Now What? Is this it?

[ANewMe]

I have been following this as closely as possible and I'm a bit concerned but I don't know if I am overreacting so I want your opinions. I'm reading on other boards and what people are feeling there is very unnerving. What do you guys think? I read on other sites but I'm only a member here and the reason is that most here are very rational. I value your opinions, suggestions and advice....so now what?

[Louis1]

MHO - Nasty bug but it ain't Captain Trips.

[Ambergris]

I would be terrified if this were emerging in October. Historically, influenza ebbs sharply in the sunny months. If we beat it back by fall, we're doing good. Like Louis said, there's no reason to call this one the Trip.

 

My son is going to touristy areas with his classmates for a week starting Monday. I worry. If the trip were a month off, I'd consider cancelling. But instead he's agreed to take a bottle of waterless handwashing fluid, and use it several times a day.

 

He's not working his volunteer job this summer. He's staying home and doing work around the house.

 

As a side note, make sure you get plenty of vitamin D until this is over.

[Mother]

Anewme, It's very difficult to tell where this will be headed. There are so many twists and turns to everything we read and hear lately that no one can easily distinguish between what is a worry and what is a farce. The problem is that the law of averages says one can cry wolf only so many times before the real one appears.

 

In this case, I am taking it seriously. I do so simply because I have yet to have anyone I trust guarantee me that it is NOT a real issue.

 

 

 

I am not by any means in a panic though as I prepared for this more than two years ago when they started talking Avian Flu Pandemic. I have more than once in those years been extremely glad I did as I have used those preps over and over for various common flu and other illnesses. I have continually updated my medical preps just as I do my other preps. I did a quick inventory today just to make sure they were up to date. Even if it is not the predicted pandemic it’s still a possibility that we could contract the illness.

 

As for your question, “now what?” You say you are a bit concerned but don’t want to over-react. That could be your clue to what you should be doing about the possibility of a pandemic. Your concern should have you prepping but doing so with a great deal of thought to what you actually might need.

 

 

 

I would also suggest that perhaps you could go through the possibilities in your mind, making sure you know what to do if you are faced with a pandemic. Perhaps print off some of the instructions and suggestions you find that seem appropriate to your situation. Those types of preps cost little or nothing and give a wealth of comfort.

 

 

As for your question, “Is this it?” I suggest you ask those in Mexico City where it is already taking a toll on both health and emotions. If that DID happen here, would you be prepared?

 

 

 

[Cat]

Unfortunately, Ambergris, the "Spanish Flu" started in Kansas in March of 1918 and spread in waves around the world until the spring of 1919.

 

http://1918.pandemicflu.gov/the_pandemic/01.htm

 

Today, it could be spread much faster because of increased travel and mobility around the world.

 

It bothers me that it appears (remember, news may not be reliable at this point) that it's a mixture of strains from several areas of the world. I *REALLY* don't want to buy into the conspiracy theories... I detest those! Even as I need to be aware, it hurts to think anyone might deliberately do something to hurt others in such a sweeping way.

 

I agree with Mother... I am watching and reading, but not in "panic mode". Actually, there's not a whole lot I can do, anyway, *BUT* that.

 

[ANewMe]

White House briefing at around 11 or 12 depending on your time zone regarding this issue.

 

There are now cases in Spain and Isreal according to Fox News

 

Bloomberg is speaking now about the possible cases in NYC

[westbrook]

I hate this section "the flu clinic" is now buried in the spa...

 

Cat we need to put this back under the Herb section? heck a section all its own!

 

this is a topic that needs to be up and out with flashing lights.....

 

no I am NOT in panic, already had the swine flu in the 1980's and it was bad.... but I am pretty much prepared...

 

others may not be and this does need to be put where we can talk about it.

 

where is Darlene?

[sassenach]

On Yahoo Financial News today: ( also listening to White House Live Info on Swine Flu Situation right now on Foxnews.)

( Please note the definitions in the article about Levels WHO will put out. We are currently at level 3 but can go to level 4, 5, and 6 as time goes on, perhaps rapidly. Level 5 is when we may be taking serious practices such as quarantining ourselves even if no one is ill in our own residences... for example, and this could be a level when the Gov't takes more control and implements things like this and more, such as martial law and public shut downs. Please be ready as well as you can be. I hope it doesn't get this serious but it bears careful monitoring every day. If people start dying in the US because of this, I think things will be done rapidly. IMHO.

 

What makes me wonder is how lax the Queens Prep High School was in thinking it would just stay open, and numerous other students have become ill??? As of today, they will close for two days this coming week, probably to clean the classrooms and such I am hoping, like the high school in San Antonio did.

