Avian Flu

i have noticed, every year before ' flu shot' season there is a rumor of some deadly flu virus going around. Sometimes largly publicised, sometimes not

yet

nothing ever happens?

Ok conspiracy theory freak in me wonders how much ideas like that effect the profit margin of flu shots? I mean, if everyone is so scared, they will get it wether or not they usualy do , in hopes to stay away from a deadly disease.

maybe.. im paranoid?

Actually, I've been hearing about the avian flu for a few years, but it's been contained in Asia, I forget which country.

They haven't yet developed a vacine for this flu, probably won't be ready for use until 2008.

Pandemics have happened before, and not that far back in the future, frankly, considering how easy it is to travel from country to country now, I'm surprised the world hasn't been hit already

I do get a flu shot every year, I don't want to waste a month feeling like I'm dying, or dragging around while I'm recovering.

It takes at least a month to get over a flu virus, and depending on your health, can kill you.

I might be paranoid in the other direction, about getting it, but in this case better safe than sorry.

I'd rather be one of the people telling my great grandchildren how people were dropping like flies back at the turn of the century.

I'm just not a risk taker when it comes to contagious diseases of any kind.

I too have been reading about "Bird flu" pandemic possibilities from the World Health Organization & CDC for at least a couple of years now. Some of these articles are stated in rather fearful terms, considering the sources.

Apparently Asia is where swine and avian viruses mutate to become contagious to humans, and many, many birds have died (a few number of people) from the latest viral version. I think I read this had spread to birds in Europe.

Well I won't be doing the paper-towel thing due to dorkiness... BUT, Chai Tea, if you think you're in an area where viruses might be present, do not put your hands above your shoulders (touching your face can infect you, with all those mucous openings), and wash your hands frequently. Those anti-bacterial hand wipes work too.

Skin openings, even minor injuries, can allow viral entry. Should be covered if you're afraid of infection. It's surprising how well your bare skin protects you from infection, as long as you have no (open to the air) injuries.

From what I understand of facial masks, the opening must create a perfect seal, which is surprisingly difficult to do, and the filter must filter out those itty bitty viruses, which I believe means they're pretty expensive.

But I could be out-of-date on these bits of info, so correct me if I'm wrong!

I've gotten, I think, 1 flu shot in my life. Got the flu last year and was sick for a month. It was awful!

Also got it 3 years ago, which was even worse, with me & Fuzzband both being so ill for a couple of days we were confined to bed. The worst news is, all of this suffering doesn't even confer future immunity!

Flu can be pandemic and deadly, or possibly change again on the way. I'm afraid of this one too, and have been following it. I'm not as far away from 1918 as I could wish, so I know it was horrible not so much from my family as that it was mentioned more when I was in bacti classes.

The melieu of pigs and chickens and humans in close proximity in some parts of rural china has, I gather, been a crossing point. As china modernizes - well, I hope there is more separation.

In the meantime I am more chary of germfright than I am of decimation by bird flu, but the race is getting more even.

Good reality check, BorisKitten. I'm still remembering the rush-to-market swine flu vaccine, which turned out to be worse than the disease.

I am amazed that the HIV hasn't mutated to the point where it can be passed by casual contact. It's already shown its ability to mutate rapidly.

Acutally, me too. That's one of those things I have to TRY not to think about.

I've been thinking for Years now that we're due for a pandemic, esp given living conditions & lack of medical help in places like India, for instance, or parts of China (apologies to posters in these areas, I don't mean to pick on you!)

Frankly I expect a pandemic within my lifetime... that is, if I'm lucky enough to live so long.

Last big (airborne) viral killer was, as far as I know, (as Osso stated) during WWI, around 1918.

We are long overdue. But fear won't do a darned thing for us. May as well worry about being run over by a large truck.

I was walking out of the grocery store earlier this week and there were three old-timers gathered around a pickup truck. One of them said "Don't worry about no damn terrorists. There's something else comin. Gonna kill 200 million Americans."

One of the other guys said, "Oh yeah, Bruce. And what might that be?"

For dramatic effect Bruce paused momentarily, spit a load of chewing tobacco onto the ground, then said, "Chicken Flu."

I desperately wanted to hear the rest of the conversation, but a passing truck drowned most of it out and I had to keep walking, so as to not appear nosy.

Yeah, but prolly gonna die of that "Chawin Terbaccy" long before that there Chicken Flu done gits 'round.





Cripes, Gus, work on your accent! I know you can do better than that!

