INFLUENZA

Subject: INFLUENZA
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 03:21 AM

Do you know anyone who died this season?

Avian Bird Flu - nothing works - except one antiviral agent.

Today's headlines.
Tamiflu vanishing from shelves in Hong Kong.
London mayor orders 100,000 does for firemen and police.
New Zealand and Austraian governments order Ostitamivir (Tamiflu)developed by Gilead and manufactored by Roche.
Canadian government backordered for Gilead's Tamiflu.
Supply considered critically scarce.

Pandemic death tolls near a billion predicted. Virus has jumped from a dieing infant to a mother. Virus signs indicated in diahreha discharge - public toilets possible transfer agent? Avian Flu appears to jump to cats - after several Tigers were fed infected birds.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: MBSLynne
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 06:23 AM

No, but when I had flu the week before last, I THOUGHT I was dying!!

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 06:35 AM

This thread belongs below the line - non music related.

And anyway - here'a another anonymous GUEST panic-mongering (as if we don't watch the news or read the papers and cannot make up our own minds).

So, what to do? Quickly - empty the supermarket of provisions, stop eating fowl, kill our cats, everybody arm and barricade themselves!

I think not.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 11:54 AM

Apparantly Britain has no stocks and have decided to WAIT...again..let's save a pound and end up losing a million.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 03:16 PM

I'll agree that this thread belongs in the non-music section, but there is a song called Influenza that's worth a look.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: robomatic
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 05:58 PM

Not to offend but that song seems to be as bogus as the appeal to fear implied by the originator of this thread.

A readable and informative book has been recently published by John Barry: The Great Influenza, (which occurred about 1919, exacerbated by troop movements towards the end of WW I, and killed way more people around the world than died in the War)

It is a valid threat, in fact, it is potentially way more of a danger than any ten terrorist organizations. But medical organizations are well aware of the problem, and fear mongering will do no one any good which makes this thread rather in need of an anti-virus, (GET IT GUEST? ANTI VIRUS!)

As The Great Influenza makes clear, the flu virus family is unusual vigorous in that it mutates, as Douglas Adams would say, several times over lunch. Getting the right anti-viral mix handy is an art as much as a science, so screaming on ignorantly about how this and that governmental agency is unaware and there will be a billion casualties is not on. Unfortunately, the experts do say it is a case of when, not if, but that is why it is one of the most watched-for developments among epidemiologists.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: gnu
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 06:13 PM

Shite! I've got gnu flu today. Caught it last night from a crowd that arrived with guitars, whistles, a banjo, a fiddle, an attitude and at least 160 ounces of fluidenza. As for the big bad bird flu, anything comes near me today better be scared for itself. I could sanitize a toilet just by pissing in it. Swab me... 2, 3 ,4.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 08:26 PM

I ain't worried. Not yet, anyway. US guvermint done gone and made a batch of anti-bird-flu serum anyway, or they're makin' it. Besides, runnin' around yellin' "The sky is fallin'! The flu is comin'!" ain't gonna solve nothin' and'll only add to the general stupidity.

(Besides, I've got my anti-flu-pandemic outfit. I'll jist strap on my pearl-handled .44s and a pair of chaps and I'll be all set.)

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Peace
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 10:56 PM

This was a headline back in December 07, 2004.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 11:57 PM

Well, we had the flu here twice this month, and tried Tamiflu both times. My daughter was too far along (you need to take it ASAP, within the first 24-36 hours of symptoms) and it didn't help much for the first couple of days, she still had a high fever, though it seemed to help shorten the length of time she was sick. Last week my son missed the whole week of school, and the cough was pretty intense. But the Tamiflu made a big difference in how sick for that week. The symptoms were milder, the fever not so high and the achiness very limited. The cough was still pretty bad. It's expensive stuff, but if it means the difference between a milder case or an intense one, then it is worth the expense.

The kids both had flu shots last fall, a couple of days before the flu shot scarcity event happened. I didn't manage to get one. The flu going around here seems to be that A-California strain, that wasn't in the flu shot cocktail.