 

This tells me that we in our homes should be doing disinfecting cleaning on our own walls, doors and such surfaces as we find in our own homes to lessen bacteria as well. It is a good practice anyway, of course, with such things as MRSA being everywhere these days. I know, I know, more Spring Cleaning????? well.......... yea.......

 

One note, about pork products, our Health folks say eating pork is safe, although other countries abroad are now limiting pork imports from the Americas, as stated below. I cannot say as I blame them for taking such measures. To do the most they can to diminish possible infection seems wise to me.

 

 

ARTICLE BELOW:

 

Swine flu fears prompt quarantine plans, pork bans

Quarantine plans, pork testing and travel warnings issued; new suspected swine flu cases found

 

* Frank Jordans, Associated Press Writer

* On Sunday April 26, 2009, 10:40 am EDT

 

 

GENEVA (AP) -- Countries planned quarantines, tightened rules on pork imports and tested airline passengers for fevers as global health officials tried Sunday to come up with uniform ways to battle a deadly strain of swine flu. Nations from New Zealand to France reported new suspected cases.

 

World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan held teleconferences with staff and flu experts around the world but stopped short of recommending specific measures to stop the disease, urging governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks.

 

Governments including China, Russia and Taiwan began planning to put anyone with symptoms of the deadly virus under quarantine.

 

Others were increasing their screening of pigs and pork imports from the Americas or banning them outright despite health officials' reassurances that it was safe to eat thoroughly cooked pork.

 

Some nations issued travel warnings for Mexico.

 

Chan called the outbreak a public health emergency of "pandemic potential" because the virus can pass from human to human.

 

Her agency was considering whether to issue nonbinding recommendations on travel and trade restrictions, and even border closures. It is up to governments to decide whether to follow the advice.

 

"Countries are encouraged to do anything that they feel would be a precautionary measure," WHO spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi said. "All countries need to enhance their monitoring."

 

New Zealand said that 10 students who took a school trip to Mexico "likely" had swine flu. Israel said a man who had recently visited Mexico had been hospitalized while authorities try to determine whether he had the disease. French Health Ministry officials said four possible cases of swine flu are currently under investigation, including a family of three in the northern Nord region and a woman in the Paris region. The four recently returned from Mexico. Tests on two separate cases of suspected swine flu proved negative, they said.

 

Spain's Health Ministry said three people who just returned from Mexico were under observation in hospitals in the northern Basque region, in southeastern Albacete and the Mediterranean port city of Valencia.

 

Mexico closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in a bid to contain the outbreak after hundreds were sickened there. In the U.S., there have been at least 11 confirmed cases of swine flu in California, Texas and Kansas. Patients have ranged in age from 9 to over 50. At least two were hospitalized. All recovered or are recovering.

 

New York health officials said more than 100 students at the St. Francis Preparatory School, in Queens, recently began suffering a fever, sore throat and aches and pains. Some of their relatives also have been ill.

 

Some St. Francis students had recently traveled to Mexico, The New York Times and New York Post reported Sunday.

 

Preliminary tests of samples taken from sick students' noses and throats confirmed that at least eight had a non-human strain of influenza type A, indicating probable cases of swine flu, city health officials said. The exact subtypes were still unknown, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was conducting further tests.

 

Hong Kong and Taiwan said visitors who came back from flu-affected areas with fevers would be quarantined. China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival an affected area had to report to authorities. A Russian health agency said any passenger from North America running a fever would be quarantined until cause of the fever is determined.

 

Tokyo's Narita airport installed a device to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico.

 

Indonesia increased surveillance at all entry points for travelers with flu-like symptoms -- using devices at airports that were put in place years ago to monitor for severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and bird flu. It said it was ready to quarantine suspected victims if necessary.

 

Hong Kong and South Korea warned against travel to the Mexican capital and three affected provinces. Italy's health ministry also advised citizens to postpone travel to affected areas.

 

Symptoms of the flu-like illness include a fever of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.

At least 81 people have died from severe pneumonia caused by the disease in Mexico, according to the WHO.

 

The virus is usually contracted through direct contact with pigs, but Joseph Domenech, chief of animal health service at U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency in Rome, said all indications were that the virus is being spread through human-to-human transmission.

 

No vaccine specifically protects against swine flu, and it is unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer.

Russia banned the import of meat products from Mexico, California, Texans and Kansas. South Korea said it would increase the number of its influenza virus checks on pork products from Mexico and the U.S.

 

Serbia on Saturday banned all imports of pork from North America, despite reassurances from the FAO that pigs appear not to be the immediate source of infection.

