Last week, the federal government reported that 556 people have died of Swine Flu in the United States so far this year. The Center For Disease Control recently cautioned that as many as 90,000 Americans could die from the disease if precautionary methods and practices are not set in place and followed.
The 90,000 figure represents a worst case scenario. On average, 30,000 people die from the “regular” seasonal flu every year. Truth is, no one can predict how widespread or intense the Swine Flu pandemic will be. A recent report indicates that the problem with the Swine Flu isn’t so much that it is more deadly, but that it is more widespread. The Swine Flu is a new virus that people have little or no immunity for.
What Are The Symptoms of Swine Flu?
• Fever of 100 degrees or higher.
• Head and body aches.
• Cough.
• Sore throat.
• Chills.
• Trouble breathing.
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea.
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department recommends that you call your doctor or medical provider if you have a fever of 100 degrees or higher AND one of the symptoms listed above.
What Can I Do to Prevent Getting Sick?
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department recommends the following:
• Wash your hands with soap and hot water to get rid of germs and prevent the spread of disease, especially after coughing and sneezing. If you do not have soap and water, use a hand gel with an alcohol base of at least 60%.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue whenever you sneeze and cough. If you do not have a tissue, sneeze or cough into the fold of your elbow, without using your hands.
• Avoid kissing or shaking hands when greeting people, and do not share food, drinks, or utensils.
• Keep common areas clean; places such as kitchen counters, bathrooms, door handles, toys, telephones and other household items.
• Allow fresh air to flow into your home or at work by opening screened windows and doors.
STAY HOME!
In an effort to prevent the spread of Swine Flu, government agencies at every level are urging people to stay home from work if they are sick and to keep their children home from school if they are symptomatic. Too often, people send their kids to school when they are sick because they can’t afford to miss work. Given the potential severity of the Swine Flu epidemic, it is society that can’t afford to have sick people infecting others at school and at work.
Additional point of information…Today’s Wall Street Journal reported that the Swine Flu may be contagious for about a week, and that doctors now say that coughing may be a better sign than fever for determining who is contagious. “…you’re not contagious for a day or two…you’re probably contagious for about a week,” said Gaston DeSerres, a scientist at the Institute for Public Health in Quebec, Canada. (source: Assocciated Press).
Now you have done it.
The same crackpots who deny global warming will be yelling “Swine flu!! Who cares. It is not a problem. It is Obama trying to make us socialists.”
Jesus Christ.
We’re all gonna die of pig flu if the CDC , the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, and Pete Campbell don’t step in to save us.
Thanks Pete.
I guess your initials aren’t “PC” for nothing.
And I’m sure we can count on government workers to be conscientious about their “patriotic duty” and stay home for a day or two, IF they feel that it’s the right thing to do.
Taking one for the Gipper. How noble.
And your point, John? I assume there is isn’t one other than to launch another attack on government workers. Are you suggesting that workers who are ill with a contagious disease (even those who aren’t government workers) should come to work anyway and infect their co-workers? Sounds like a stupid plan to me but then how could you attack government workers if you didn’t support such a plan?
I guess I zero in on government workers because, in reality, they work for me and I have a vested interest in their productivity. If private companies want to sacrifice productivity that’s their business, not mine.
You know, Dr. No, after 54 years of living, the only things I really know are the things that I’ve directly experienced. The rest of it is hearsay and I’ve learned to be distrustful of hearsay.
Staying away from sick people has not kept me healthy.
Taking pills and getting shots has not been necessary.
Coughing into the crook of my elbow or making sure that those near me cough into the crooks of their elbows is not why I don’t get sick.
Going to work even though I don’t feel so good usually gets me better.
Just saying “no” to the flu seems to work.
This new “we’re all in this together” method of fighting this trumped up non-problem is exactly opposite to how I think people ought to be dealing with it.
I think too many people make a living by convincing us that there’s a crisis and we need their help to survive it.
Private industry? Fine. I don’t have to buy it if I don’t want it.
Government? That’s different. I’m sick of paying for crap that I don’t need.
“I think too many people make a living by convincing us that there’s a crisis and we need their help to survive it.”
That’s what lefties DO. It’s their raison d’etre.
Boy, I’m glad you guys aren’t in charge of anything involving public health. Talk about hiding your heads in the sand.
I guess you will be disappointed if the recommended precautions save thousands of lives so you can criticize the government.
If it weren’t so serious you guys would make me laugh.
Hardly a comparison between the two. But I won’t try to convince you that illness is more of an ongoing threat than terrorism.
Oh, you’re right about where your head is. It’s probably not in the sand.
There’s a witch doctor in Haiti who is using ritual sacrifice of chickens in order to stave off the swine flu. After the “crisis” blows over, there will be no way to convince him that he doesn’t deserves complete credit for averting disaster.
No difference between that witch doctor and the high priests with the massive egos who head up our own government agencies.
“Look”, they’ll crow. “Nothing happened. Nothing happened and it’s all because of us!”
Just like Obama has claimed credit for “averting financial disaster”.
Nothing happened! Thank God for all the hardworking experts in the government who made sure Nothing Happened. So they had to loot the treasury of trillions of dollars. So what. Who cares as long as Nothing Happened?
My criticism crosses party lines.
We had a crisis on 9/11/01. Our reaction? Create a gigantic new department called Homeland Security.
Eight years later- no more attacks. It MUST be because we created a brand new, gigantic bumbling bureaucracy.
Blah blah blah. You get the drift.
Galt out.
Oh one more thing Mr. Demic. You’re counting on the government to look after you and I’ve got MY head in the sand?