SRS

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 12:16 AM

Stilly, I have never had a flu shot in my life, and I almost never get the flu either as far as I know. Certainly don't seem to, anyway. I do get an occasional cold. Just mentioning that as a matter of interest...

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Peace
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 12:20 AM

What percentage of people who get the shot develop the flu because of the shot? Anyone know?

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 12:27 AM

That's exactly what I would like to know, Bruce...

My experience in life has been, the less shots of any kind, the better. I intend to stick to it. And when I do eventually die anyway, I will give a big graduation cheer, toss my hat in the air, and say to my favorite Guardian Angels, "Boy, it's GREAT to be back in the REAL world! I missed you guys! You wouldn't believe what it's like down there on the Earth Stage."

This life is just a dream, albeit a pretty interesting one. And like Shakespeare's characters, we strut and fret our portentious parts, playing them out to the hilt....until the play ends. Then we go home.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 03:04 AM

I'm asthmatic and so encouraged by my GP to have a flu jab every winter. I've had it twice now... and on both occasions I've had the flu. My theory is, as with other innocultations, you get given a small dose of the disease. This then activates your white blood cells to start fighting. They are now so busy fighting the flu deliberately inserted into your body, that they cannot fight any outside bugs and germs. Sooner or later, a different flu bug is going to come along and get you because your white blood cells are busy elsewhere. It's the theory of waiting in for the plumber... he will always call in those 2 minutes you were in the bathroom and unable to get to the door.

The flu jab can only protect you against the strains that can be identified and 'disarmed'.... for every 10 identified strains, there have to be another 20 unidentified, just waiting, lurking on the bus... in the train... sneaking through the aircon system... waiting.... waiting ...........











waiting...........












LTS

(Yes, I know that's not how it really works, but I'm no microbiologist!)

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 07:21 PM

The bird flu has me somewhat concerned as I live in China. The cases reported so far in Vietnam and China have occured where people are living in very close conditions to the chicken's, ducks and other fowl they rear. Those areas are also high density population areas so if it does jump/mutate further then the problem could be very nasty and potentially a killer.

When the SARS appeared the year before last the Chinese Govt was caught with it's trousers firmly around it's ankles, however the figures have to be balanced against the population here. There were just over 3,500 cases in a population of 1.3 billion, of which there were just over 250 deaths. Hardy an epedemic. I was prevented from travelling around China for work and even my home office in the UK did not want me appearing there, that lasted for 10 weeks.

Last year alone over 150,000 people were killed in accidents on the roads here. 8,000 alone in Shanghai. Deaths in the awfull coal mines amounted to over 8,000. That said stuff all has been done by the government here to shut down the illegal mines and improve safety in the legal ones. As for road deaths again stuff all action.

Little appears in the govt controlled press here about the bird flu and the actions being taken in the rural areas to stop its spread amongst the fowl or even the potential jump to humans. The govt does not like to report bad news that might put China in a bad light, their excuse is that it prevents potentail 'social disorder'

If it does occur then the govt here does have the ability to shut down travel and try to prevent its spread, but it will not do that unless forced by the WHO.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 27 Feb 05 - 11:04 PM

Every year there is at least one big media scare about this sort of thing, if not several. Big hairy flippin' deal. I regard it about as highly as I regard the daily scare headlines on the supermarket tabloids.

Which reminds me...anyone heard about BatBoy or Osama's goat Naomi lately?

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 12:46 AM

Wash your hands frequently if you're caring for someone with the flu, and insist that the ill person cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze, use tissues when they can, and then throw them into a safe receptacle (the kids each had a grocery bag for the growing number of tissues they were sneezing into). And wash your hands frequently if you have the flu.

The number one key to not spreading or catching this is to
Wash Your Hands Frequently and Use Soap Each Time


Okay, off of my soap box. :)
SRS

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 12:50 AM

Yup. And drink enough water, get enough sleep, eat well, exercise, breathe fresh air...and GET OFF the friggin' computer for at least 4 hours every day!!!! Arrgh! :-)

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 08:43 AM

It's not scare tactics.
It's a valid concern about a potential problem.

