Swine flu is now a pandemic. Should you be worried?
Filed under: Health
The markets responded last week to the outbreak of swine flu that started in Mexico and expanded to the U.S and now it is officially a pandemic.
Swine flu has reached 74 countries, infecting nearly 29,000 people and now has been declared unstoppable. Experts are watching the Southern Hemisphere to see what the incidence will be this summer, yet, to date, the spread has not slowed.
What is amazing to me is how complacent and unconcerned most folks are. They report to me that people die every year of the flu, what is the big deal? I have heard a least a dozen people say the media has overblown the whole thing to which I reply, "No, they haven't."
This flu is particularly worrisome. It is a combination of avian, swine and human flu that has mutated to become contagious between people. This combination has not happened before and we do not have resistance to it.
You see, most of us have had the flu many, many times. And while flu viruses are experts at mutating and changing, they usually have some characteristics of previous flu viruses. That is why healthy adults are at low risk for problems when the flu makes the rounds; they have probably had a similar virus in the past and they will get a much milder case.
But when you have a totally new virus, it will attack young and old, healthy and sick, with similar vengeance. That is what happened in 1918 and what the CDC worries may happen again.
What can you do? Of course the basics: good hand washing, stay away from crowded places, and stay healthy. There is also a recent study that taking Vitamin D may be a factor in avoiding the flu. If there is a vaccine next fall, it will be the year to get the shot.
Barbara Bartlein, RN, MSW, is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-15-2009 @ 4:46PM
Klaus said...
I am quite worried! Deaths used to be infrequent, now there's more and more people dying every day from the swine flu. At least, that's what I noticed on FluCount.org but see for yourself if you're not worried yet. you will be.
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 4:47PM
Klaus said...
I just checked http://www.FluCount.org again and there were 5 more deaths today alone! WTF!!
Reply
7-24-2009 @ 2:05PM
Phnepsilon said...
Who has declared it unstoppable? Mathematically speaking, it has an upper limit of the sum of that which can be infected. In other words, when life runs out it runs out. Well, unless it mutates to be able to subsist entirely on itself... but that's kinda creepy and probably sinful.
But why would it be able to progress that far? The Beef Industry would never allow that to happen. They'd almost certainly intervene. Which is kind of ironic, really; the Industry that started this whole mess steps in and saves the day. It would be especially tasty if they used their increased profits to pay for the vaccines.
What would The Anilluminati be if they didn't have the Disilluminated to control?
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