Swine flu fears prompt Hajj curbs (12 Viewers)

OP
Seven

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
39,307
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #62
    Problem's not the flu, it's pneumonia. People who get the normal flu and die, die of pneumonia too.
     

    Ford Prefect

    Senior Member
    May 28, 2009
    10,557
    #63
    Problem's not the flu, it's pneumonia. People who get the normal flu and die, die of pneumonia too.
    I know, the only real people in danger are people with other illnesses ie Aids, Diabetes, Cancer, Genetic Definciencies, because they are more susceptible to develop pneumonia, but aside from that a fit and healthy person should easily be able to cope with the symptoms and their body can train their immuno system to fight the infection.
     

    Bjerknes

    "Top Economist"
    Mar 16, 2004
    115,904
    #65
    DEPRESSION ASSURED? MAYBE(SWINE FLU)

    This article has been making the rounds over on the forum, and I thought I'd comment on it.

    The Centers for Disease Control has predicted a 2.1 percent to 3.3 percent death rate among those who come down with swine flu this fall, which translates into an additional 52,000 to 86,000 deaths in the city over a three-month period, Kasdan said.

    Has the CDC actually predicted a 2.1-3.3% death rate for those who come down with the swine flu?

    (This is known as the "CFR", or "clinical fatality rate", among those in the field.)

    I have been trying to source this statement - so far without success. But if it is accurate then there are two things you need to take away from this right here and now:

    First, we will have an economic depression. If the CAR, or "attack rate" (the percentage of people in the population) who get the flu is in the typical range of 40-60% of the population, then a CFR of 2-3% means one million or more dead Americans this fall and winter, or more succinctly, somewhere around one in a hundred. If your kid goes to school with 1,000 other people, 10 of them will die (on average.)

    This sort of disruption in the economy, given where it is now, guarantees a contraction of GDP of 10% or more from the top, which is the definition of economic depression. We can argue about "how bad of a depression" later.

    Second, if these numbers are anywhere close to reality the entire US medical care system will effectively collapse. We do not have 10% of the medical infrastructure necessary to treat 1 million Americans presenting to hospitals over a 2-3 month time frame with critical (and ultimately terminal!) symptoms, nor can we possibly treat the ten times greater count of people who will present to a hospital with what look to be critical symptoms but ultimately survive.

    If these numbers are anywhere close to accurate the quality of medical care available in The United States will almost instant return to 1950s-style medicine - that is, little more than aspirin and perhaps some antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections, plus careful observation.

    You will be BEST OFF if you get the flu under such circumstances attempting to tough it out at home, as if you present to the hospital not only will there be no advanced treatment available (simply due to lack of beds) but in addition you will expose yourself to secondary infections that you would otherwise not risk.

    Again folks: These numbers portend a catastrophic outcome for the economy over the next year if they are accurate. There is absolutely nothing we can do about that outcome if this is in fact an accurate estimate of the CFR for swine flu this fall and winter.

    I therefore strongly recommend that you consider laying in sufficient supplies to be able to "shelter in place" in your home - not due to a "zombie invasion" or the "breakdown of society", but rather as a self-defense mechanism against acquiring secondary infections that could literally kill you, assuming the flu does not directly do so. You must assume, given these numbers (if they are accurate) that you will get sick and that once one member of your family does, or you start to see cases pop up in your local community, your best defense will be to "cocoon" until you have either recovered or that particular wave of infections in your local community has passed - a period of time that is likely to be somewhere between two weeks and two months in duration.

    Note that with most viruses once you've been infected with a particular strain and have recovered you obtain at least partial (and sometimes complete) immunity to that particular strain infecting you again. As such if you or a member of your family get ill and then recover, you should consider yourself the "designated gatherer" and be the one to venture out to restock supplies and such, since you should have at least limited immunity against re-infection. The trick, of course, will be knowing if you were in fact sick with swine flu (and not the more-common normal seasonal variety!) as it is likely both will be circulating at the same time.

    If you have children in school start thinking about how you will deal with this now, as the odds of school administrators doing the right thing and closing schools is quite close to zero, especially if the so-called "response" of administrators this last spring is any guide.

    http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/1349-Depression-Assured-Maybe-Swine-Flu.html

    ________________

    This will be an extremely interesting Fall and Winter.
     

    Sadomin

    Senior Member
    Apr 5, 2005
    7,327
    #66
    I was in Turkey two weeks ago with two of my friends who both caught a flu the last day. One of them was confirmed to have swine flu. I was very close to them during the trip but I didn't catch anything. Immune or lucky?
     

    Salvo

    J
    Moderator
    Dec 17, 2007
    62,789
    #69
    guys swine flu as nenna said is only deadly if there is a pre-existing disease, i had a close family friend with it and i think i had it but got over it without any medication, its hit melbourne very hard, a few deaths but they were all because the people had existing medical conditions.

    thousands of people die of influenza every year this has become just another seasonary flu, nothing to worry about unless you have some sort of pre existing condition, or obviously are an infant or frail in old age. there saying here in aus there will be vaxines available soon, already testing them

    nothing to worry about guys.
     

    Salvo

    J
    Moderator
    Dec 17, 2007
    62,789
    #71
    well im saying from what i have heard from my doctor and the news here, the deaths here have only been because of pre existing problems which made the flu more deadly, i still see it as no more scary than the influenza that has been going around for a long while now.
     

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