Swine Flu - General Discussion and how it affects Disney

[praline3001]

How do you spell PANIC???

Easy ~ A-S-T-H-M-A

I am not in panic mode BUT those of us WITH family members who have medical conditions, the flu is a serious thing. It might not be for those with healthy immune systems but for those who have asthma the flu means hospitalization. My DS15 has been hospitalized 8 times due to complications to viruses and infections such as strep.

He does get the flu shot every single year. I wish people would understand that some of us have to concern ourselves about spreading illnesses. If it were not for him, I really would not be concerned at all. Yes, I do worry during flu season. I do make sure all of my kids are pro's at hand washing and they know how germs spread. Does this make me a germaphobe? NOOOO
I do try to make sure all 3 of my kids live a normal healthy life.
BUT if you have ever had a child hospitalized and in an oxygen tent .... errr.... then you would understand the concerns of some parents.

 

[tekmom]

I guess I don't really see how Disney is being unethical by not allowing you to buy trip insurance after the fact, and not believing you when you lied and said you had originally accepted it. More unethical perhaps to lie and say you purchased something, but really did not? Then threaten with legal action?

I sort of agree with your wife, that you are overreacting a bit by cancelling your trip at this point. But that's just my opinion, of course. You should do what's best for your family! Not sure how you were planning to reschedule, though, since who knows how long this will last OR what else may be on the horizon germ-wise.

A little too early to cancel a trip and/or panic, IMHO.

I agree. We have a WDW trip planned for July and did NOT purchase travel insurance because we are driving and the insurance would cost more than what we would lose at WDW if we cancelled.

Now, if I were flying (or cruising, for that matter) there's no way I wouldn't get travel insurance. I would have just gotten it through insuremytrip.com, though. For the most part, you can obtain it with them right up until you travel. Maybe he should look into it.

If I were unemployed and $600.00 would break me, I wouldn't be taking a trip. If I chose to go anyway, I would have found trip insurance. Period. Calling WDW unethical because they won't give it to you now is ridiculous. He should calm down and perhaps look into insurance through another source.

 

[mamalle]

Its really too early to tell but no I wouldnt be traveling to a US theme park personally for awhile or on a cruise- that is a breeding ground for this since it appeals to visitors all over the world. I didnt let dd go to seaworld this past week with her class just because of this... Its attacking otherwise healthy children and spreading fast and we will find people only getting sicker from this. Mine had the flu in Feb and were very sick for 8 days straight with fever and they are healthy kids. As a ER nurse this one does have me worried. Its the secondary infection, dehydration that is going to do the most harm...

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

How do you spell PANIC???

Good question! Panic hits the DISboards again!!

 

[angelaernest]

I agree. We have a WDW trip planned for July and did NOT purchase travel insurance because we are driving and the insurance would cost more than what we would lose at WDW if we cancelled.

We did not purchase insurance either because we are driving, and the expense was not worth it. I'd rather pay the $100 cancellation fee if necessary. We have a 5/13-5/19 trip scheduled. We are weighing our plans carefully. We already decided that we will not rent a vehicle as we had planned. We prefer to go with the vehicle that we know is clean and whose history we know. You never know from where the vehicles have arrived and I trust or sanitizing efforts more. Call me paranoid, but we too have an asthmatic child as well as a 30-month old who is into touching everything and chewing her fingers because she is teething. We are in Texas and we are keeping our ears open for the spread here and along our travel route. We figure better to be safe than sorry. Disney will be there.

 

[mamalle]

IF people could cover their mouths when they cough that would help along with washing their hands frequently...

Im not sure how disney can keep every part of their park safe... everytime you touch a door, get into a ride,shake a character's hand, it goes on and on... germs are everywhere

 

[ktbug103]

While I think its GREAT that none of the US cases have been fatal, it's still too early to say that they won't be. As of now there have only been about 14 confirmed cases in the US. That number is far too small to make any real predictions yet. The scary thing about this flu virus is that we just don't know much about it or how it may evolve. While we shouldn't panic it's good to be on our toes.

I also wanted to add that this is definetly different from the standard seasonal flu virus. First of all it seems to infect either more people in the 25-45 age group or they have worse effects from it. Also there is talk that this flu can produce cytokine storms. That is one reason why the 1918 flu was so deadly. There is also some worry about why it is so deadly in Mexico. If you read some of the medical blogs coming out of Mexico it does not seem that all the deaths are caused by substandard medical care. Also it seems that the Mexican government isn't reporting all cases.

