Swine Flu

[nintendodork]

I'm surprised no one beat me to the punch on this.

What are your thoughts?


I say the media has blown this out of proportion, like it does many things.

There are under 800 cases worldwide

The regular flu kills over 30,000 people a year


Blah

[nurd]

Cars kill more people than swine flu.

[son_ov_hades]

Don't ride in a plane, train, or automobile.

[LocalToast]

Until everybody is infected and I start seeing what looks like Left 4 Dead in real life, I'm not concerned.

[ericj]

The regular flu kills over 30,000 people a year

Actually, the CDC says it's 36,000 deaths per year from influenza, but the number isn't really valid because none of the cases are confirmed because influenza isn't listed on death certificates and influenza testing isn't performed on most patients. 36K was an estimate derived by the CDC in 2003 using statistical modeling. Before this, the number of annual deaths attributed to the flu was at 20,000. Their estimate is probably pretty close to accurate, but unfortunately it's commonplace for people to throw around numbers they don't fully understand, especially the news media.

http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r030107.htm

[manuel]

I say the media has blown this out of proportion, like it does many things.

This is exactly what I think.
Media need some shocking news to earn some money and attention again.

[Blue Protoman]

I'm not worried.  Coincidentally, my entire family (including me) got fevers right when this started.  But me and my dad are better, and my mom and brother are recovering.

[133MHz]

Luckily I live in one of the few places where swine flu hasn't been reported.

[Blue Protoman]

Swine flu is not currently on Long Island.  It is in Queens, though.

[nintendodork]

No cases have been reported in Iowa, or any of the neighboring states as far as I know, but then again, I don't really care
Our school gave us these little papers to take home that told the symptoms of the swine flu and how to properly care for it....

It's same as the one we got during flu season..but with swine flu added in the title

[ericj]

I think one of the funniest things about the swine flu is how people are wearing the N95 masks thinking that they're protecting themselves from being infected. Those masks are to prevent the wearer from infecting others. Sometimes I wonder if people can really think anymore. 

[JC]

Are you sure about that? I thought they worked both ways. They're usually marketed as helping protect the wearer from contracting the flu, etc.

[133MHz]

Yeah, N95s rule. Surgical masks OTOH only work as ericj said.

[Blue Protoman]

Oops, swine flu just reached Islip.  Now I'm slightly ocncerned.  Slightly.

[Lorfarius]

Media madness as always. Be glad when it's all over.