DL Flu Precautions?

[MAH4546]

Wow.

I can't believe people are crazy enough to be canceling vacations over something so trivial, or even considering.

To anybody considering canceling a vacation, seriously do some research on how the swine flu "epidemic" is absolutely not a cause for concern. I'd be a lot more worried about catching the everyday flu, which is deadlier.

http://www.dailytitan.com/opinion/editorial-swinefluenza-overreaction-1.1738612

http://www.elpasotimes.com/health/ci_12259504

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=6788205

 

[ArielAdventurer]

I can't believe people are crazy enough to be canceling vacations over something so trivial, or even considering.


Thank you..Over 36,000 people die of the regular flu every year..I have not heard of anyone canceling a Disney..or..any other trip based on those stats..

We can either live our lives..or..be paralyzed with fear ..if this flu is going to hit..it isn't going to look for you any more at Disneyland..than it is in your neighborhood Wal Mart....

 

[ArielAdventurer]

Brave call, if I was going to DL next week I don't think I could be as sure as you

Not brave at all...I just remember around 2003.. we were all going to die of Sars..then Avian Flu ..a couple of years ago..There is always something out there threatening to take us down ..we might as well go on with our lives....

 

[ArielAdventurer]

I for one, hope lots of people are scared and stay home! More rides for us!!

That is how I feel..too..
To add to that thought..this flu isn't killing most people..the boy who did die here..had only been in America for 4 days and none of his family got sick...most all people in this country who have gotten it are recovering..why the panic? Oh..I know..media hype...

 

[mechurchlady]

Yeah people stay home and we get shorter lines.

Actually if people stay home then the tourism industry is hurt big time and this is a fragile economic time as it is. The janitor will loose his job thus causing unemployment to pay him, he will buy cheaper shoes for his kids and skip that trip to see his mom this year, and he will skip his medicine because he cannot afford it. All because someone decided to stay home and avoid an unreal fear.

I do not use sanitizers but do make sure to not put things in my mouth like my credit card, only touch the rim of my nose as that is a great way to get bugs by sticking fingers in one's nose, and wash my hands more often. I have not had flu in a year or more but come close a couple of times.

What scares me is being in the CVS line for our meds and the woman behind me has a sick kid. Germy kid grabbing bags of candy and pawing all over them. If I had my wheelchair then I would have let her go ahead of me to get her out of line.

 

[CanadianPaco]

I understand your position and appreciate what you said. Just going by what my doctor said since we are in San Antonio which is one of the major hot beds for the swine flu. I work in 3 of the school districts that are currently shut down until May 11th due to reported cases. He said that neither is as good independently as wet wipes do not kill enough bacteria and purell needs to be wiped off after use. Because the bacteria is still on your hands. That is why hand washing is best because the bacteria is washed off.At my daughter's school they are asking for the kids to use Purell and then wipe off their hands shortly after as well. Maybe that is how our CDC is handling since we are so close to Mexico and are at a higher level of caution

I don't think you do understand nor does your doctor. The science is there. Sanitizer is now the preferred method on destroying pathogens from your hands provided they are not grossly contaminated. Organic loads render the antibacterial properties of the sanitizer ineffective. As aside, we were in San Antonio last week for 5 days and you have a beautiful city! Then we spent three days in DL! We used hand gel the whole time and returned to Canada (and remain) healthy!

 

[kiwitravel]

A lot of debate here but ultimately its each persons decision. I am right on the fence on this one and if had a trip planned would leave it absolutely to the last possible minute when I can cancel to make the decision based on the evidence available at that time. For now this virus has only a potential to be really bad, there is no real evidence this is going to be more deadly than any other normal flu as others have said here.

HOWEVER that potential is real and certainly not media hype. The WHO do not make alerts lightly, those comparing this to bird flu are totally misleading people, bird flu ultimately was not very communicable person to person and so was easily managed, this strain which has a bird flu component is travelling person to person and therefore is deservedly a real concern.

Just because there is only one fatality outside of Mexico at this stage does not mean this is not a threat, Mexico have had the virus for a month and deaths only really occurred in the last two weeks, the rest of the world is only two weeks into this thing, my hope is that the mexico deaths will be proven to be normal flu type deaths and not due to a new super bug. There is some evidence that this could well be the case.

