Swine Flu - General Discussion and how it affects Disney

[sweet maxine]

Oddly enough, two years ago, my dh was fascinated with the history of influenza. He researched until he found a book he thought would do a good job of detailing the 1918 flu.

At his urging, I got the book out last night and read just the Afterword, a section about 12 pages or so long. It describes how we are very likely to have another flu pandemic, and how it could possibly occur. Needless to say, it's very chilling...

It's called The Great Influenza, The story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry. See if your library has a copy, or you could get it at any local bookstore. Definitely food for thought, and one of the paragraphs I read last night literally jumped off the page at me---really prophetic!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Sounding like maybe we should all re-read '"The Stand"???

 

[praline3001]

Sounding like maybe we should all re-read '"The Stand"???

I was talking about that to DH last night

 

[sweet maxine]

Well, actually, I was thinking about The Andromeda Strain, a book I read in jr. high school. That's the one that came to mind last night as I was reading the flu book. I haven't read Stephen King's book, as I'm not a fan of his. Michael Crichton is the better read.

 

[DisneyNewbiie]

A top official from Houston just had a press confrence that the toddler was not a US citizen he was brought here from mexico were he was infected for treatment.Although it does not make it better for the family.But still is no deaths by a Us citizen

 

[avahoneybee]

They also said he was admitted to the hospital on April 13 so this entered the country weeks ago.

 

[edillen1]

These are lottery winner levels of infection here in the US. You basically have a betterr chance of being killed by a drunk driver or getting struck by lightning at this point. I would venture to guess that we all have a better chance of catching regular influenza than this.

All the people in Mexico who died probably did so because of the air quality there which is horrible. Plus the fact that Mexico city is 20 million in population,

36000 people die every year in the US from regular influenza. That s 100 a day! This whole topic in reality is blown way out of proportion. And remember the stress of worrying can lower your immune system so quit worrying!

By the way, my family and I will be there Saturday!

 

[Britgirlus]

During week 12 (March 22-28, 2009), influenza activity continued to decrease in the United States.

Seven hundred twenty-two (16.8%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories and reported to CDC/Influenza Division were positive for influenza.

If you check out the CDC web site and look at the regular influenza page, it says how many cases they have been every week, and also how many each season. As you can see above - in just one week in March, there were 722 cases (again, this is regular flu, not Swine flu) - just to put it all into perspective. Yes, this could turn into something worse, but please don't panic - just be prepared.

 

[famsen]

Here's some reading for you:
"The Demon in the Freezer" by Richard Preston. It's about what would happen should smallpox come around again; not pretty. Smallpox has at least a 30% mortality rate.
He also wrote "The Hot Zone" which is about ebola. They are non-fiction books and present some frightening scenarios but they also provide good information on how the government is prepared to fight such outbreaks and how people can prepare and protect themselves.

After reading those books, swine flu does not seem so scary.

 

[angelaernest]

I went to WalMart yesterday to pick up a few things. I had my small bottle of Purell and paper towel in hand to wipe down the shopping cart handle-- as per usual. The WalMart had no free standing hand sanitizer at the entrance (as I have seen at some in the past). Of more concern to me was the fact that, although info about this flu and hygiene reminders have been in all media forms, I saw not one other person taking any precautions of any kind. I did see people coughing into their hands and putting them back on the shopping cart handle and people looking at me as if I were abnormal for wiping my shopping cart handle and sanitizing my hands.

I will say I was a tad bit comforted when I went to a Sam's store and saw the cashiers sanitizing their hands.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Word out of the current Congressional hearings is that the CDC will announce confirmed cases in Nevada, Massachusetts, Michigan...and one other state. Of course keep in mind that these may be from tests done days ago and the people are more than likely recovered by now.

ETA: It also sounds like the government agencies feel the USA is doing a very good job with this.

 

[locolala]

Update on me.. I'm actually getting worse. I was crouping all last night and hubby can hear the wheezing and congestion in my chest from across the room. If I'm not better by tomorrow, I'm going to the ER. Even if it isn't swine flu, I'm pretty daggone sick

 

[catne]

was watching the live press conference - 91 confirmed cases in US - 10 states. NY, TX, CA, MA, MI,AZ,NV,IN,KS,OH.

 

[tiffsix]

I went to WalMart yesterday to pick up a few things. I had my small bottle of Purell and paper towel in hand to wipe down the shopping cart handle-- as per usual. The WalMart had no free standing hand sanitizer at the entrance (as I have seen at some in the past). Of more concern to me was the fact that, although info about this flu and hygiene reminders have been in all media forms, I saw not one other person taking any precautions of any kind. I did see people coughing into their hands and putting them back on the shopping cart handle and people looking at me as if I were abnormal for wiping my shopping cart handle and sanitizing my hands.

