H1N1 FLU........UPDATE : Flu may be less potent than first feared (pg 32)

[dyzzle]

Originally Posted by GUILLERMO GUTIEREZ

 

[briannnnn]

Originally Posted by jumpman247

Now I see those fema plastic coffins coming to good use. This was all planned.

They set us up the bomb, make your time.

Time to move 'Zig' for great justice.

 

[daffy 016]

thats crazy who said the govt declared a health emergency

 

[Deleted member 38307]

Originally Posted by JordanHead2

Originally Posted by ImReallyDirkNowitzki

Anyone ever seen the movie Outbreak?

I saw this back when I was a little kid. That damn monkey would haunt me in my dreams. I was shook for months after I saw that movie

, yeah that movie was pretty intense.

 

[jesse james 604]

add this for updates: http://twitter.com/humanswineflu

 

[lildisciple111]

My school is shutting down tomorrow and Tuesday. they trying to sanatize it i guess

 

[lesfamilia]

http://www.wisebread.com/...demic-flu-in-a-recession

Economic Effects of Pandemic Flu in A Recession

While health authorities worry about the human cost of pandemics, other policy-makers have tended to focus on the economic costs. Economic impact takes many forms--drops in production as workers stay home, drops in commerce as shoppers avoid crowded places, drops in tourism as travelers avoid affected areas. Does the current economic crisis make us more vulnerable than usual, if the swine flu outbreak in Mexico and a few US cities goes pandemic?

Two recent illnesses that seemed to post a threat of pandemic disease--bird flu and SARS--give us some insight into the kind of economic impacts we need to consider.

SARS and Bird flu

In the case of SARS, there was a substantial economic impact, with the affected Asian countries losing $25 to $30 billion mostly in the tourism, service, aviation, and restaurant sectors--and another $2 billion lost in Toronto alone. In addition to the lost dollars, there were also serious job losses--up to 3 million jobs just in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam.

In the case of bird flu, the economic impacts were rather different. Much of the impact--an estimated $10 billion--resulted from culling poultry to stem the spread of the disease (and the related costs to the government for equipment, personnel, and so on).

Current swine flu threat

Those were both instances where the threatened expansion to pandemic disease did not occur. Just the threat, though, caused widespread ripple effects--not only do people avoid tourism to the affected areas, people already in the affected areas take more drastic measures to limit the spread of the disease. For example, in Mexico, government officials have closed schools and advised people to avoid crowds.

People tend to pay some attention to government announcements of that sort, but they also do their own thinking--and may take more drastic measures, such as staying home from work and avoiding stores. That can have serious economic effects.

A recession, though, may actually mitigate some of those effects.

People are already avoiding unnecessary shopping, so economic activity probably won't fall nearly as much from their already-low levels as they would have otherwise. Similarly, people who are unemployed are already not going to work, so it makes no difference if they continue staying home.

On the other hand, many people who still have jobs jobs are probably more afraid than usual that they might lose them. That, combined with other pressures from the recession, might prompt people to go to work even when they fear exposure to contagious disease. (In fact, we already see this happening.) This may reduce the economic impact, but potentially at the cost of greater illness and death.

Fear and reality

Just fear of a pandemic can produce substantial costs to the economy, if people stay home rather than work and shop. If a really deadly disease becomes widespread, however, things can get much worse. People who are in the hospital can't come to work no matter how great the risk that staying home might cost them their job. And, of course, people who are dead never return to work at all.

The 1918 flu pandemic is estimated to have killed at least 2.5% of the world population. With the current world population, similar results would mean some 170 million deaths worldwide.

That sort of population decrease has far-reaching economic effects. With fewer people, there's less demand. Less demand results in lower prices--potentially for everything (food, housing, consumer goods, factory equipment). The result might well be yet another downward leg in the recessionary spiral.

On the other hand, it's a different sort of drop in demand. The normal recessionary spiral results in dropping standards of living, because people (whether by choice or due to economic circumstances) buy less. A drop in demand produced by a smaller population, though, doesn't necessarily have the same result--individual household consumption can actually rise (because the things they want to buy are cheaper) even though total consumption is down (because there are fewer people). In the aftermath of the Black Death, standards of living actually rose (for the survivors), due to higher wages for now-scarce workers.

In a financial crisis

There is, though, a related but different set of dangers. The financial crisis has put the economy into an unusually stressed state, exposed to many risks that too few policy makers and financial executives expected. The danger of pandemic disease is yet another layer of risks and costs on top of a financial industry that is already undercapitalized and holding large amounts of debt that is never going to be paid back. The costs--workers staying home, executives unable to travel--are probably modest. The risks, though are huge:

• Businesses in industries affected by pandemic (or fear of pandemic) will fail, leaving their debts unpaid
• Debtors will die, leaving their debts unpaid as well
• Families will lose breadwinners, adding to the burden on aid agencies and others
• Governments will be too distracted by the new crisis to deal effectively with the old one

On balance, I'd say that the recession generally reduces the financial impacts of pandemic disease. The financial crisis, however, makes the economy particularly vulnerable to any shock. I don't see much that ordinary people can do to mitigate those risks. The risks ordinary people should keep their eye on are the risks to their health.