 

[maroo]

I also wanted to add that this is definetly different from the standard seasonal flu virus. First of all it seems to infect either more people in the 25-45 age group or they have worse effects from it. Also there is talk that this flu can produce cytokine storms. That is one reason why the 1918 flu was so deadly. There is also some worry about why it is so deadly in Mexico. If you read some of the medical blogs coming out of Mexico it does not seem that all the deaths are caused by substandard medical care. Also it seems that the Mexican government isn't reporting all cases.

exactly.

Do you have a link to any of these blogs that have balanced info about this?

 

[DisneyNewbiie]

I have waited 23years to go to Disneyworld and nothing I MEAN NOTHING AND I MEAN NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP ME!!!!!Thats what I would say if I didnt have a 5 year old daughter going.At this point I see nothing wrong with going just make sure we take care of ourselfs.If it does get worse then maybe I might change dates.I know if I cancel its $100.00 what if I move dates well they charge me?

 

[JPG]

To all the people here who are panicking: Do you panic over the regular flu season every year?

This swine flu strain appears to cause the same type of symptoms as the regular annual influenza. The only reason people are freaking out is because there is no vaccine prepared for it yet.
Remember a couple of years ago when the annual flu vaccine was prepared for the flu season and they GOT IT WRONG? The vaccine everyone got that year was useless against the strain that actually went around the world. This swine flu is just like that scenario.

Why are there so many deaths in Mexico? It could be a number of reasons, lack of good health care, less clean conditions, people may have lower immune systems. There may be another bug going around that already made people sick and this came along.


I did some research and found that the mortality rate for the annual influenza is 5%-10% in the U.S. The mortality rate in Mexico so far seems to be about 8%, if there numbers being reported are correct. The mortality rate for this swine flu in the U.S. so far is 0%.

I really wish everyone will relax and not feed into the fear. Please stop letting the news stations which depend on ratings dictate how frightened you should be. "We have nothing to fear except fear itself" Panic will just create more panic and will not help the situation. Wash your hands regularly and get rest. I firmly believe that this too shall pass. Good health to all.

Excellent post!!! Bravo!!!

Now lets see......Mad cow disease, Salmonella, West Nile, the Flu, Asian Bird Flu, SARS, everything will give you cancer, global warming, the economy, Y2K........

How many other things will come along that is going to get us all????

Lighten up and Live!

 

[Toad_Passenger]

To all the people here who are panicking: Do you panic over the regular flu season every year?

This swine flu strain appears to cause the same type of symptoms as the regular annual influenza. The only reason people are freaking out is because there is no vaccine prepared for it yet.
Remember a couple of years ago when the annual flu vaccine was prepared for the flu season and they GOT IT WRONG? The vaccine everyone got that year was useless against the strain that actually went around the world. This swine flu is just like that scenario.

Why are there so many deaths in Mexico? It could be a number of reasons, lack of good health care, less clean conditions, people may have lower immune systems. There may be another bug going around that already made people sick and this came along.


I did some research and found that the mortality rate for the annual influenza is 5%-10% in the U.S. The mortality rate in Mexico so far seems to be about 8%, if there numbers being reported are correct. The mortality rate for this swine flu in the U.S. so far is 0%.

I really wish everyone will relax and not feed into the fear. Please stop letting the news stations which depend on ratings dictate how frightened you should be. "We have nothing to fear except fear itself" Panic will just create more panic and will not help the situation. Wash your hands regularly and get rest. I firmly believe that this too shall pass. Good health to all.

Great Info!

I'm glad I took the time to come out of my plastic bubble to log on and read this!

I really hate how the media creates these firestorms. Certainly we should take precautions such as washing our hands, and seeing our doctor if we get flu-like symptoms. We should not, however, stop our lives, stockpile facemasks and run around saying the sky is falling!

20 cases in the US, so far, none of which were fatal, and ALL of which could be traced back to someone who had been to Mexico, or had contact with someone who had been to Mexico.

 

[xiola]

I agree that we shouldn't panic, but taking precautions is not the same as panicking. True, this virus hasn't killed anyone in the U.S....yet. The virus could mutate quickly into something more dangerous. Public health officials won't be able to keep up with it.

