What's This About Swine Flu?

[daviola]

New York Times Travel section has article today about the H1N1 flu at theme parks including Disney World & Disneyland. They say "With their international visitors, crowded conditions and touchy-feely interaction among guests and dressed-up storybook characters, theme parks like Walt Disney World and Disneyland are being viewed as the perfect petri dishes for the H1N1 virus by some worried travelers." (nytimes.com/2009/11/08/travel/8pracflu.html?emc=eta1). They mention a post on disboards.com, btw. Sure I wouldn't go out there if my kids were sick. But otherwise I am not going to stay home out of fear of having fun! What about you?

 

[doconeill]

Frankly, people are becoming "hyperaware" over the perceived health levels of others wherever they go. Sneeze at work? You must have the flu. Cough on the bus? You're a plague carrier. Of course, we've always done these things. But now everyone only thinks of one thing whenever someone has a symptom - even if it isn't one of the H1N1 symptoms.

Yes, H1N1 is VERY virulent - because we have not really built up any resistance to it. And it is flying around fast. But you are just as likely to get it at school, or from your kids attending school, as you are from a theme park. And you spend a lot more time there.

 

[hebbynan]

Ha ha! that article is just too funny! I just got over h1n1.....and I didn't even have to leave home to get it!

3 out of the 4 of us have now had it....and we don't leave for Disney until January!!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Sounds like yet another poor attempt by the NYT to "manufacture" news and create panic.

 

[zulemara]

As far as I know, there have not been any major outbreaks at WDW. In fact, I'm rather surprised because at home in WI, they are battling it like crazy, but at WDW you don't hear about it much from a theme park perspective. Disney is not allowing CMs to wear masks or anything like that and has stepped up sanitation in rooms and such. I don't even see guests walking around with masks, which is a good thing.

Potentially, yes, WDW could be a huge melting pot, but so far it has not been.

 

[tony67]

I'm not saying that H1N1 won't be bad but let's not all forget the bird flu hype (H5N1) a few years back. I admit H1N1 is already worse, but the standard seasonal flu still has more deaths and I'm not going to be as callous as the CNN reporter who said the regular flu just kills old people in nursing homes and H1N1 has killed 100 kids since it started.
(I do not watch CNN but it was the only option in the airport)

Better safe than sorry, but people with simple colds and flu’s are being diagnosed with H1N1 over the phone and staying home from work and school in cases where they may not need too and longer than they may need too.

In the end the news needs ratings and the papers need to sell papers so they have benefit to make more out of it than it really is.

I'm not going to avoid enjoying a trip anywhere just because of the possibility of getting sick. I can get sick at the supermarket, a restaurant or work. I would think there is less of a chance at Disney in some ways since they are monitoring all flights in and out. I would not be surprised if Disney was monitoring people also. The last thing they need is a reported outbreak for the News to make a meal out of.

 

[dudlee930]

i am on site and have been for 8 days no problems that we are know of...parks visitors healthy as far as we can tell derinda

 

[ConcKahuna]

As far as I know, there have not been any major outbreaks at WDW. In fact, I'm rather surprised because at home in WI, they are battling it like crazy, but at WDW you don't hear about it much from a theme park perspective. Disney is not allowing CMs to wear masks or anything like that and has stepped up sanitation in rooms and such. I don't even see guests walking around with masks, which is a good thing.

Potentially, yes, WDW could be a huge melting pot, but so far it has not been.

I think it's just perception. There have actually been a HUGE number of confirmed cases of h1n1 at WDW, but since the medical facilities in the area are used to major flu symptoms due to the large population of elderly, it's not as big of a deal in general.

 

[tony67]

I think it's just perception. There have actually been a HUGE number of confirmed cases of h1n1 at WDW, but since the medical facilities in the area are used to major flu symptoms due to the large population of elderly, it's not as big of a deal in general.

I guess my biggest issue is how many of these "confirmed" cases of h1n1 are really h1n1.
They are diagnosing over the phone. People are getting sick and assuming it is h1n1.
The overreactions have been a bit much IMO.
I had a sore throat and a cough this week and no fever. It's diagnosed as h1n1.
I think its a cold and would like to really know.

