Swine Flu - General Discussion and how it affects Disney

[maroo]

I live in a small suburban town halfway between San Antonio and Austin Texas. We have just been advised that both of our local and rural school districts are closed Until May 12 due to Swine Flu possible cases. My neighbor works at health dept and they said the local Pediatricians office is overrun with suspected cases. Don't know if this is overreaction on Health Dept but they are basically homebounding all parents of school aged children. If I thought that this would definitely prevent the spread of this I would be for it 100%. I don't know whether to be alarmed that so many of you aren't alarmed or feel as though everyone in the medical field is overreacting needlessly????

Anyway, I just want to be safe and healthy and I want that for my whole family. We have a trip planned in June, hopefully all will have died down or be contained by then. Everyone keep yourself safe you don't know how quickly this will spread and I just don't want a situation where we're all exposed before we even know it!!

They had a Senate hearing today and they said that this action was the right action to take if they had multiple kids that were sick with flu like illness, especially in an area where they already suspect cases.

I wish we had a real good idea what was out there...We have the people that have posted here...

The ones that think we are crazy to even have this thread to discuss it at all...and then those that thing we are all going to drown when we all get it!

Thanks for letting us know what is up with you guys.

Do you mind telling us which school districts are closed?

 

[luvthemouse71]

Like many people, my main issue is the plane..I may look like a huge fool, but I'm thinking a mask while on the plane may not be a bad idea if this hasn't died down by September.

I always end up sitting near a kiddo with a massive runny nose and wet cough, LOL, so I going to be prepared!

 

[praline3001]

The only way to kill germs on fabrics is to wash them in hot water and laundry soap. Then fully dry them on high heat.

You can request new bedding from housekeeping but I am not sure how they wash their sheets and blankets.

But to be honest ~ you will still come in contact with germs on a couch, in the lobby, the door walking into the lobby, sitting on a ride. The linens are the least of your worries.

Get a large can of lysol and spray down all hard surfaces.. make sure to get the bathroom really good! The remote, light switches, door handles.... just go to town on the entire room ... then leave for 30 minutes so the fumes don't kill ya
Then once a day spray lysol on the hard surfaces in your room... thats about the best you can do for your room.

The plan should focus more on protecting yourself rather than your enviroment. Do not put your hands on your face, wash your hands frequently ... and use purell as IT DOES kill influenza.

 

[praline3001]

If you go back and read my post, I never said it would kill influenza. I was responding to what the other person said about it not being used in surgery anymore-which is wrong info. I also mentioned that it is used for MRSA and I also stated that I'm aware MRSA isn't a virus. Like you said, it certainly won't kill you if you put it in your nose. This fact is obvious, since it is used for MRSA..my main issue was that other person stating erroneous facts about Neosporin poisoning your bloodstream when used in such small amounts.

All I really ask is that people take time to read and comprehend posts before responding...but I get the feeling that on here, it's a lost cause.

And OT..I'm not saying this to be snarky, but what's with the same smiley at the end of every sentence?

I was responding to your statement about how hospitals use neosporin You then seemed rather sure of yourself that all hospitals use neosporin and they don't.
I never said YOU in particular said it would kill the flu... but the PP stated using it and I ALSO wanted to make sure people understood the use of antibiotics will not kill a virus. You then did get rather snarky with your comment about me being a fortune teller

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

They had a Senate hearing today and they said that this action was the right action to take if they had multiple kids that were sick with flu like illness, especially in an area where they already suspect cases.

I wish we had a real good idea what was out there...We have the people that have posted here...

The ones that think we are crazy to even have this thread to discuss it at all...and then those that thing we are all going to drown when we all get it!

Thanks for letting us know what is up with you guys.

Do you mind telling us which school districts are closed?

Subject: FlashAlert - TUE 8:12 pm
Importance: High

New Braunfels ISD: At the recommendation of the Comal County Medical
Authority, New Braunfels ISD will be closed April 29 through May 10 to help
curb the spread of the swine flu. For more information, link to
www.newbraunfels.txed.net

 

[maroo]

was luvthemouse making fun of my smiley faces?

These that I put on the end of every sentence?

I do use those smileys way too much...and I tend to overuse exclamation points too!! Sorry if it is annoying. (seriously)

Actually, I put a smiley on the end of my sentences when I am not on the DIS, too, so I forget it actually turns into a yellow smiley.

 

[maroo]

Subject: FlashAlert - TUE 8:12 pm
Importance: High

New Braunfels ISD: At the recommendation of the Comal County Medical
Authority, New Braunfels ISD will be closed April 29 through May 10 to help
curb the spread of the swine flu. For more information, link to
www.newbraunfels.txed.net

WOW...

That is sobering. Are your kids sick? Take care of yourself! Watch lots of Disney movies! At least you can DIS!

 

[wehavesix]

my ENT recommended to me about applying bacitracin to my nares when working in the ER when I feel a sinus infection coming on. I have been doing this since 2005 and just apply a small amount. He says he uses it when he flies.. Makes sense. I did it also when we flew last fall.. I also see it prescribed for people via their nares that have had swabs that test positive from their nose for MRSA as a carrier..

