my god! ohmygod! ohmygod!"...and somewhere tucked in the story will be the information that it's actually a reasonably mild flu with similiar or milder effects to other "typical" strains. It's like the flippin' newscasters don't even read their own stories, they just concentrate on the scare factor.

[zeavran1]

What....wasn't birdflu serious?

[nativetexan_1]

Hype. Do people still believe what the government tries to tell them?

[mark77ap]

Hype, nothing more, and we can thank the media.

[PerpetualNoob]

In my 48 years, I've never, never had a flu shot that didn't give me the flu within 3-5 days. Don't know why. If I don't get the flu shot, there is at least some small, non-zero chance that I might actually not get the flu, which is actually better odds than if I get the shot.

[mark77ap]

Originally Posted by PerpetualNoob

In my 48 years, I've never, never had a flu shot that didn't give me the flu within 3-5 days. Don't know why. If I don't get the flu shot, there is at least some small, non-zero chance that I might actually not get the flu, which is actually better odds than if I get the shot.

I have the exact same experience. Every time I have gotten the flu shot in the past, I end up with whats seems to be a mild case of the flu for 2 or so weeks, guaranteed.

I do not bother with it any more. Even if you get the flu shot, they only grab the top likely strains and put it in the shot so there is no guarantee it will even help.

Wasn't it a year or so ago the avian flu was supposed to be the demise of the human race?

[ssutton219]

Here is my take..

I was in the ER last night with a sick kid. Gave the attendent her symptoms and we sat down. There were a number of people in the er with the lil face masks on. We were not asked to put one on or have the lil one put one on either. After the ER Doc finally got to see us and after he told us her symptoms indicated her having the "Flu" and her culture saing she had a Bacteria infection, my wife asked him if she had the Swine flu....his responce was "f she does she does if she doesn't she doesnt. All her test show shes fighting this and we need to get the infection controlled."

He also told us that unless sometnig was spiked in the tests they do they dont treat Swine flu any different then any other flu. So I asked him his opinion on Swine flu..he laughed and said he, his wife and both kids have all had the "Flu" and they all survived and since Jesi had broken her fever and kept the meds down she should be fine in a couple days.


I stopped getting the Flu Vaccine sine I got it in 1996 when I joined the Navy..I spent a horrible 2 weeks sick in Bootcamp. I ask my kid's Doc if he thinks my kids, who he has seen since they were born or shortly after, need to have a vaccine and he has steered us away from the vaccine because it has not been fully tested and it just a flu..like the 100's others out there.

I believe it can be a problem..especialy for those who are in poor health or have a weak imune sstem but its just the flu..people die from the flu every year.

My opinion and thoseof 2 dr...again OPINIONS...have a great day!



Shawn

[MrJerry]

No vaccine for me...I'll just keep smoking and drinking scotch!

[danmcmartin]

We passed it around my family in July. My son brought it home from camp and it was verified. He was sick for about 6 days, first with flu like symptoms and a cough, then he felt better, then he puked once and the next day felt 100%. My wife and I just felt crappy for a week, not horrible, but less than OK. My youngest son never got it, but we suspect he got it in the spring.

Its just the flu. Ya some people (young, old, medical conditions) die. But the regular flu does that too, by the tens of thousands ever year here in the US. It might be of concern to scientists, but that doesn't make it the next plague. In my opinion, all of this scare-mongering is one part media hype and one part nanny mentality, you know those people that can't handle the fact that you might harm yourself without their concerned guidance. The same people that don't want you smoking cigars. Never let a good crisis go to waste.

[Stench]

This strain of H1N1 is unusual only in that it has struck "out of season". The hospital where I work actively vaccinates October through March for the normal flu season. H1N1 has kicked the season up early, but is no more of a problem than the normal seasonal strains we see every year. The very young or the very old are typically hit the hardest. It's mostly hype! The govt has to keep us peons scared of something (Russia, Iraq, Iran, etc) or we'd revolt!

If an H1N1 strain like the "Spanish Lady" ever comes around again from 1918, THAT would worry me! It preferentially struck young adults . It killed 675000 US citizens and Millions worldwide. One theory is it developed in swine here in the US and the doughboys of WW1 took it to Europe. There is no indication that the current strain is any more virulent than the strains of the recent past.

[Maduro_Scotty]

I believe there is a lot of unnecessary hype, though there is a cause for alarm. If you are elderly, or super young, or are a part of one of these two groups and have a compromised respiratory system, then yes-it is needed. If you are not in one of those groups, then there isn't much need for feeling alarmed. I have to shake my head as I got the H1N1 shot due to where I work for free. It is ludicrous that I would get the shot before any of my three kids who are under the age of 6. We have been very blessed. Ethan's classmates have had it and it hasn't touched us at all. We have had friends whose children got it, not to mention neighbors. I believe a large part of the alarm comes from the fact that we are supposedly "due" for another flu outbreak like 1918 and that visions of a giant swath of death swallowing the landscape is fanned by the media and to some extent, those in government.

[veteranvmb]

Originally Posted by Cigary

, use Purell and wash your hands like normal clean living people.

I take it seriously. I keep purell outside my front door, and noone is allowed in without 3 squirts of purell and slowly rubbing all parts of their hands down to wrist.
And I watch them do it.

Also, P buy the big bottle of lysol(1 lb 3 oz size) and every morning and every evening I spray all light switches, all over every fauces, every toilet plunger and seats, the chains for the doors, all door handles.
Refrigerator grips, microwavy grips, everything. I think If I got the flu I would die. I am pretty sure.
I have a wife who teaches children all of whom were born in other countries, or parents are recent immigrints. I doubt they even have all their regualr vaccines.

I have two other sons who come over almost everyother day, and they both have jobs, which puts them into contact with hundreds of low lifes every day.

My son got the h1n1 vaccine yesterday(the department offered it) but my wife is not being offered it, even though all the students will be offered next week. So stupid on the citys part.

I have priority once my doctor received the vaccine. (Underlying medical conditions) I dont even want to go in the office, so I will probaly just stay in my truck and ask them to call me, when doctors ready. LOL

Jerry