 

[ArielAdventurer]

HOWEVER that potential is real and certainly not media hype. The WHO do not make alerts lightly, those comparing this to bird flu are totally misleading people, bird flu ultimately was not very communicable person to person and so was easily managed, this strain which has a bird flu component is travelling person to person and therefore is deservedly a real concern

I think everyone should be concerned as with any illness..No one is saying this is the same illness as SARS or bird flu...we are saying the media hype was in...in all cases..sometimes to the point of causing undo panic...So far this strain of flu... has not proven to be any more deadly than the regular flu....and..to cancel vacation plans..etc..is probably being overly cautious..

 

[marvel]

The media have a lot to answer for. People in Australia have been going to doctors asking if they have the swine flu, even though they haven't actually traveled anywhere!! Don't know whether to laugh or cry!

 

[BecBennett]

The media have a lot to answer for. People in Australia have been going to doctors asking if they have the swine flu, even though they haven't actually traveled anywhere!! Don't know whether to laugh or cry!

I know! I'm laughing to be honest, we're coming into flu season, what do they expect! The media isn't helping with that either, because they keep spouting something like "120 suspected cases of swine flu in Australia" when it's just overly cautious people getting tested just incase.

Suspected cases! Suspected! They should start only talking about confirmed cases, I think that would calm alot of people down if they knew the difference.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We just got back today from DL. Was I really thrilled that we were in these big crowds with this possibly lurking? No not really. But I do think a lot of it is media hype. Kinda like the Bird Flu, SARS, and West Niles virus. All real problems, but not the epidemics that were going to take over the world as the media played it up to be. At least that's my opinion, and yes they did play those up to be massive threats to the world.

I worked for our local hospitals health line, and you should have seen the numbers of calls we got when the West Niles thing broke in the media. Every little bump and symptom people thought they had it. Mass hysteria.

Besides, as we were hearing about confirmed and possible cases in Southern CA, we get home to hear that there's a possible case here too. So no point in hiding in your house. Just do the usual, wash hands, stay away from sick people the best you can. Can't live in a bubble!

We had a great time too (although not enough people stayed home!)

 

[ArielAdventurer]

We had a great time too (although not enough people stayed home!)
I am glad you had a good time..I go in 15 days..I can't wait

 

[teatime]

looks like our vice president either knows way more, or is scared to death like a lot of folks.



Joe Biden on Swine Flu: Avoid Planes, Trains, Automobiles

Thursday, April 30, 2009, 03:12 PM | Random
Tags: Joe Biden, Pandemic, Swine Flu

President Obama may be warning Americans not to panic over the flu outbreak that is spreading across the world, but Vice President Biden didn’t tamp down the hyperbole Thursday, saying he would tell his family not to get on a plane right now or go in any confined space.

Speaking on NBC’s “Today,” Biden, a longtime Amtrak rider who has commuted for decades daily from Delaware to Washington, D.C., said he wouldn’t advise family necessarily against going to Mexico, the source of the H1N1 outbreak, but he wouldn’t tell them to get into any small area like a subway car, automobile, classroom or airplane.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...f_subways_airplanes_over_swine_flu_fears.html

 

[Misskitty3]

looks like our vice president either knows way more, or is scared to death like a lot of folks.



Joe Biden on Swine Flu: Avoid Planes, Trains, Automobiles

Thursday, April 30, 2009, 03:12 PM | Random
Tags: Joe Biden, Pandemic, Swine Flu

President Obama may be warning Americans not to panic over the flu outbreak that is spreading across the world, but Vice President Biden didn’t tamp down the hyperbole Thursday, saying he would tell his family not to get on a plane right now or go in any confined space.

Speaking on NBC’s “Today,” Biden, a longtime Amtrak rider who has commuted for decades daily from Delaware to Washington, D.C., said he wouldn’t advise family necessarily against going to Mexico, the source of the H1N1 outbreak, but he wouldn’t tell them to get into any small area like a subway car, automobile, classroom or airplane.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...f_subways_airplanes_over_swine_flu_fears.html

Teatime - I believe that Biden "flubbed" on this one.

Here is one of many articles that talks about it:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090430/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_swine_flu_biden

Quoted from the above article:

For the record, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site says this: "CDC has NOT recommended that people avoid travel at this time."









.....

 

[teatime]

Yeah, he is doing some back peddling . But I wonder if what he says is not true? we should avoid all closed in spaces. I do know when some one is sick on a flight there germs are exposed thru out the plane. I have seen many folks get very sick when they get home from a trip, me included.
Im not scared, but it does make sense to me.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

wow, reading this thread makes me shake my head. People just believe everything their news media tells them. They are hyping this thing up big time! I agree, what happened with the sars thing and the bird flu? It was going to be bad, people were going to get sick...it was going to be everywhere. Now most people dont even recall what that initial panic was all about. It makes you wonder how much people think for themselves and how many just listen to what others say and take it as truth without question.

