5 ms·
OK, it’s a pandemic. Now what?
- bcl 18y agoI see no reason to be overly concerned. Its mortality rate is low (according to WHO figures, not the crap the media is publishing) and the infection level is still low. All Pandemic means is that it is now present in multiple countries. Some of these reporters are acting like its Captain Trips or something. We have a flu pandemic every year, this one is just a little different so far. I'm going to wait for some real evidence before I start duct-taping the doors and windows closed.
- Brushfire 18y agoI think this will be worse than normal flu season, mainly because this is a newer strain that people arent inoculated against. However, I don't think it will reach anywhere near disaster levels. Annoyance levels? Yes. I'm already redirecting travel away from Mexico, and thousands of other people are too. I heard from someone who works for a large important hospital that they are preparing for the worst, however, especially on Mexican border states like Texas and Southern Cal. They think a lot more people are infected than being reported becuase of widespread fear of quarantine / lack of money in the poorer districts of Mexico.
- rjurney 17y agoYou think that. I hope that. But neither of us really know. The point is that a new flu variant can mutate rapidly when it crosses species. If swine flu chills out and remains as is, everything will indeed be ok. If it mutates and gets worse, we are so screwed. The danger is that there is a rapidly spreading flu strain that is much more likely than normal to rapidly increase its mortality rate. So... fingers crossed. We should be ok. If not, there's not much anyone can do about it.
- menloparkbum 18y agoHow is it determined that someone has this new flu, vs. just a standard flu, or something else? Whenever I've had flu like symptoms, it's always been a clinical diagnosis.
- timr 17y agoThey test for the strain of virus itself. That most likely means either an antibody-based test, or a PCR-based test, but I don't know the particular protocol being used. In any case, it's not something that's going to be done in your doctor's office -- or even at your everyday medical testing lab. Probably only a handful of virology centers can do the work.
- menloparkbum 17y agoThanks. I was curious because I've never had an actual test for the flu. However, I have had a PCR test for hepatitis after a bout of food poisoning. My HMO got back to me pretty quick with that test, so I'm guessing whatever lab they use has the necessary gear. Thus, I was curious as to whether or not my HMO could quickly retool its testing center with the right equipment to test for this flu virus. I did a bit more research and it does look like the swine flu test is PCR based. However, it looks like there's only one vendor for this particular test. Indeed it does look like samples must be shipped out to labs which have the right equipment.
- inerte 17y agoI am saying to friends that the swine flu is like the normal one, you have fever, headaches, sore throat, but one week later, you die. And it's plausible description: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/parents.htm http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/parents.htm What I don't know is if the swine flu has stronger symptoms. For example, more headache than you normally had with flu, or coughing more, etc... To me, so far from what I've read, you have a flu, then you're dead. Wish I knew if there was a couple things to look for, that would really raise the alarm. But if the influenza really spreads, like dozens of people here in São Paulo are diagnosed, one sneeze and off I go to the hospital.