My weekly rant-- THE SWINE FLU UPDATE
3344 New Swine Flu cases this week
41 Additional Deaths
Total Confirmed cases: 37,246
Total Deaths: 211
I realize I have been relentless about reporting these updates.
The media AND the Government have dropped the ball.
I received an H1N1 (Swine) flu update e mail from the government.
It had a link to flu.gov
Quote " In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with H1N1 (swine) flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 (swine) flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions."
IN THE PAST?????
41 people died THIS WEEK!
I know they have to walk a fine line, so as to not create hysteria, but things have gone too far in the other direction. The CDC reports updates once a week.
The public is being told the focus is on a vaccine for the fall flu season, but people need to keep on top of it now.
Workplace conversation:
Co Worker: You seem to be hitting that hand sanitizer pretty hard......
Me: 40 people a week are dying from Swine Flu in the US.
Co Worker: What???
Where did you get that information?
Me: From the Center for Disease Control website.
Co Worker: Why are we not hearing about this in the news???
Me: Michael Jackson?
Co Worker: Ugh!
Me: I figure if I am touching door handles in this workplace with so many people, I should dose my hands. Besides, co workers are taking cruises to Mexico.... I'm concerned they can be bringing Swine flu back with them.
Co Worker: ** Takes a dose of hand sanitizer from her desktop bottle.**
So there you have it. It's hard to report on this topic with interesting & creative flare. It's a bummer and the death toll numbers are a dirge. But dammit.... people need to be aware &
hell~ hitting the hand sanitizer can't hurt.
By the way.... hand sanitizer, to be effective needs to be 62% alcohol.
You don't have to buy the brand name stuff- generic is fine- as long as it's 62% alcohol.
Sorry Purell.... but people don't need to pay twice as much for the brand name.
It will be back "dead" center on the radar screen this fall/winter when flu season begins in earnest.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere the vaccine they are working on may not be available until very late in the season and by then the virus will probably have mutated again. The doctors & ER's are all gearing up for a bad season.
This may be the first year I get a flu shot ... assuming they produce enough (there have been years in the past where they ran out & you couldn't get one unless you were a person "at risk").
Keep that hand sanitizer flowing!
And stock up on alcohol wipes!
This is not nearly over.
DK~ Right now, they already have one mutated strain that does not respond to Tamiflu. So the mutation concept is not just theoretical-- it's already happening.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those *at risk* people.... so it is a concern.
A late arriving vaccine can be just as bad as not having one. The pressure is on for them to figure out a vaccine that covers the existing variations already out there.
Still 40 people a week dying from the Swine flu is more than the number of US soldier casualties in Afghanistan. Damn!