Swine Flu - General Discussion and how it affects Disney

[d-r]

This is what causes panic. It is the flu. It is not Ebola. The flu is transmitted person to person. You catch the flu by breathing in the droplets from someone speaking, coughing, or sneezing. It is not an "airborne" virus.

um, dippy the goof. if someone sneezes or coughs the virus into the air and you breathe it, that is "airborne." You do not have to touch someone or some thing contaminated to get the flu virus. If someone standing next to you in line sneezes you can breathe it in.

I don't think anyone believes it is just floating around freely in the air like pollen or something. When they say airborne someone sneezing or coughing in line next to them is exactly what they mean.

 

[Joanna & Hunters Mom]

I am leaving for disney in 2 days with my wife and daughter and we are flying. I have chosen not to have the "sheep" mentality and run with the herd out of fear. Maybe I will get the swine flu. If I cancel now and reschedule for later I might get cancer or struck by a car before I get to go.

I choose to live life in the now. Not in the what if of the future or woulda/shoulda of the past. Every moment is fleeting.

If locking yourself in your house and toiling over the waht ifs is what satisfies you deep down inside then great.

Just remember, politicians are where they are because they won popularity contests, not because they passed some rigorous test of their knowledge.

The media is a popularity contest too. Fear sells and very well.

I agree with you totally! I am determined to come down and see Mickey.

 

[praline3001]

Georgia has its first confirmed case of swine flu
By CRAIG SCHNEIDER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday, April 30, 2009

The state health chief said Thursday that Georgia has its first case of swine flu — in a 30-year-old woman from Kentucky who was visiting the state.

The woman, whom officials would not identify, is in a hospital in LaGrange in Troup County, said Elizabeth Ford, head of the state Division of Public Health.

“The 30-year-old woman was traveling in Georgia and has a history of traveling to Cancun,” Ford said. Cancun is a resort in Mexico.

She added, “We expect that we will have more cases.”

Swine flu has symptoms nearly identical to regular flu, including fever, cough and sore throat and spreads like regular flu through tiny particles in the air when people cough or sneeze.

People with flu symptoms are advised to stay at home, wash their hands and cover their sneezes.

Ford said there has been no discussion of closing schools in Troup County.

“I do not believe schools should be closed,” she said.

She said that the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that the swine flu is the same strain, H1N1, as has been detected in Mexico and which is spreading across the U.S.

She said the Kentucky woman left Cancun on April 21 and was hospitalized April 26. She was in Cancun for about a week.

“She was traveling with others, and they have been contacted, and they are well,” Ford said.

The woman came to Georgia for a function, she said.

Ford added, “I want to make sure we’re not setting off a storm of panic.”

The World Health Organization has raised its alert level to Phase 5, the second-highest, indicating a pandemic may be imminent.

This is where major miscommunication comes in. the CDC just had a press conference and Ga was not on the new list. The only state that made the new list was SC.

 

[praline3001]

The newest records (as of 10:30AM) from the CDC
These are lab confirmed CDC sample results:

Arizona 1
California 14
Indiana 1
Kansas 2
Massachusetts 2
Michigan 1
Nevada 1
New York 50
Ohio 1
South Carolina
10

Texas
26
1
TOTAL COUNTS 109 cases 1 death


6 of those confirmed cases are hospitalized. The CDC guy himself did say don't pay attention to their numbers as they are way behind the real spread of this virus.
BUT GOOD NEWS ~~~~~ As of last night more state labs are able to test for this virus... including Mexico having their own mobile lab so some of the test should be getting results back sooner ~ at least those who had them sent to the CDC

 

[Dippy the Goof]

um, dippy the goof. if someone sneezes or coughs the virus into the air and you breathe it, that is "airborne." You do not have to touch someone or some thing contaminated to get the flu virus. If someone standing next to you in line sneezes you can breathe it in.

I don't think anyone believes it is just floating around freely in the air like pollen or something. When they say airborne someone sneezing or coughing in line next to them is exactly what they mean.

That is considered person to person. People are overreacting in fear. If the flu was that easily transmitted, the whole nation would have it right now.

 

[praline3001]

Here is something I will be watching on the internet closely!

(for those just joining I am NOT scare of the flu ~ I am watching how our government handles this stage 5.... I don't like how its being handled with way too many local level loops holes)

http://www.hhs.gov/
HHS Secretary Sebelius and DHS Secretary Napolitano will host a Webcast to answer questions from the American people regarding the H1N1 flu on Thursday at 1:00 PM EDT. They will be joined by Acting Director of CDC, Dr. Besser. The Webcast can be viewed at www.hhs.gov and www.cdc.gov. Submit questions for the webcast by emailing hhsstudio@hhs.gov.