[Update 26 April 2009: I found a good 2005 article from the CDC The Economic Impact of Pandemic Influenza in the United States: Priorities for Intervention. It looks in considerable detail at the costs of mass imunization programs, hospitalizations, and so on.]

 

[joe billionaire]

schools in texas (austin) will be closing for 10 days

the same might happen in houston...i won't be attending either way

the news said not to wear masks

 

[lesfamilia]

Apr 26, 11:24 PM EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The world's governments raced to avoid both a pandemic and global hysteria Sunday as more possible swine flu cases surfaced from Canada to New Zealand and the United States declared a public health emergency. "It's not a time to panic," the White House said.

Late Sunday, Mexico's health secretary raised the number of suspected deaths in that country to 103, and the number of cases to more than 1,600.

Mexico, the outbreak's epicenter, canceled some church services and closed markets, restaurants and movie theaters. A televised variety show filled its seats with cardboard cutouts. Few people ventured onto the streets, and some wore face masks.

Canada confirmed cases in six people, including some students who - like some New York City spring-breakers - got mildly ill in Mexico. Countries across Asia promised to quarantine feverish travelers returning from flu-affected areas.

The U.S. declared the health emergency so it could ship roughly 12 million doses of flu-fighting medications from a federal stockpile to states in case they eventually need them - although, with 20 confirmed cases of people recovering easily, they don't appear to for now.

Make no mistake: There is not a global pandemic - at least not yet. It's not clear how many people truly have this particular strain, or why all countries but Mexico are seeing mild disease. Nor is it clear if the new virus spreads easily, one milestone that distinguishes a bad flu from a global crisis. But waiting to take protective steps until after a pandemic is declared would be too late.

"We do think this will continue to spread but we are taking aggressive actions to minimize the impact on people's health," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President Barack Obama's administration sought to look both calm and in command, striking a balance between informing Americans without panicking them. Obama himself was playing golf while U.S. officials used a White House news conference to compare the emergency declaration with preparing for an approaching hurricane.

"We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size or seriousness of this outbreak is going to be," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters.

Earlier, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the outbreak was serious, but that the public should know "it's not a time to panic." He told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Obama was getting updates "every few hours."

In Mexico, soldiers handed out 6 million surgical-style masks to deal with the deadly flu strain. Special laboratory tests to confirm how many died from it - 22 have been confirmed so far out of 103 suspected deaths - are taking time.

The World Bank said it would send Mexico $25 million in loans for immediate aid and $180 million in long-term assistance to address the outbreak, along with advice on how other nations have dealt with similar crises.

A potential pandemic virus is defined, among other things, as a novel strain that's not easily treated. This new strain can be treated with Tamiflu and Relenza, but not two older flu drugs. Also, the WHO wants to know if it's easily spread from one person to a second who then spreads it again - something U.S. officials suspect and are investigating.

"Right now we have cases occurring in a couple of different countries and in multiple locations, but we also know that in the modern world that cases can simply move around from single locations and not really become established," cautioned WHO flu chief Dr. Keiji Fukuda.

There is no vaccine against swine flu, but the CDC has taken the initial step necessary for producing one - creating a seed stock of the virus - should authorities decide that's necessary. Last winter's flu shot offers no cross-protection to the new virus, although it's possible that older people exposed to various Type A flu strains in the past may have some immunity, CDC officials said Sunday.

Worldwide, attention focused sharply on travelers.

"It was acquired in Mexico, brought home and spread," Nova Scotia's chief public health officer, Dr. Robert Strang, said of Canada's first four confirmed cases, in student travelers.

New Zealand said 10 students who took a school trip to Mexico probably had swine flu, and on Monday it said three students in a second group just back from Mexico probably have it as well. Spanish authorities had seven suspected cases under observation. In Brazil, a hospital said a patient who arrived from Mexico was hospitalized with some swine flu symptoms. A New York City school where eight cases are confirmed will be closed Monday and Tuesday, and 14 schools in Texas, including a high school where two cases were confirmed, will be closed for at least the next week.

China, Russia, Taiwan and Bolivia began planning to quarantine travelers arriving from flu-affected areas if they have symptoms. Italy, Poland and Venezuela advised citizens to postpone travel to affected parts of Mexico and the U.S.

