Comments on: This Swine Flu Plan Is Nuts

By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:01:22 +0000

D Jones – No one can predict if the flu will get worse or peter out since viruses mutate. There does appear to be a lot of concern that this virus could wreak havoc because it has continued to infect people even during the spring and summer months in the US, a time of year when the flu typically is not prevelant. So, it suggests that it’s a pretty resiliant bugger. It’s also got a bit of a different demographic regarding vulnerability. Normally elderly people are high on the list for vaccine, etc, but the pattern appears to strike young children disproportionately. They are theorizing that perhaps older people were exposed to a virus with some similar characteristics as this one back in the 1950′s and may have some resistance. The bad news is that the elderly on not among the top 5 high risk groups targeted as priority populations for the vaccine once it becomes available.

By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:57:30 +0000

El Gordo – You are correct. Tamiflu and other meds like it are only effective if taken at the very outset of illness. If taken too late, they are not effective. So, timing is of the essence regarding these meds. And, many doctors won’t prescribe them w/o seeing the patient first because there is concern that if it’s prescribed and used in situations where it doesn’t apply (i.e., the person does not have the flu) the virus will develop resistance to is, much like we’re seeing with many antibiotics which are resulting in superbugs.

By: Carol Gould

Carol Gould — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:10:28 +0000

For PJM readers outside the USA: I am on Sky News today (Tuesday 11 August) at 4:30PM London time talking about Hillary Clinton and –hopefully — the British National health service.

By: D Jones

D Jones — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:45:42 +0000

According to government statistics, the “normal” seasonal flu has a fatality rate of between 5 and 10 percent. To date, there have been over 6,500 “hospitalized” swine flu cases in the USA, with fewer than 450 resulting in death, a kill rate of less than 7 percent. In other words, the fatality rate is no higher or lower than that of any flu year so far. Will things get worse? Maybe…maybe not.

I agree that the Obama administration is doing their best to blow this up into a bigger deal than it is. “Never let a crisis go to waste” as Rahm Emanuel says. And it is a common fascist tactic to create a crisis where none exists, simply to get the public on your side.

By: AdrianS

AdrianS — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:51:57 +0000

Is the swine flu pandemic a fraud?

Consider this:

What is a pandemic?

Medicine Epidemic over a wide geographic area and affecting a large proportion of the population. In most countries, deaths from swine flu total only 1. That’s right 1 or less.

The medical definition and the missing element, as far as we should be concerned, is that a pandemic “affects a large population.” Swine flu DOES NOT affect nor is detrimental to a large number of people anywhere. Regular flu has kills more people than swine flu.

So why the hype? Go figure. The government is up to something. The Obama administration only classified swine flu as a “pandemic” to qualify for legislation to force swine flu immunization shots and possible quarantines and who know what. It’s a genuine abuse. It’s a boy who is crying wolf thing.

Watch out. This fall may prove to be a rather subdued flu season with people taking usual precautions against all flu viruses. Besides, could the flu shots be more deadly than the flu? It’s happened before. So, watch out.

By: El Gordo

El Gordo — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:12:30 +0000

#14: Thank you, Commuter, for that fine explanation.

By: michael

michael — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:36:22 +0000

Don’t virus mutate on a regular basis? So we immunise every child against pig flu’ and along comes hamster flu’ and wipes everyone out.

By: Linguist

Linguist — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:29:26 +0000

#19. roGER: Immunizations, like anti-viral treatments, are only effective when applied before needed.

And please enlighten us as to just how Britain, who is about as financially broke as the United States and already rationing its socialized health care, intends to pay for your example of a “generous sensible precaution”? I suspect that the last time such a thing was done, the number of children was considerably less and there were a bit more funds in the country’s treasury.

By: roGER

roGER — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:33:21 +0000

Apart from making a wingnut suggestion that the entire country be given an antiviral drug, Gould fails to mention that there is also an excellent plan in place to immunise every single child who attends school in Britain. That’s 8.5 million children.

Impossible you say? No, it’s been done before, although not for 45 years.

It’s an example of a generous sensible precaution which is given free to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. No wonder Gould doesn’t mention it.

By: Mary Jackson

Mary Jackson — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:17:10 +0000

The reason why there’s so much hysteria about swine flu in the papers is that there is no real news. It’s the Silly Season.