Pandemic Imminent

I love that washing your hands to prevent illness seems like some new concept. Please. Thats why I don't eat from salad bars, buffets or shit like that. People are ignorant and nasty. And the swine flu is hurting mexicans so badly because the environment there sucks. Mexico city is a smog, disease, and outbreak factory. They have suppressed immune systems down there, badly. Its like every 3 years we have to scare the shit out of ourselves.

Completely agree with you...and Biden's comments this morning aren't going to help at all.

True, but they are smart to take it seriously. The fear about this versus regular flu is that there is a vaccine for "regular" flu and there is not for this. And the swine flu - while apparently pretty treatable now - could mutate and get more deadly. they need to contain the shit ASAP so we don't need to worry about finding out whether it gets worse on not. But I agree with you overall, just splitting hairs a little.

What?! 36,000 dead?! Quick! Set your hair on fire and run in circles! I read on the internet that 36,000 babies died in Texas from eating hot dogs!

Last pandemic was in 1968. (1 million dead, 1918 was 50 million dead). Its funny how countries are trying to rename it because consumption of pork is dropping. People are so stupid. @Ladies...the only reason this is not in the vaccine is that it is not one of the common flus. if it sticks around, it will be part of the vaccine load, although it is probably too late for the 2009-2010 vaccine production run. Flu typically kills 250k to 500k people per year.

Mad Cow SARS West Nile Bird Flu and don't forget the random Salmonella and E. Coli outbreaks... Don't forget all those wiped out half the earths population too... Its just the freaking flu... I hate the media...

It's not just the media's fault. We're to blame for the media, because they simply sell what the majority of people want. I believe that the WHO's focus on issuing things like a pandemic warning is so we prevent tens of thousands of people from dying. Those deaths would be preventable by educating people of the risks and reminding them about simple things like proper handwashing techniques and covering when coughing. The other option is to let it spread and hope that it doesn't mutate into something with a higher mortality rate. And a hope and a prayer is great public policy, right? (that's snarky than I mean it to be, but I can't word it without sounding douchy. Stupid inflectionless text.)

@Northern...you are right. We have one dead kid in TX who came to the US from Mexico City. But the press will have us thinking people are dropping like flies. The word does need to get out. Wash your fucking hands. Quit hacking on other people.

I was under the impression that it was raised to level 5 yesterday... SC