Work on my accent? What does that mean?

All participants in the story were normal-speaking human beings. This wasn't something out of Tobacco Road.

You got "normal-speaking human beings" where you're at? I can't find none aroun' here!

I must say one of my Points of Pride is that I can actually fool locals into thinking I'm a local, so accustomed am I to the Rural Florida accent. Has a certain Annoying, Idiotic Charm... but that's OT, a big no-no..... slinking off....

The area where I live has had a personal experience with Avian Flu. Back in 2004, we had a major outbreak that was reported in the news for some weeks.

Thousands of birds were killed to stop the spread of the disease. Nobody's really sure what started it, but I'm convinced that wild bird populations have a role to play in there somewhere.

It's only now that farmers are slowly trying to re-build their businesses.



Info here[/color] and here[/color].

Part of my old self, one of those skins I sloughed off, belonged at the cdc. I was primed by Sinclair Lewis's Arrowsmith, at, what, sixteen. Ah, well.

Always tuned in here, but I'm not privy to med journals, so really, I am way behind.

Hey BorisK -

I ALREADY use paper towels to open doors, at least in restroom, seen too many people come out of the stall, go directly to the mirror and play with their eye makeup, touch the corners of their mouths, and then walk out.

Excuse me, did you forget something? I mean BEFORE you put your hands all over your face?

I was jokin' about the dorkitude factor. I have absolutlely no problem looking nerdy if the situation calls for it.

I think the last time I got embarrassed was when I was about 20.

I really don't believe this is a unwarranted fear.

I mentioned this in one other post, but I once read this really great book called the Gift of Fear. Mainly it was about stalkers and such, but it really made me re-evaluate safety issues.
In one part it mentions something like - If you ask someone what they are afraid of, they'll say something like sharks, rising gas prices, whatever.

The shark example just really stuck with me. What a stupid fear. Sharks are creatures that are totally avoidable for 99.99999% of the population for 99.9999999% of their lives. They is no REAL reason to be afraid of them, but they're an easy thing to be afraid of.

Fear is not a bad thing. Like the title suggests, it is a gift, that something in your gut that is warning you to watch out. However, daily we choose to ignore our gut, thinking ourselves silly or dorky or impolite. Then, forcing ourself to ignore our instincts, we put ourselves in real danger. Letting that stranger get too close when we just know somethings not right, choosing to do dangerous, everyday things like driving too fast or too furious, etc.

A disease that at this time has less than a 50/50 survival rate is something worthy of my fear.

If top quality preventitive measures get on the market, I really don't care how much they cost, I'll get them.

I'm more afraid of dying than spending a few dollars.

As I was leaving the house this morning, I was talking to my husband about this. I asked him if he would take whatever precautions needed if we do have an outbreak, such as staying home, avoiding crowded situations, masks, etc.
His immediate response was "Hell Yes"

That's one of the reasons I love him.

A new flu pandemic could happen at any time and kill between 5-150 million people, a UN health official warned.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4292426.stm

Chai Tea, I didn't mean to belittle your caution at all. Hope you didn't think so.

I too have seen this bathroom-behavior a lot... blick! These are probably the people who never get sick at all.

Anyway, caution is just fine... I just don't want you to spend your emotional time in worry, you know?

Life's too darned short, we may as well do our best to enjoy it as much as possible.

Big hugs to ya!

Oh No! I didn't take it that way at all!

just being my usual blunt self

Nah, this doesn't keep me up at night.

Actually, I posted this more as a public service announcement to us here. Maybe it'll get some thinking.

I am completely in the dark as far as knowing about this Avian flu.
Sure, I've heard the name thrown around in conversations, but I have no idea what to actually beware of!

It took me a long time to learn about West Nile. I suppose I have some arrogance of youth still: ah, that only affects everyone but me (?!). Someone in their 40's from my home community was hospitalized for West Nile and seemed perfectly fine

I need to pay more attention. Knowing me I'll be someone that has to deal with this after keeping my head in the ground

I was watching GMA this morning and they were saying that this flu actually effect healthy people between the ages of 20 and 40 more severly than other age groups!
They went on to say that this was similar to the pandemic 1911 (?)
Something about how the virus flourishes better in a young health system.

From what I understand, the world as a whole is unprepared, and the US in particular.

Boy, if it's coming I sure hope it's after Bush is out of office, or this will be all his fault too.

Not to derail things but wouldn't your second-to-last sentence have something to do with the last one?

(WHY are we so ill-prepared?)