I will say I was a tad bit comforted when I went to a Sam's store and saw the cashiers sanitizing their hands.

I always wipe off shopping carts with Clorox wipes before putting my son into the cart. I also always wipe off restaurant high chairs with Clorox too before I put my son it it. I will be wiping off a lot more when we arrive in Disney on Friday! I plan on wiping down our room, door knobs, phones, etc. And I will definitely be taking several more trips to the bathroom to wash my hands and i will do the same with my son. I only hope other people plan on doing the same thing! I am a little nervous about going to Disney with this flu criscrossing the country, but will just be more cautious with washing, washing washing and washing our hands!

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Update on me.. I'm actually getting worse. I was crouping all last night and hubby can hear the wheezing and congestion in my chest from across the room. If I'm not better by tomorrow, I'm going to the ER. Even if it isn't swine flu, I'm pretty daggone sick

If you are running a fever of 100+ I would see if someone could see you right away. Even if it's not swine flu, you may have the regular flu, and you can get the Tamiflu now, and not have to worry any further!

 

[drcandon]

Okay..on the lysol topic..let me rephrase....the pp was talking about spraying lysol in the air as well as surfaces and that is what I was refering to as ineffective..and yes Lysol does work against some viruses on hard non porous surfaces as long as you thouroughly soak the surface and/ or spray the surface well and then use a sterile cloth to wipe down....notice I said sterile , not washed...not to flame anyone - so please don't think I am doing that , but you cannot beleive everything on the can...

a sample you can find if you google..

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/...d=news_view&newsId=20090304005140&newsLang=en

As far as Javel(Javex Chlorox) products ( sodium hypochlorite 5%) is still the most effective readily available product - all cruise ships use it to wipe down after Norwalk

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/facilities/safety/?Page=695

On that same page they talk about the Alcohol based ones...at 70% ...please note the goop ones are 65%...I know that 5% less does not seem like much but if you have worked in a hospital lab enviroment or any medical lab enviroment you know that all of these disenfecatants have optimal strenghts - anything above and below might or simply might not work..

Another santizer that can works but you have to watch is those based on Benzalkonium chloride..it is available in towlette form...I am not advocating it, because this stuff in concentrated forms is very harmful to fish and all amphibians....

Just some info....

 

[locolala]

If you are running a fever of 100+ I would see if someone could see you right away. Even if it's not swine flu, you may have the regular flu, and you can get the Tamiflu now, and not have to worry any further!

I saw my doc yesterday, they're running tests. They're being stingy about giving out the Tamiflu here since it's a military hospital. I dunno how long the test takes, but if my fever spikes back up I'll head down to the ER. I've had pneumonia a couple of times following the flu and I don't want to risk it again.

 

[sweet maxine]

I saw my doc yesterday, they're running tests. They're being stingy about giving out the Tamiflu here since it's a military hospital. I dunno how long the test takes, but if my fever spikes back up I'll head down to the ER. I've had pneumonia a couple of times following the flu and I don't want to risk it again.

I'm so sorry you're going through all of this. I hope you find out something soon, but I would go to the ER soon if you are spiking temp.

 

[las3888]

This seems to have been posted about 30 minutes ago on cdc.gov. The first page of cdc.gov is not updated since yesterday. I had to click further to find this (when cut and pasting the columns did not line up. there should be 2 columns...confirmed cases which is the first number after a state and the 2nd is deaths, and you will see only Texas has the number 1 after it's number of cases):

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 29, 2009, 11:00 AM ET) States # of laboratory confirmed cases Deaths
Arizona 1
California 14
Indiana 1
Kansas 2
Massachusetts 2
Michigan 2
Nevada 1
New York City 51
Ohio 1
Texas 16 1
TOTAL COUNTS 91 cases 1 death
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
See: World Health Organization

 

[sweet maxine]

On a side note about lysol and other sanitizers...

What about good old Listerine! I remember working with that in micro lab many years ago, and it seemed to do a much better job than others advertising the same claims. I don't know if it has any anti-viral potential, but it's worth looking into.

I also think it's a great idea to wipe down the grocery cart, wash hands, and everything else that has been suggested.

The one thing that I do routinely anytime I have been out in public is to come home and bathe, wash my hair and put on clean clothes. I don't know how scientific this is, but I do know that since doing so, I have not had a case of the flu or any other illness for the past two years. I would think that anyone flying could go immediately to the rest room upon landing, change clothes, wash off as best as possible, clear their nasal passages, wash their hands, etc. That should provide at least a minimum of protection.