Swine flu- anyone else getting freaked out?

[Green71R/T]

More people will die in motor vehicle collisions in the same time frame than of all flus going around.This is the medias scare story of the week.

[captnsim]

The fear isn't the virus in its currant form. It's when it mutates to a form we have no natural defense for. This is more likely to happen when it can infect...say a bird, then goes to a pig, them a human gets it, then say a pig again where it mutates...then you get the really deadly version that's easily passed on.
Its all about the ability to infect a wide selection of host species. Each species fights the virus in a differant way, thus changing it in a way each species immune system is unable to handle. If we lick it and it goes into remission in another species, then comes back...look out 

[TheGhost]

I'm gonna bring up the West Nile scare, the SARS scare, the Asian Bird Flu scare...

[Silver R/T]

good time to switch to veggies.

[69bronzeT5]

Just watching the news...apperentley people in the US are freaking out. Doctors and other people are hoarding that Tamaflu stuff and now there's a waiting list for it.

[1969chargerrtse]

As my vote says, a little concerned. I think back to my innocent days as a child in the 60's and the thinks we have to worry about today, sucks.

[mikesbbody]

The whole thing is blown out of proportion kinda like so called "Global Warming" not concerned at all.

[dodgecharger-fan]

good time to switch to veggies.

You can't get it from eating pork.

They're thinking of changing the name because of that kind of misinformation flying around.

[mopar_nut_440_6]

My ex wife just got back from Mexico and both her nad her husband got sick and have been put into quarantine. No big deal just like a flu!

I work in the health care system in BC and this is what was sent out to our staff.

So far, all cases in Canada (including two in BC) have been relatively mild and all those affected have recovered.  However, the situation is evolving and we should be prepared to respond appropriately as we learn more about this new virus and its characteristics.



Watch for new cases

We need to be vigilant for signs of influenza, as we are throughout the regular "flu" season.  Symptoms to watch for include:

Fever
Cough
Muscle aches
Sore throat
In some cases, vomiting and diarrhea


Swine flu will not be distinguishable from other strains of influenza unless specific testing is done.  We will ensure that health care providers are supplied with current guidelines on who to test.  At this time, we are asking physicians to test for and treat Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) as they usually would and to consult with a medical health officer in cases of Severe Respiratory Infections (SRI) that appear to be linked with the outbreak in Mexico.   



Follow established protocols

We should follow our established protocols and procedures for routine management of patients, residents and clients with respiratory illness, as outlined in our infection prevention and control manuals. These are important to protect the people in our care, and those of us who are frontline care providers. Infection control is everyone's responsibility, and can be as simple as ensuring proper hand hygiene and asking patients presenting with ILI to wear a surgical mask, as well as wearing masks ourselves while assessing them.



Please ensure that everyone in your department is aware of the situation and how to manage a potential case.



Stay healthy

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control have determined that the swine flu virus is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, they have not determined how easily it spreads or whether its characteristics change as it is transmitted. It is safe to assume that there are people with this influenza strain in NH, but at this time, we have not seen any increase in overall influenza activity.  Currently, influenza activity appears to be tapering off, as we would expect it to at this time of year.
As with any infectious disease, the following are recommended precautionary measures:
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. When you cough, do so into your sleeve if possible;
Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective;
Stay home from work if you have ILI and ensure that your family members stay home from school and work when they are ill;
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, as viruses can gain access to the respiratory tract that way.


If you get sick

If you have a fever or cough, regardless of where you have travelled, stay home from work and limit contact with others. If your symptoms become worse, see a health care provider -- but call ahead of time to let them know so they can take appropriate precautions and provide appropriate advice.



More information:

Visit this page for the latest information, regularly updated by the BC government
Public can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, 24 hours a day/seven days a week if they have questions/concerns, or if they are feeling ill.
Learn how to protect yourself against flu at http://fightflu.ca/howdoyoufightflu-eng.html ;
The travel health notice for Mexico issued by PHAC can be found at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/2009/influenza_mexico_090425-eng.php
The travel health notice for California and Texas issued by PHAC can be found at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/2009/swine_flu_cal-tex-090425-eng.php
Additional information can be found at:
·         U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm;

·         Public Health Agency of Canada http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/swine_200904-eng.php ; and

·         World Health Organization:  http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html 

[Ponch ®]

As my vote says, a little concerned. I think back to my innocent days as a child in the 60's and the thinks we have to worry about today, sucks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0K_LZDXp0I

[Chad L. Magee]