Multiple airlines, including American, United, Continental, US Airways, Mexicana and Air Canada, are waiving their usual penalties for changing reservations for anyone traveling to, from or through Mexico, but have not canceled flights.

Officials along the U.S.-Mexico border were asking health care providers to take respiratory samples from patients who appear to have the flu. Travelers were being asked if they visited flu-stricken areas.

The U.S. hasn't advised against travel to Mexico but does urge precautions such as frequent hand-washing while there, and has begun questioning arriving travelers about flu symptoms.

---

Associated Press writers Mark Stevenson and Olga R. Rodriguez in Mexico City; Frank Jordans in Geneva; Mike Stobbe in Atlanta; and Maria Cheng in London contributed to this report.

---

On the Net:

World Health Organization: http://www.who.int

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov

Homeland Security Department: http://www.dhs.gov

[emoji]169[/emoji] 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

http://license.icopyright.net/3.5721?icx_id=D97QIAVO0

 

[rko2004]

I pray this gets sorted out soon.

 

[mac a roni]

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]I'm not seeing how this is a pandemic...68 is the death toll right? People need to just stopworrying, relax and just be cautious...[/color]

 

[josebronx]

no more chuleta???????

 

[TheGodFresco]

Realtalk, this flu is putting a scare in me. Theres been a reported case in Sacramento

 

[miketysonthekiller]

Originally Posted by Mac A Roni

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]I'm not seeing how this is a pandemic...68 is the death toll right? People need to just stop worrying, relax and just be cautious...[/color]

more like 80 something

 

[mac a roni]

Originally Posted by MikeTysontheKiller

Originally Posted by Mac A Roni

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]I'm not seeing how this is a pandemic...68 is the death toll right? People need to just stop worrying, relax and just be cautious...[/color]

more like 80 something

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]still panicking causes problems...be cautious[/color]

 

[marionthebarberian]

Originally Posted by Joe Billionaire

schools in texas (austin) will be closing for 10 days

the same might happen in houston...i won't be attending either way

the news said not to wear masks

Only if they close the schools here in Dallas, we have Taks test starting tuesday and I am not prepared.

 

[bwoodfolkgd74]

damn i sleep and wake up after a day and %**$ gets crazy

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

Damn this is crazy. Two cases already reported in Texas.

I hope it doesn't reach Ark or Tennessee; I just saw on the news that a couple of cases have been reported in Kansas. In Arkansas, all hospitals in thestate are taking the necessary precautions and procedures to be aware of this potential outbreak.

 

[bwoodfolkgd74]

Originally Posted by Mac A Roni

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]I'm not seeing how this is a pandemic...68 is the death toll right? People need to just stop worrying, relax and just be cautious...[/color]

aint saying you wrong, but its pretty much on both coast and in the south, pretty spread out

 

[sickwitit]

Damn, so most of this is happening in the South? Glad I live in the Northwest

Edit: *!%@, nevermind. There's 2 cases in British Columbia, about 2 hoursaway from me

 

[mac a roni]

Originally Posted by BwooDFolkGD74

Originally Posted by Mac A Roni

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]I'm not seeing how this is a pandemic...68 is the death toll right? People need to just stop worrying, relax and just be cautious...[/color]

aint saying you wrong, but its pretty much on both coast and in the south, pretty spread out

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]Has it been declared swine flu, because all the reports i've seen said flu-likesymptoms...not blatant sf[/color]

 

[vctry20]

damn I just got off the phone with my mom, my parents are going to their place in Puerto Vallarta next weel

they have to get a bunch shot and *+@*

 

[TheGodFresco]

Originally Posted by vctry20

damn I just got off the phone with my mom, my parents are going to their place in Puerto Vallarta next weel

they have to get a bunch shot and *+@*

try to tell them not to go

 

[vctry20]

Originally Posted by GSDOUBLEU

Originally Posted by vctry20

damn I just got off the phone with my mom, my parents are going to their place in Puerto Vallarta next weel

they have to get a bunch shot and *+@*

try to tell them not to go

I did. I guess there's some immunization that they're getting this coming week. I'm just like "the house will always bethere," and my Dad is the type of dude who responds with "it's ok, I had a good run at life," you know jokingly but still

.

GS, tweet more son!

 

[TheGodFresco]

Originally Posted by vctry20

Originally Posted by GSDOUBLEU

Originally Posted by vctry20

damn I just got off the phone with my mom, my parents are going to their place in Puerto Vallarta next weel

they have to get a bunch shot and *+@*

try to tell them not to go

I did. I guess there's some immunization that they're getting this coming week. I'm just like "the house will always be there," and my Dad is the type of dude who responds with "it's ok, I had a good run at life," you know jokingly but still

.

GS, tweet more son!

Damn, well i guess if you cant stop them, pray for them

.

And yea, i havent been on my tweet game as of late