I know the industry will be hurting if people stay home however I'd rather have them do so then panicking behind me in line. Or causing undo panic in the park.

I will not cancel my trip, and disneyland is most likely not going to close. Aren't there less than 100 cases in this country? And only that one mexican child died?? I just dont understand this widespread panic over basically an illness that kills many each year (the flu) but is rarely reported. Oh well...

 

[SmoothDisneyH2O]

wow, reading this thread makes me shake my head. People just believe everything their news media tells them. They are hyping this thing up big time! I agree, what happened with the sars thing and the bird flu? It was going to be bad, people were going to get sick...it was going to be everywhere. Now most people dont even recall what that initial panic was all about. It makes you wonder how much people think for themselves and how many just listen to what others say and take it as truth without question.

I know the industry will be hurting if people stay home however I'd rather have them do so then panicking behind me in line. Or causing undo panic in the park.

I will not cancel my trip, and disneyland is most likely not going to close. Aren't there less than 100 cases in this country? And only that one mexican child died?? I just dont understand this widespread panic over basically an illness that kills many each year (the flu) but is rarely reported. Oh well...

Im not so worried about the park closing as I am the airlines cancelling flights. Knowing my luck when we go to fly out next friday the CDC will ground the airlines. Ohhhh Im stressed. This sucks.

 

[wdwrich]

Aren't there less than 100 cases in this country? And only that one mexican child died??

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 141 confirmed cases in 19 U.S. states as of 1 May. Considering that there are thousands of deaths each year in the U.S. from the "standard" strains of flu, the current scare over swine flu seems to be a bit overblown.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Im not so worried about the park closing as I am the airlines cancelling flights. Knowing my luck when we go to fly out next friday the CDC will ground the airlines. Ohhhh Im stressed. This sucks.

There are worse places to be stuck in than Southern California in May. I know, I know, not the point. Just trying to offer an "up side."

I am trying not to cross over into the paranoid side of this whole thing, but it is a little scary.

 

[Sherry E]

wow, reading this thread makes me shake my head. People just believe everything their news media tells them. They are hyping this thing up big time! I agree, what happened with the sars thing and the bird flu? It was going to be bad, people were going to get sick...it was going to be everywhere. Now most people dont even recall what that initial panic was all about. It makes you wonder how much people think for themselves and how many just listen to what others say and take it as truth without question.

I know the industry will be hurting if people stay home however I'd rather have them do so then panicking behind me in line. Or causing undo panic in the park.

I will not cancel my trip, and disneyland is most likely not going to close. Aren't there less than 100 cases in this country? And only that one mexican child died?? I just dont understand this widespread panic over basically an illness that kills many each year (the flu) but is rarely reported. Oh well...

I agree, Krissy. Until the swine flu (which has now been gven a different official name because the pigs are not to blame) hits close to where I live in large numbers, I am not worried. There is no point in it. I have to live my life. If it is going to get me, it is going to get me. I probably can't stop it. I wasn't worried about SARS, wasn't worried about Anthrax and I was not worried about the avian flu. I was at the ATM this morning, touching keys that other people have touched, and opening the door handle to the bank. I am going to the store over the weekend and will be touching shopping carts and shelf items that other people have touched. And if all goes well, I will be going for a quickie one-day trip to DLR on my birthday in July, and it hadn't even occurred to me that the flu could interfere with that. I mean, the heat may keep me away if it is TOO hot then, but I am not going to let fears of the flu keep me away from my Fun Card, or the store, or the bank, or from my mailbox, for that matter!! I also entered a contest for a trip to Catalina Island - which is another place I LOVE in SoCal - and if I am fortunate enough to win, I am going, flu scare or no flu scare!

The thing that does worry me, however, is that with all this increasing panic, whenever anyone gets sick with a good old fashioned BAD COLD or even a 'regular' BAD FLU that leaves you sick for 2 weeks (and I am sure we have all had those), extra extra-paranoid folks will be running to the ER claiming they have this swine flu. They probably won't even wait 2 weeks. At the first sign of a cough, they will head to the ER. And that will take away precious time, energy and resources from the people who are truly injured or extremely sick.