It will occur here in the US reguardless of the precautions that we take (only a matter of time).  Granted, precautions can delay the inevitable enough that a "cure" might be found, but I would not count on that due to the nature of the viruses.  They can mutate much faster than we can diagose their mutation forms as a new flu strains.  Scientists have been working on a flu viral genetic map, so that the weaknesses of each strain can be utilized for developing medicines to stop further mutated viruses.  Tamaflu (and current flu shots) will not stop this version, only lessen the conditions and time of infection for the host.  They will not prevent the infection from occuring as this is a different viral strain than the one normally being targeted.  The best bit of advice I can give on this subject is the same as been given by many health organizations:  Wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when you cough and keep your immune system up as much as you can before you get exposed......

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to be a doom and gloom person on this subject.  It will more than likely follow the path of previous viral forms (1918 is a worse case situation) and go global after a give amount of time, reguardless of what we do to prevent it.  That is the nature of the beast.  Whether or not it does the damage that the news keeps spouting about has yet to be seen.....

[Todd Wilson]

It will occur here in the US reguardless of the precautions that we take (only a matter of time).  Granted, precautions can delay the inevitable enough that a "cure" might be found, but I would not count on that due to the nature of the viruses.  They can mutate much faster than we can diagose their mutation forms as a new flu strains.  Scientists have been working on a flu viral genetic map, so that the weaknesses of each strain can be utilized for developing medicines to stop further mutated viruses.  Tamaflu (and current flu shots) will not stop this version, only lessen the conditions and time of infection for the host.  They will not prevent the infection from occuring as this is a different viral strain than the one normally being targeted.  The best bit of advice I can give on this subject is the same as been given by many health organizations:  Wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when you cough and keep your immune system up as much as you can before you get exposed......

Good ol soap and water! Takes care of a lot of problems.


Todd

[69bronzeT5]

My sister is going to Mexico (Cabo) on the 8th for a week....yay

[mikepmcs]

My Mother sent me this today from one of my Dad's AF pilot buddies whose wife works for FEMA.

my mom's first:

This info was sent to us by a good friend whose wife works for FEMA.
So, I want to share it with my family and friends.
Have a good day.
Lucy


This is from my dad's friend:

Subject: Fwd: Swine flu update from OSHE and Health and Human Services/ Federal Occupational Health

Greetings all,
I just received this swine flu update from Peggy and I wanted to send you the update for your use in preparing for a possible serious problem in this country.  The HHS update below does not give details on where the current problem locations are, but that information will likely change rapidly over the next few days.  I recommend that you check your local news regularly to find out how serious the virus has become in your area.  Don't wait for the Government to fix this problem any time soon because I don't think pandemic prevention is covered in the gazillion dollar stimulus package.  For now, there are some actions you can take to minimize your exposure to this threat.  They are:

1)  Check with your doctor to see if you can get a prescription for the anti-virus drugs "Tamiflu" or "Relenza".  Try to beat the rush before they run out of this stuff.

2)  If you must be in crowds in a confined risk area, wear a protective dust mask.  The best kind to use is an "N95" style that has an exhale valve to make it more comfortable for extended use.  I always keep these in my workshop for use when I create mountains of sawdust.  You should be able to find them at Lowe's or Home Depot.  I order mine from Gempler's.

Good luck, and stay healthy!

Steve

From Steve's wife Peggy:

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Peggy xxxxxxxxxx
To: "Steve xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 9:51:23 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: FW: Swine flu update from OSHE and Health and Human Services/ Federal Occupational Health

FYI


From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 4:21 PM
To: ALL FEMA EMPLOYEES A-G; ALL FEMA EMPLOYEES H-O; ALL FEMA EMPLOYEES P-Z
Subject: Swine flu update from OSHE and Health and Human Services/ Federal Occupational Health

OSHE would like to share with you a status update provided by our partners Health and Human Services/ Federal Occupational Health on the Swine Flu incident.
If you have additional questions or require assistance with this matter please contact the FEMA OSHE at FEMA-Safety-Health-ENV-DIV@fema.gov or 202-646-4213.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Federal Occupational Health
FOH SWINE FLU UPDATE – APRIL 28, 2009

Outbreaks of a novel strain of swine flu have been detected in humans in several states in the United States as well as Mexico and possibly other countries prompting the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to declare a Public Health Emergency. The formal declaration of a Public Health Emergency (PHE) is a tool that facilitates HHS' preparation and mobilization for disasters and emergencies. For example, PHEs were recently declared for flooding in North Dakota, the Inauguration, and several 2008 hurricanes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with the World Health Organization (WHO) are diligently investigating the outbreaks in various states and internationally to better understand the disease and its transmission. Federal Occupational Health (FOH) medical experts have been closely following developments of the swine flu outbreak and provide this brief summary of highlights of information released by public health officials:



What Do We Know?

