Saturday, July 11, 2009

Something to *SWINE* about




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. 

2 comments:

D.K. Raed said...

It will be back "dead" center on the radar screen this fall/winter when flu season begins in earnest.

I 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.

Fran said...

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.

I 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!