04-30-2009, 03:21 PM | #21 |
Jack Burton
Join Date: May 31, 2002
Location: Ireland
Posts: 5,854
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
I have found that if you explain to people how the swine flu came about, they are less afraid of it. Animals generally cannot infect us when they have a flu virus, because the virus is not designed to attack our systems, it is designed to attack theirs. It's like a windows virus on a Mac computer - it doesn't know what to do.
At some point, god knows how, some farmer or whatever in Mexico (apparently) suddenly caught the flu from a pig. His immune system may have been compromised at the time, or possibly he was never really exposed to flu virii and had no good antibodies in his system to combat it, but regardless, he caught the flu from this piggy. It morphed, it adapted, it mutated in order to make itself survive and live in his body. He probably just thought he caught one of the other hundred strains of flu but this one spread quickly because it's new. He is most likely still around to tell the tale and is all better now, but perhaps wouldn't realize he was the first case (first case in this recent media frenzy anyways) because the symptoms are the same, and it is dealt with in the same way because, like I said, it's just the flu! This particular strain of swine flu (and there are more than one strains of swine) has elements of human, bird and swine in it, so there is sepculation that a pig ate either the remains of an infected bird, or its refuse. Pigs live in dirt anywho, so it's very likely. Anyways, don't panic if you happen to get sick, do as you usually would and get some bedrest. I already helped treat someone with it earlier this week and they got over it already.
__________________
Still I feel like a child when I look at the moon, maybe I grew up a little too soon... |
04-30-2009, 04:48 PM | #22 | |
Iron Throne Cult
Join Date: January 2, 2003
Location: Big Castle in the Sky
Age: 36
Posts: 4,835
|
Re: Now in New Zealand
Quote:
I think the last confirmed case of Swine Flu was back in... 1918? Quite alot of people died then, but we have come quite a way as medical science goes and just as people being clean in general. I think it'll be contained before worse comes to worse. |
|
04-30-2009, 04:49 PM | #23 | |
Iron Throne Cult
Join Date: January 2, 2003
Location: Big Castle in the Sky
Age: 36
Posts: 4,835
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
Quote:
|
|
04-30-2009, 05:00 PM | #24 |
Ironworks Moderator
Join Date: February 28, 2001
Location: Boston/Sydney
Posts: 11,771
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
Same - I have a friend in NYC who came down with it, he's over it now.
|
04-30-2009, 08:10 PM | #25 |
Jack Burton
Join Date: May 16, 2003
Location: Dartmouth, NS Canada
Age: 58
Posts: 5,634
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
My wife has a stomach virus since coming back from Cancun. Nobody wants to be near her now. It's a little ridiculous. She was cleared by a doc and given antibiotics.
I told her take a few days off work, since nobody wants her there anyway.
__________________
A MAN WHO WANTS FOR NOTHING HAS INFINITE WEALTH. (me) |
04-30-2009, 08:31 PM | #26 |
Jack Burton
Join Date: May 31, 2002
Location: Ireland
Posts: 5,854
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
I think and suspect, that the reason why the above information is not explained by the mass media, or by the surgeon general's office in a comprehensive manner that leaves no doubt as to how dangerous swine flu is, is because this outbreak really helps business. As an example, just by looking around the store today, I noticed that all those GermX hand-sanitizers are all sold out in Walmart, and I noticed they have actually created shelves dedicated to flu meds that stick out of the medical/pharmaceutical isles. These little shelves were half empty today.
Bottom line is this is good for business, and in an ailing economy, for there to be high demand for certain products is an added bonus. So no-one is gonna educate the public about the facts, but they will (like Sanjay Gupta did) skirt around the issue, citing the worst-case scenarios to inspire fear in people. Fear is a big seller. It makes us buy burglar alarms and life insurance and more recently, gas-masks and duct-tape to protect from terrorists. No good businessman is gonna set a customer straight and enlighten them with the truth if it costs them said customer. And this, is the dirty truth where we get to seperate the people from the swines.
__________________
Still I feel like a child when I look at the moon, maybe I grew up a little too soon... |
05-01-2009, 07:10 AM | #27 |
Elminster
Join Date: April 15, 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 451
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
Apparently no confirmed cases over here so far. SpiritWarrior, I have a feeling you are right. Media sucks sometimes.
Anyway, hope everybody is ok and not coming down with any form of flu. |
05-01-2009, 10:19 AM | #28 |
40th Level Warrior
Join Date: October 29, 2001
Location: Western Wilds of Michigan
Posts: 11,752
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
Thanks for the excellent brief explanation, SW!
__________________
*B* Save Early, Save Often Save Before, Save After Two-Star General, Spelling Soldiers -+-+-+ Give 'em a hug one more time. It might be the last. |
05-03-2009, 12:34 AM | #29 |
Ironworks Atomic Moderator
Join Date: January 7, 2001
Location: Virginia, U.S.A.
Age: 57
Posts: 9,005
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
So can I catch the swine flu if I eat pork?
j/k I myself am not really THAT worried about this flu. Of course, ever since I got this absolutely horrible flu about 15 years ago, I've been a chronic handwasher. I wash my hands every time I get home, from wherever. Basically if I got out anywhere, when I return I wash my hands first thing. When the Fedex/UPS guy comes every day at my work, and I have to sign for our package using that special pen thingy that a million people have used, I wash my hands afterwards. I always am aware of what I touch, and how many people may have touched the same thing, and I try not to touch my face in any way (mouth, nose, eyes). We have a public bathroom in the hallway where I work, and before I leave the bathroom I wash my hands, and use the paper towel I dried my hands on to open up the door to exit the bathroom, and also to re-enter my office. I went 8 years straight once without catching one cold or flu. Unfortunately an intern using the copier a lot got me and ruined my 9th year LOL. Of course nothing is totally foolproof, but I'm really hoping my handwashing skills will keep me from getting sick. The media really needs to turn it down a notch too with all the "pandemic" reports. It is just scaring people and things aren't that bad yet, and they may not ever get that bad. Let's just wait and see, I say, before we freak out. |
05-18-2009, 12:44 AM | #30 | |
Very Mad Bird
Join Date: January 7, 2001
Location: Breukelen (over the river from New Amsterdam)
Age: 52
Posts: 9,246
|
Re: Now in New Zealand [Swine Flu]
Quote:
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
We don't do that in New Zealand... | Bungleau | General Discussion | 7 | 05-24-2008 05:31 PM |
New Zealand declares National Lamb Day | Bungleau | General Discussion | 8 | 01-29-2007 04:10 PM |
How do you celebrate the holidays in Australia/New Zealand? | Ilander | General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) | 17 | 12-14-2004 04:33 AM |
Where's New Zealand? | Downunda | General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) | 66 | 04-15-2002 08:18 AM |
I didn't know guys had this problem in New Zealand | MILAMBER | General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) | 14 | 03-01-2002 06:26 AM |