·         The swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza among pigs.

·         Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, human infections with swine flu do occur mostly after direct contact with infected animals, and cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses have been documented.

·         Symptoms of swine flu are nearly identical to that of regular seasonal flu – fever, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, and occasionally vomiting and diarrhea.

·         The current swine flu virus is susceptible to two known commercially available antiviral drugs (Tamiflu and Relenza).

·         As a result of the intensive investigation and monitoring by CDC and WHO, expect the numbers of cases identified to increase.

·         Cases in the United States have been relatively mild (with no deaths compared to those in Mexico) but the reason for this difference is not clear.

·         As more cases are identified, you can expect that the severity of illness may also increase.

·         Because it is so new, there is no vaccine against this swine flu and this past year's flu vaccine does not appear to provide protection against this strain.

·         The CDC is taking initial steps to begin the development of a vaccine against this strain, but a decision to do so has not been made yet. If/when that is done, it will take 4-6 months for it to become available.

·         The swine flu virus is spread from person-to-person like other flu viruses through coughing and sneezing by people infected with the virus. The virus is NOT spread by eating pork meat or products.

·         Identification as a swine flu influenza A virus requires sending a respiratory specimen to CDC for special laboratory testing.



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Federal Occupational Health

What Should Employers Do?

·         Review and update your pandemic plans as necessary.

·         Keep your employees informed of where they can obtain agency-specific updates.

·         Encourage employees to stay home if they are sick to avoid spreading influenza and other germs.



What Can Employees Do?

There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

·         Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

·         Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

·         Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are spread this way.

·         Avoid close contact with sick people.

·         If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

·         Keep informed about agency-specific updates.

·         If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, contact your health care provider. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.



How Can FOH Help?

·         FOH medical consultants will follow daily updates from the CDC and other public health authorities and keep you informed of the latest updates by posting information on its website and/or sending you briefing as necessary.

·         Occupational health professionals are available on a consultative basis to assess agency risk and provide recommendations.

·         FOH health unit staff and EAP counselors are available to answer individual employee questions and concerns.

·         FOH HEALTH CENTERS DO NOT STOCK ANY ANTIVIRALS AND ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO DIAGNOSE OR TREAT SWINE FLU OR SEASONAL INFLUENZA. Nurses are not licensed to dispense these medications. Employees with signs or symptoms of influenza will be referred to their health care provider for evaluation and treatment.

Additional Resources:

For more detailed information on swine flu and updated information from the CDC go to: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/whatsnew.htm

Further information on international cases may be found from the World Health Organization at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html


FEMA Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (OSHE) is currently working with FOH to ensure employee protection. If you have additional questions or require assistance with this matter please contact the FEMA OSHE at FEMA-Safety-Health-ENV-DIV@fema.gov or 202-646-4213.

[skip68]

Both of my kids were sent home with flyers from the school, regarding the flu today. My son said at his middle school some kids were wearing masks........

Mrs.Skip68

[69bronzeT5]

It's apperentley in my town now.

[skip68]

It's apperentley in my town now.

"Don't kiss any Piggy's,  Cody!!!!" 

Mrs.Skip68

[mikepmcs]

If you do, make sure they are under 250 and don't let em sit on your hood. 

[69bronzeT5]

Don't plan on it

[NHCharger]

Cody. This news story should make you feel a little better.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-swine-reality30-2009apr30,0,3606923.story

I was joking at work today that with all the pigs I poked in my younger days I should be immune to this. One of my carpenter's replied, "well then I'm all set if we ever get the sheep flu".

[mopar_nut_440_6]

My ex wife just got back from Mexico and her husband has swine flu. First care in Prince George. They are at home and recovering but are quarantined !

[bigred68]

I cannot emphasis how much I love this pic!!! By the  way I've got the Ti eoneon flu!!
Did ya know, Kermit is the only one that can get Swine flu from a pig!!

[Todd Wilson]

If you do, make sure they are under 250 and don't let em sit on your hood. 

Or your face!   


Todd

[Old Moparz]

.

[moparstuart]

Okay this is bad but....



It was once said that a Black man would be President "when pigs fly".  Indeed 100 days into Obama's Presidency......Swine flu!