We're adults: we can each make up our own minds.

RichM

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:11 AM

In November I had waterless hand cleaning stations installed at various places at work -- the circulation and reference desks, for instance -- where the staff contact materials handled by the public. We clean, with disinfectant, the computer keyboards at least once every day (staff and public). Tissues are easily available. And when the flu vaccine again became available I let the staff take the time for a shot, if they wised to do so. I got shot on my own time.

Prevention is, in my opinion, lots cheaper than having just one person off work for a few days.

GUEST, of course it's a concern. But it's old news. Neither you nor I can stop the mutation or spread of the disease IF it happens, we can only take steps to try and prevent it.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: mack/misophist
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:24 AM

The flu shot given to people who are considdered 'at risk' is made from a killed virus. It's supposed to be i,possible to get the flu from the shot. I've had it twice. Those are the only times I've had the flu. As the JDL says, "Never Again".

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:31 AM

Just because it's "impossible" to get the flu from the dead microbes and other toxic stuff they inject in your blood stream does not mean that it's impossible that it WEAKENS your overall immune system, thus rendering you more vulnerable to living flu germs of various strains that are all around you.

And that is why I do not get flu shots...and interestingly enough, I don't seem to get the flu either.

We are living in an age of professional quackery, in my opinion, mostly driven by the impulse to sell expensive drugs and keep the drug companies in business. To stay in business, they must keep people afraid...

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:45 AM

Cluck cluck, cough cough, cockadooddle, A-tishoo, cluck cluck!

RtS
(Potential economies , ie cuts, by BBSRC at Institute of Animal Health may mean not only that Herself may join me in retirement but a whole research team on Avian Flu etc may be disbanded. Joined-up government????HUH!))

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:46 AM

And alive?

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:49 AM

I learned long ago that you're in a race with Death and you're losing.   You cannot win. Death sustains you. "No one here gets out alive." Live with that thought.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 09:54 AM

Nope, Guest. Just afraid. Everyone dies. Death is graduation. I don't fear it. I fear living stupidly while I'm still here and being under the control of bureaucracies who do not have my best interests in mind, but rather their profit line and the maintenance of their chosen orthodoxy.

To set a broken arm, I see a doctor.

To avoid the flu, I live a healthy life. I will die when I'm ready to graduate out of this little drama here.

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 01:46 PM

Regarding the flu shot and still getting the flu. The thing is that this year's flu shots were made last year with a "prediction" of what this year's flu would be like. Getting the flu shot may prevent some from getting a certain type of the flu but certainly does not protect against all the varities of the flu. In addition, if the vaccine prediction was off, the protection you receive will not be accurate anyway. I also do not get the flu shot. I do, however, HIGHLY AGREE with the hand washing business. I work with children, I attend a university and I do a fair amount of work in a university computer labs (have you ever SEEN these keyboards? Talk about NASTY!) and then there's church where we shake hands with everybody...I wash my hands OFTEN with lots of warm soapy water...usually twice through. I think the handwashing prevents LOTS. What are you doing still sitting here? Go wash yer hands people! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 03:53 PM

LilyF, you oughta see the keyboards in a public library!

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: Little Hawk
Date: 28 Feb 05 - 05:15 PM

Howard Hughes could really have related to this whole discussion in a BIG way! :-)

Guest, pay close attention to Howard's solution, get yourself a hermetically sealed room, and lots of kleenex and stay SAFE, for GOD'S SAKE! Those big, bad germs are gonna get you if you don't!!!!

Subject: RE: INFLUENZA
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Mar 05 - 12:56 AM

"Where is the Queen?" cried the King. "The queen is in bed with Influeza." "Last week it was Arthur Itus. "

"Fuck the Queen" cried the King, at which time 10,000 loyal servants were crushed in the rush.