But it's out of our control. There's no reason to stop living your life the way you normally do, but take some extra precautions. Hand washing, staying away from sick people, common sense stuff. Don't put blinders over your eyes just because the last few potential breakouts didn't happen.

I would keep my vacation plans, unless I was planning to go to Mexico.

 

[wdw71]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/27/swine.flu.international/index.html

 

[wdw71]

We fly from Houston to WDW next Monday. Normally, I wouldn't freak out too much because I would just take normal precautions and watch for symptoms. But... I am 13 weeks pregnant. Therefore, I am a little more worried because I figure that puts me at higher risk (and of course, the baby) and there is less that can be done safely to treat a pregnant woman (unless I am wrong, which would be great- I know tamniflu is not safe in pregnancy). ANYWAY... the neosporin thing sounds great- any ideas if it would be safe for pregnancy? Even it prevents colds on the plane, it is worth trying.

Hope everyone stays healthy!

Wear a surgical mask on the plane, just a thought and Congrats on the new little one

 

[Toad_Passenger]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/27/swine.flu.international/index.html

While this information is good, it should be noted that while the EU Health Commissioner is giving these warnings, no such warning has been issued by the WHO or the CDC.

 

[66Tink]

We leave for WDW on Friday and to think I was just worried about Bed Bugs Now they don't seem so bad compared to the swine flu. I agree with many of you who have said not to put the blinders on, but to be aware and go on with your plans. With that said I am a bit on the Monkish side when it comes to germs, but I also think that is because so many of my family members have or had cancer and germs can wreak havoc on an already compromised immune system. In any case just to let you all know that my Dad's oncologists suggest washing with warm soap and water and to sing the ABC song twice to make sure you are washing long enough. As far as anti-bacterials are concerned they said not going to help because this is viral.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

In any case just to let you all know that my Dad's oncologists suggest washing with warm soap and water and to sing the ABC song twice to make sure you are washing long enough.

I got a good chuckle out of this. Our DD's preschool suggested "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" three times.

 

[MellyBeans]

This thread is seriously going to be the end of me. Just when I convince myself not to panic or to be overly concerned, I come to my happy place the dis, and am inevitably drawn to this thread. All this hysteria makes me feel like I should be...well...hysterical.

My boyfriend is going to ban me from the Dis soon if I don't lay off this thread. I have told him more about Swine Flu then he ever would have cared to hear about or would ever be concerned about, and most of my hysteria has come straight from this thread.

We are going to Disney at the end of May, and as of right now, we are NOT canceling. That thought seems totally premature at this point. However, worse case scenario and this thing really does turn into a pandemic of catastrophic proportions, heck no, I won't be there. A missed trip (and even losing money as I didn't get trip insurance either), will be the LEAST of my concerns or worry should that happen.

 

[5littleindians]

I am happy to see this thread as I was just about to start one on my own. We are doing the cruise and then 7 days at wdw and I am a little concerned. I am wondering how many folks from europe will be cancelling their trips. All schools in mexico city are closed today because of this outbreak. I am also going to pack lots and lots of hand sanitizer!

 

[afcgirl]

To all the people here who are panicking: Do you panic over the regular flu season every year?

This swine flu strain appears to cause the same type of symptoms as the regular annual influenza. The only reason people are freaking out is because there is no vaccine prepared for it yet.
Remember a couple of years ago when the annual flu vaccine was prepared for the flu season and they GOT IT WRONG? The vaccine everyone got that year was useless against the strain that actually went around the world. This swine flu is just like that scenario.

Why are there so many deaths in Mexico? It could be a number of reasons, lack of good health care, less clean conditions, people may have lower immune systems. There may be another bug going around that already made people sick and this came along.


I did some research and found that the mortality rate for the annual influenza is 5%-10% in the U.S. The mortality rate in Mexico so far seems to be about 8%, if there numbers being reported are correct. The mortality rate for this swine flu in the U.S. so far is 0%.

I really wish everyone will relax and not feed into the fear. Please stop letting the news stations which depend on ratings dictate how frightened you should be. "We have nothing to fear except fear itself" Panic will just create more panic and will not help the situation. Wash your hands regularly and get rest. I firmly believe that this too shall pass. Good health to all.

GREAT POST!!!