Flu or a State of Fear

A couple of years back we were all going to die of Bird Flu - H5N1

This year we're all going to die from Swine Flu H1N1

What next Lizard Flu H7N6 or is this all just a ploy to keep the populus running scared?

It's just the press like it because it distracts us from a failing (failed?) economy.....

[fizzwheel]

What every it is, I would wager than any useful or factual information will get lost amongst the sensationalism and scaremongering that the media report.

The media have a lot to answer for. A minor outbreak has n ow turned into a global panic. Still, if we all die they can say I told you so.

[Paul the 6th]

Tomato flu is next...

Then Russian foot... Anywho, what happened to SARS?

(no, tomato flu and Russian foot aren't actually diseases, I just made them up )

H5N1 (bird flu) is treatable with Tamiflu or Relenza.

H1N1 (swine flu) is treatable with Tamiflu or Relenza.

There has been a few pandemics of H1N1 in the past, but the Americans managed to vaccinate 40million people in 11 days back in 1976.

It's just a matter of continuing good hygine, being mindful that getting "man flu" could be a little more serious, and carrying on with life whilst ignoring the media hype.

Sensationalism by the media, yes people in this country have caught it but they are all making good recoveries (I believe). Might be a problem if you're living in poverty, on a poor diet, with no health care. Outbreaks of this sort have the worst effect in poor, under-developed countries.

bird flu isnt as easily contractable than swine flu i believe. this rascal is airborne and therefore tres difficult to contain. watching the various tv reports on it the difference between BBC and ITV's coverage has been quite remarkable. monday nite the BBC were quite restrained, still lead story, but explaining how its caught where it is thought to have centred from etc etc. switch to ITV with graphics and a man shouting how its going to be a pandemic was truly impressive!

from what i've read and watched, this is a different to the bird flu we were all going to die of recently. i suspect it'll kill more people than Sars did, but as has been mentioned my guess would be it will be in deprived countries, those without decent health care would be most at risk.

that said, i (geniunely) just sneezed. this will be my last post.

[Paul the 6th]

so is it just like normal flu? I've had a seriously bad stomach for the past few days (without going into too much detail) and I feel like I've got a phase 4 man cold going on...

Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people get diarrhea and vomiting too.