 

Italy's agriculture lobby, Coldiretti, warned against panic reaction, noting that farmers lost hundreds of millions of euros (dollars) because of consumers boycotts during the 2001 mad cow scare and the 2005 bird flu outbreak.

 

Japanese Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba appeared on TV to calm consumers, saying it was safe to eat pork.

 

In Egypt, health authorities were examining about 350,000 pigs being raised in Cairo and other provinces for swine flu.

 

The WHO's pandemic alert level is currently at to phase 3. The organization said the level could be raised to phase 4 if the virus shows sustained ability to pass from human to human.

 

Phase 5 would be reached if the virus is found in at least two countries in the same region.

 

"The declaration of phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short," WHO said.

 

Phase 6 would indicate a full-scale global pandemic.

 

Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.

 

WHO swine flu page: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

[Mother]

This is the link to fox news where you can find the vidio of the briefing, the second one is the actual vidio.

http://www.foxnews.com/fns/

http://interactive.foxnews.com/livestream/live.html?chanId=2

 

They talk as if it's all being handled and we should not worry about it until they tell us to........

 

(((( ))))

[ANewMe]

Listening to that briefing was my answer.....I don't feel that I was overreacting. They said that this is a "marathon". They said that conditions could change very quickly. They said that they are expecting this to become more widespread and worst. How do we know that it did not start just like this in Mexico? A few cases here and there that were not very bad then deteriorated?

 

As of this minute I am sick. Started yesterday and gotten worst today. Of course I'm sure it is only sinuses, but I recently traveled to Austin, TX. Two flights down and two fights back. I would prefer NOT to be sick if this thing is going around because it would seem to me that if one is sick it would make them a little more susceptible. I am concerned because #1 they are not putting any travel restrictions in place, and #2 an article I read and posted said it was too late to be contained AND #3 there are a lot of questions with no answers.

 

Personally, I think we should have one thread or forum for everyone to post so that we can keep everything together on this breaking news and topic. I'm on net more than watching TV because it seems there is more info and you can get it faster than waiting on MSM to report.

[Grace&Violets]

I had an interesting thought. Just a few days after school was back in session after spring break, I got ill. Really bad cough, body aches, lost my voice, felt like I had the flu. I felt like complete cr@p. I'm still not 100%. Mexico is the place that all the college students go and so many people had the same illness I had. (I had several classmates that had gone to Mexico, even though the university had sent an email urging them not to, because of some kidnapping scare.) In fact, one of my professors cancelled class 2 times because of this same sickness. Since they are saying that this virus has mutated, maybe the illness that went around my university was an early, milder version of what is going around now.

 

So, if it was, my question would be, once you have gotten something like this, can you catch it again? Did people catch the same flu multiple times in 1918?

[CrabGrassAcres]

Grace, once you have recovered from it you should have immunity.

[erin_d_a]

We are observing at this point, and I would say on the worried scale of 1-10 probably about a 6.5. We have stepped up handwashing with the kids especially and are making sure the school is safe. We are well prepared, so I'm not worried, but in a state of heightened preparation.

[westbrook]

a virus will mutate! if you get it today... you can get the flu again since it mutates!

 

usually as it travels around the world it will mutate.. slowly so you could get it again next year, however (happy RITA?), it is not uncommon for a child to bring it home from school, get over it, and get it again.. in my case it was child brings it home, I get it, they get over it, just as I am getting over it.. I get it again! grrrrrr condensed germs little ones have.

[gulfcoastruth]

Well, I am new to prepping, and this kicked my home pharmacy prepping into high-gear. I just want to be ready for whatever might happen.

 

If you haven't been doing this already, I suggest buying a big thing of dissinfectant wipes and keeping them in your car. When you go to the grocery or wherever they have shopping carts or buggies, wipe the handle bar down and then keep your hands on the wipe as you shop. My friend told me that Albertson's has wipes for anyone when they enter the store!

 

If you work in a school, or church nursery, you can use the wipes as you go. You can use them in an office to wipe down the phone, computer key board or whatever. Very handy.

 

If you tend a sick person at home, you can quarentine them in a room (as mentioned earlier by someone) and as silly as it sounds, it would be a good idea to wear saftey goggles with your mask when you are in there! You can get the goggles at Home Depot or such places in the paint dept.

 

It sounds like the people in Mexico who tragically died, (so sad) developed pnuemonia, so you might want to have mucus thinners (Mucinex) and inhalers around. LOTS Of liquids! This winter alot of people around here (Florida) kept waiting for their severe colds to go away and ended up with pneumonia..so DONT wait tooo long to go to the Doc. Maybe they had this swine-flu, the good news as that they all recovered.