Two of my kids seem to host staph and swabbing their nostrils with bacitracin was one of the things our pediatrician told me to do. My sister is a pharmacist and she agreed. They both read a study that indicated this was an effective way to rid the body of staph and MRSA. Don't know if it would be effective for anything else though. I guess it's not something one should do for a sustained period of time but I can't see how it would be harmful done in the short term or periodically.

 

[Dippy the Goof]

you can call it whatever you want but it still not going to prevent you from catching a virus

Its an antibotic which will kill bacteria such as staph and strep ~ influenza is not killed off by rubbing your entire body in neosporin

Is it going to kill you if you stick it up your nose? not unless you suffocate yourself with it ... but its not going to keep you from catching the flu

It can help prevent you from catching the flu. The flu virus flourishes in dry conditions. That is why it is so bad in the winter. There is low humidty. Florida's humidity during the summer will be a blessing. So, the neosporin will help keep the nasal passage moist. As one poster said, vasoline will also help. The flu won't travel as well in the moist nasal passages as it would in dry ones. The benefit of the neosporin is it is an anti-bacterial so it will help against bacteria.


DISCLAIMER: I'm not a Epidemiologist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[Dippy the Goof]

If you don't want to use the neosporin, you can use a product called Boogie Wipes. The saline will keep the nasal passage moist. Without getting graphic. It is easier for the virus to take root in the dry nose than a moist one. Think what happens to mucus in the nose once it dries (hint: boogers). That flu virus can latch on to a booger.

 

[maroo]

Subject: FlashAlert - TUE 8:12 pm
Importance: High

New Braunfels ISD: At the recommendation of the Comal County Medical
Authority, New Braunfels ISD will be closed April 29 through May 10 to help
curb the spread of the swine flu. For more information, link to
www.newbraunfels.txed.net

I put a link to this website on the first thread. I will try to keep up with any major school closings that we have "proof" of...like an internet link like this one.

 

[Feralpeg]

I was just on the Orange County Health Dept. website and it didn't say anything about asking people to stay home and away from others nor did say that they were looking at multiple possible cases in Central Florida. Am I missing something here?

http://www.orchd.com/

They just interviewed the doctor on the local news. He said they had confirmed nothing. They won't know for sure until tomorrow night. They are not asking the general public to stay home. They are just asking those who are ill to stay home.

 

[jamstew]

I live in a small suburban town halfway between San Antonio and Austin Texas. We have just been advised that both of our local and rural school districts are closed Until May 12 due to Swine Flu possible cases.

So you're in New Braunfels or Comal County? I just heard that on the news. Stay well

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

So you're in New Braunfels or Comal County? I just heard that on the news. Stay well

I'm in New Braunfels which is in Comal County. Everyone has been sick but we all just think it is the seasonal flu, perhaps the health dept here is overreacting? Luckily we in my family aren't sick and hope to stay that way. I am debating sending my DD to my best friend's house 2.5 hours away from here to keep her away from all off this but I don't know if I want her so far away from me that I can't watch her and keep her safe.

It is hard to decipher what is media hype, overreaction or justified precautions. Anyway, I do have the DIS to keep me occupied.

 

[lugnut33]

This is why I'm not worried. If I get it, I get it. I'll be sick for a few days and move on. Best article I've seen on it so far:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-orent29-2009apr29,0,5982333.story

 

[Colleen27]

It is really all about keeping your nasal cavity moist...you could even use petroleum jelly

That's one of the best peices of medical advice I ever got. I was a competitie swimmer when I was yougner and something about the constant exposure to chlorine would dry out my nasal passages something awful. Not only was I getting sick frequently, especially during winter season which was the most competitive/important, I was also getting nosebleeds. A little Vaseline applied with a Q-tip solved both problems, and it is something I still do when I'm flying or when I know I'll be in close quarters with someone who is sick.

 

[ShannonMB]

This is why I'm not worried. If I get it, I get it. I'll be sick for a few days and move on. Best article I've seen on it so far:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-orent29-2009apr29,0,5982333.story

This is a very helpful article. I appreciate you posting it!

 

[ModestMouse]

CNN is reporting the first confirmed US fatality, sadly, a 23-month old child in Texas:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html

And from Reuters:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090429/us_nm/us_flu_usa_death

There are also details on "patient zero"--a child in Veracruz, Mexico who apparently had the new flu strain first (and did survive).

 

[Toad_Passenger]

This is why I'm not worried. If I get it, I get it. I'll be sick for a few days and move on. Best article I've seen on it so far:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-orent29-2009apr29,0,5982333.story

Great find! I really hope people take the time to read this. It is very level-headed and subscribes to the "be cautious, but not alarmed" line of thinking!

 

[RMulieri]

Be responsible ,but be cautious.Please people stop feeding the fear.We have had a lot of people in my hospital ED in the last 24 hrs.very paranoid ,very scared and not even remotely sick with the flu( mostly seasonal allergies,colds,asthma) NO fevers ,resp symptoms,vomiting or diarrhea. This presents a huge people for us Nurses and Drs trying to take care of people.If our attentions,times, and resources are devoted to try and calm the panicked masses, we will not be there when it is going to be necessary, and something will get missed or overlooked. USE COMMON SENSE. Get info and updates from WHO and CDC. Know the signs and symptoms of FLU, and practice universal precautions.If you think that it is the flu, by all means come on in to your local ED. Don't come in with a runny nose, itchy watery eyes and no fever no other FLU symptoms.