 

[doho95fu]

I am leaving for disney in 2 days with my wife and daughter and we are flying. I have chosen not to have the "sheep" mentality and run with the herd out of fear. Maybe I will get the swine flu. If I cancel now and reschedule for later I might get cancer or struck by a car before I get to go.

I choose to live life in the now. Not in the what if of the future or woulda/shoulda of the past. Every moment is fleeting.

If locking yourself in your house and toiling over the waht ifs is what satisfies you deep down inside then great.

Just remember, politicians are where they are because they won popularity contests, not because they passed some rigorous test of their knowledge.

The media is a popularity contest too. Fear sells and very well.

Actually, having read every post, I would say you are in the flock on this one - for better or worse.

 

[WelovMickey!]

This is where major miscommunication comes in. the CDC just had a press conference and Ga was not on the new list. The only state that made the new list was SC.

CRAP! That's where I live!!

 

[lenshanem]

The Atlanta news on TV just said the Georgia case was confirmed.

 

[The3rdDisneyBoy]

Here is a pretty good article on the subject from Reuters:

http://www.reuters.com/article/swineFlu/idUSTRE53T34B20090430?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

No, being a level 5 or 6 does not indicate severity of the flu. In fact, many are saying most cases will be similar to seasonal flu symptoms.

Chan acknowledged that the disease may well cause more discomfort than death, noting that many patients infected in the United States have recovered on their own and without medicine.

Keiji ***uda, the WHO's acting assistant director-general, said that swine flu appeared very similar to normal seasonal flu, a disease that is rarely fatal for healthy adults but can kill the elderly and infirm.

I am not saying it shouldn't be monitored, because as the article states, it could swing the wrong way. But, I have also read in other articles that this can't be compared to 1918 because we have so much more in the way of treatment available to us.

For the record, I am leaving on Tuesday and do not have plans to cancel.

 

[avahoneybee]

There are other states showing as confirmed on that map that aren't confirmed on the CDC website. I'm going with the information which individual states are putting out at this point.

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/8018428.stm

interesting read about ppl who have or have been exposed to the flu in their own words

 

[SpecialK]

(emphasis mine) -- Um, that's what I was saying -- middle aged people -- people in their mid-40's to mid-50's -- are at less risk than those between 15 and mid-30's or so. I know I said "15 to 34 are most at risk," but I also said "middle aged people are least at risk." And I think we all can agree that 50 is considered by most people to be "middle age." And your citation says "15 to 50, give or take." Give or take -- 45 to 55 are least at risk. Give or take.

That article is referring to people in the middle of an age group, and not making it synonymous with the idiom "middle aged." In other words, it divided people into broad categories -- the young (under 15), the next group (the middle group) age 15 to 50, and the older (51 and up). The exact quote: "Children have immune responses that are still developing, while the elderly tend to lose some immune function with the aging process. However, the middle age group...." It does not say "middle aged people are most at risk." It says those between "15 to 50, give or take" are, only using the words "middle age" to refer to the second of the three broad categories that they used. Hope this helps!


-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

You're mis-reading. Precisely because of their strong immune systems, middle-aged people are most at risk for a hyper-immune response. Hope this helps!

 

[Slartibartfast]

While we're reporting local cases not yet confirmed by the CDC, put Nashville, TN on the list:

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090430/NEWS07/904300364

 

[Jamie77]

So does anyone know anything about Disney's trip insurance?

All I know is that I'm glad I purchased it.

 

[avahoneybee]

I know it's been said, but anyone heading to the world in the next couple of weeks keep safe and try and have a wonderful time!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Orlando paper now reporting students in a Marching Band from SC which visited WDW a few days ago are being tested after symptoms developed.

 

[Dina]

I know it's been said, but anyone heading to the world in the next couple of weeks keep safe and try and have a wonderful time!

Not to trivialize this, but I'm wondering if we'll see lower crowd levels?? We leave at the end of May.

 

[arjones31]

All I know is that I'm glad I purchased it.

I would like to know, too. I purchased it. If our school does close and we have to come back the week my trip is scheduled, am I covered? I will be reading the policy in depth tonight!

 

[doho95fu]

Not to trivialize this, but I'm wondering if we'll see lower crowd levels?? We leave at the end of May.

In 20 days the decision will be an easy one - one way or another.