 

Hope these tips helps someone!

 

Put your trust in the Lord, and may the Peace that transcends all understanding...be yours. He is our good Shepard, and leads us in the way that we should go.

 

 

Ruth

[Cat]

As I understand it, the pneumonia was a big part of the 1918 flu. People literally drowned from the liquids in their lungs.

 

I asked my doctor a couple of years ago if the "pneumonia shot" would cover in a pandemic. He said it wouldn't.

 

He also said that if the flu turns into a pandemic, doctors' offices would CLOSE.

 

(I guess one "benefit" of nationalized medicine would be that they would be forced to work. But how effective/helpful/trustworthy would they be if they didn't want to be there?)

[Aint2nuts]

I have started making my lists. Things I need, things I want, things that are priorities. right now I am NOT as worried as I would be if this was here in the Phx area. I am starting to think about what I would do if it appeared here. I am actually surprised it hasn't.

 

We have a church that shared with a Spanish speaking ward. I know a lot of them travel down to Mexico occasionally -- I am hoping none of them have been down there this past weekend.

 

When my daughter woke up last night with a fever, then complaned today that she was dizzy I worried. She seems fine now. No other symtoms, but when she woke up at three in the morning with that 103 fever I really was shaken.

 

[TurtleMama]

I have started making my lists. Things I need, things I want, things that are priorities. right now I am NOT as worried as I would be if this was here in the Phx area. I am starting to think about what I would do if it appeared here. I am actually surprised it hasn't.

 

We have a church that shared with a Spanish speaking ward. I know a lot of them travel down to Mexico occasionally -- I am hoping none of them have been down there this past weekend.

 

When my daughter woke up last night with a fever, then complaned today that she was dizzy I worried. She seems fine now. No other symtoms, but when she woke up at three in the morning with that 103 fever I really was shaken.

 

I'm glad your daughter is better now, sweetie. I can imagine how scared you must have been...I would have been, too!!

I'm sure it's already here in the Phoenix metro area...there are too many people who travel regularly to Mexico living here. I'm sure it's just a matter of time. I have a friend who went to a local ER for an infection yesterday and she asked about the swine flu...they told her they had just gotten their testing kits in that day and had already sent off more than a dozen samples. I think that pharmacy prepping is a good thing right now.

 

[KimMC]

Grace, once you have recovered from it you should have immunity.

 

True, but as viruses mutate you would have less or no immunity to the next "waves".

[KimMC]

We've been watching closely to. We normally keep pretty well prepared. But with dh out of work, we have used up a lot of our normal stocks this winter. We are planning a restocking trip this week. Going over my lists and making sure meds are on there.

[Grace&Violets]

According to MSNBC

 

BREAKING NEWS: Homeland chief says U.S. is preparing as if swine flu is full pandemic

 

They are starting to take this really seriously.

[ANewMe]

I had what they thought was the flu two months ago (my swab was not totally positive or negative). They treated as the flu. I have been sick since Saturday. My chest and back feel like I've been pummeled wtih a sledge hammer!! I thought I would die before I got to my first period class...just couldn't get any air into my lungs. I called my Dr to see if he would call me something in....no such luck. I have to go see him. I don't understand why I'm sick again and I don't like it one bit!!

 

None of this sounds good....not one bit of it and if they are showing that they are concerned then it coudl be worst than we expect. I was expecting them to put on a rosy smile and say it's ok and spin it so peopel wouldn't panic because you know this will not be good on economy. Has anyone pulled up:

 

drudgereport.com

 

All I can say is WOW after looking at it

[Cat]

http://www.drudgereport.com/

 

(Public Service Announcement) Drudge Report is considered a *Conservative* site. Just so you're aware ahead of time.

 

 

 

[Grace&Violets]

WHO just raised the pandemic alert to 4

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30398682/

[Mt_Rider]

From another page of G&V's site:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30423369/

Don't thousands of people die from the regular flu? What's special this time around?

 

Generally, people who die from influenza are older people or those who already have respiratory problems. They end up dying of pneumonia. But this time around, the people who died in Mexico are younger. They are apparently healthy people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. That's a big deal. When a virus seems to preferentially affect healthy people, it suggests its a new virus and is causing an overreaction of the immune response. That's what happened with bird flu as well.

 

Influenza is virus that is always circulating between birds and pigs and people. Some have different genes that make them more or less infectious.

{emphasis is mine}

 

 

Shoot. This was the first I've heard this part. This was the pattern for the 1918 flu. No wonder they are being so cautious of this one.

 

 

MtRider