Swine Flu/N1H1...A Big Deal-Or Not?

I think that the media has the tone about right. It appears that this flu will infect a lot of people but that its kill rate is about the same as normal flu. We should be grateful, as there was a reasonable chance that it would mutate into a more deadly form over the summer.

Some sanity seems to have gained ground with the public health people, them at during the spring advising that schools be closed if even one confirmed case is found. Now schools will stay open.

I had CPR training last week RJB...I spoke with the nurse who worked for the health department. She said flu is flu - no matter what strand it is. She said the same thing applies for Swine flu as it does regular flu. It affects the very young, and the very old...basically those who have less ability to fight disease. But the Swine flu apparently is no worse than the regular flu - according to her.

Common sense things like washing your hands (don't forget your thumbs) often and covering your cough with the inside of your elbow help greatly. Also getting the flu shot. You have to get the regular flu which has three strands that they predict will be most rampant and then also the Swine Flu shot if you are wanting to be covered there.

She also said the best time to get the shot was late October and early November which makes the shot it's most effective during the months the flu is the worst. As each month goes by the protection the shot gives becomes weaker and weaker.

It is going to be a rough winter I expect for every kind of flu. I would do whatever you can to protect yourself...I know I plan to.

I read a report of some Presidential Advisory Council that said it was PLAUSIBLE that 30%-50% of us could catch the flu. That is about twice what is seen in a normal flu season. Most of those cases would be mild or moderate.
What is troubling to me (with absolutely no medical background) is the notion that this strain of flu is, perhaps, potentially hitting young people particularly hard. The pediatric care systems in most hospitals, if it comes to that, are not geared up to that scale of a surge in admissions.

I would stop using all anti-bacterial soap/products; stop using any hand sanitizer; only wash your hands after using the bathroom; eat healthy; and exercise.

Exercise will make your body strong and able to fight off disease. Eating right will make sure your immune system is strong. And laying off all the anti-bacterial stuff will make sure you immune system has something to do; and you'll be less likely to get sick year round.

I've been off anti-bacterial soaps for almost 5 years and have been doing the other stuff about as long; I've never had a flu shot; and I haven't caught the flu once during that timeframe. And I can remember getting a cold only once.

Well - I guess that is possible that more could be catching it. And it seems to have started so early...300 kids were out from the middle school yesterday...that is unprecidented this time of year I heard. I also heard that the Dr.'s offices have waiting lists there re so many with different types of illness...not just the flu. Seems to be pnuemonia, and some kind of fever virus as well. But most around here seem to be taking it pretty much in stride. I have seen no panic or plans to shut down schools.

I have not been watching TV though. I read a bit here and there so the media does not impact me quite as much. It seems to me the talking heads do cause things to be a bit more impressive than they really are when they drone on and on about things.

In its present form it's not a big deal. But if it mutates into a lethal form, then it could be a very big deal.

I suppose the same could be said for almost any flu, but I believe this strain has a higher probability of mutating into a more lethal form than common influenza does (although I'm not sure how much higher the probability is).

There are a couple differences between N1H1 and other influenza viruses. First, "normal" flu usually hits in late winter/spring affecting mostly those who are somehow immuno-compromised (very young, very old, other immuno deficiencies). This flu is hitting those groups as well as healthy teens and young adults. This is probably due to some similarities between N1H1 and other influenza viruses that most adults have come in contact with over their lifetimes giving them some immunity. The other difference is the pandemic nature of N1H1. Most flu epidemics wind down during the summertime. This little bugger has been thriving and spreading throughout the southern hemisphere all winter (our summer) and is still going strong ready to venture back north when the weather cools, people start staying indoors, and general health takes a downturn.

I completely agree with maporsche about eschewing anti-bacterial soaps. It's getting harder to find hand soaps that don't contain antibiotics but those soaps aren't doing us any favors. The best protection against illness is a strong immune system. Anti-bacterial soaps kill of much of what our body produces to protect ourselves as well as prevent us from keeping our immune systems strong by working to protect us from every day exposures.

I can't source this as being true, but...
University of Virginia students arrived back in Charlottesville in force last weekend. A few thousand of the 16K arrived in the week of so before that.
I am told that there are about 60 cases, confirmed or suspected, of swine flu (SF) already.
Anyone entering the Student Health complex, for whatever reason, must don the face mask.

I recently visited my clinic doc who told me (and gave me the regular flu shot) that the swine flu was minimal risk for us elderly people.

I heard that also, Dys, provided we are in relatively good health. We have apparently gotten some degree of immunity due to flu viruses that swirled around earlier in our lives. Younger, much younger adults and children don't have that.

Both the CDC and (for international) WHO in Geneva have collected morbidity / mortality statistics for the H1N1 virus. Most at risk are fat people of middle years (ie neither very young nor very old) especially if they also have obesity-related conditions like sleep apnea, diabetes, heart disease, hormone-linked tumors, and so on. This is the first flu virus on record for which BMI > 25 comes up in spectral analysis as a major risk factor by itself, even in the absence of any other underlying conditions. As of right now nobody knows if the too-young and the too-old are at low risk because they tend to be thin or for some other reason: acquired immunity from old flu viruses would account for lower morbidity among the older ones, but not the very young. Lastly, it's a very stable virus - no mutations have been observed since it was first indentified.

An article in our paper said that employers could expect up to 40% of their staff being absent during the peak of flu season.

Mr. B and I were speculating on the economic impact should the peak hit near the holidays. It could be pretty disastrous for the travel and retail industries.

Sounds like nature has found a cure for mankind's obesity problem.

Seriously, mother nature can do some nasty ****, especially when humans start ******* with the world.

Porsche - in this country we have the politically correct "fat bias" brigade threatening the CDC statisticians and anyone else with actual epidemiological statistics - even WHO in Geneva has had to edit its wording from "grossly obese" to "other underlying medical condition"! For some reason the Canadians don't suffer from PC mania, so they've already placed the obese on top of their list for getting vaccinated for H1N1:

Yeah, we're a bunch of pansies.

I know it, Porsche.... This guy who bravely said the truth at the CDC has been getting hate mail:

Maybe the H1N1 will help bring down healthcare costs?

Obesity related illness is one of the costliest and most rapidly rising expendetures out there. Maybe a few cycles of H1N1 flu, and unfortunately a few thousand dead/ill fat people will make my health insurance premiums more affordable.

It might even start a revolution of people who actually really try to lose weight and get down to simply 'obese' from 'morbidly obese', or god forbid, down to simply 'over-weight'.

In England they've been having "flu parties" where one person at least has the H1N1 virus and all other guests come over in hopes of catching it. Their surgeon general said that's not ".. a good idea" - he's obviously never been on a diet, people do tend to get desperate about losing weight.

Well, back to the old death panel, then. There's lots of ways to reduce health care.