Many places are now calling it "the influenza like illness" after initially calling it h1n1 since they really don't know that it is h1n1.

 

[mitros]

Personally, we were kind of hoping that the scare alone would keep crowds away from WDW. We really do not care for the huge crowds that have been at WDW in recent years. Thought the economy would keep people away, but there are still plenty of bodies on property. We try to visit WDW a couple times a month. So far, we have not seen any decrease in numbers of tourists. Plenty of people in the parks as well as the restaurants. A lot of people in the shops as well, but there we see a bit of the problem with the economy. A lot of people roaming around the stores, but not a whole lot of buying going on.

 

[wdwpins]

I wonder if we'll start to see Disney employees wiping down surfaces with antibacterial wipes. How many hands a day touch, for example, the seat belts to Soarin'?

 

[BPATSMouse]

Sounds like yet another poor attempt by the NYT to "manufacture" news and create panic.

I completely agree.

 

[fireman17]

We just returned from WDW last Tuesday and while there we had our children use the hand gel often, wash after using the bathroom and we would wipe down our tables before and after we used them.
And while there our youngest 17 months picked up a cough you would have thought he had the flu the way people would look at us when he coughed by the end of the trip I had started to feel a cold coming on and by the time we came home we all had simple colds not the swine flu but simple colds and none of us have had the H1N1 vaccine.
I think the media is really hype is taking over our sense of reason when it comes to the cold and flu seasons. You have to remember you won't die directly from the flu it will be other conditions that will come if you don't have the proper treatment.
I work in emergency services and exposed everyday and take all precautions if I get the flu I will treat the flu like always.

 

[ConcKahuna]

I guess my biggest issue is how many of these "confirmed" cases of h1n1 are really h1n1.
They are diagnosing over the phone. People are getting sick and assuming it is h1n1.
The overreactions have been a bit much IMO.
I had a sore throat and a cough this week and no fever. It's diagnosed as h1n1.
I think its a cold and would like to really know.

Many places are now calling it "the influenza like illness" after initially calling it h1n1 since they really don't know that it is h1n1.

In FL, all suspected cases of H1N1 have to have blood samples sent to the state to have it confirmed.

 

[hockeymomNS]

I think that the media needs to focus more on the length of the illness more so than the severity.

My 16 yo multi-athlete son was properly diagnosed with H1N1 last Sunday. Saturday he went from eating breakfast and ready for hockey practice to vomitting and feverish in no more than 15 mins. This kid was flat on his back until this past Friday. He has lost 8 pounds and was totally lifeless. Needless to say he missed a week of school. THAT is where people need to be concerned about getting this flu. He has a heavy course load that includes most of his classes in French (not his first language) and it will take a few weeks to catch up. I know that he will get caught up etc, but a week for anyone to be away from work/school is alot IMO.

For the record, I used sanitizer, wipes and good ole soap and water on myself if I was in contact with him and any cups that he touched. He spent all of his time in his room, so that helped too. So far, no one else in the house has had anything.

 

[laceemouse]

I guess my biggest issue is how many of these "confirmed" cases of h1n1 are really h1n1.
They are diagnosing over the phone. People are getting sick and assuming it is h1n1.
The overreactions have been a bit much IMO.
I had a sore throat and a cough this week and no fever. It's diagnosed as h1n1.
I think its a cold and would like to really know.

Many places are now calling it "the influenza like illness" after initially calling it h1n1 since they really don't know that it is h1n1.

Amen! Every kid with a cold is being told they have H1N1. Dumb!

 

[laceemouse]

In FL, all suspected cases of H1N1 have to have blood samples sent to the state to have it confirmed.

I think that is the same everywhere, but people are still being told it is probably H1N1.

 

[tony67]

I think that is the same everywhere, but people are still being told it is probably H1N1.

They do not want you coming in in my area, so no way to confirm.
This makes sense to me, no point in spreading it whatever it is.

But I'd like to know if my kid had it so they will not need to get the vaccine.
I won't get it myself regardless.
I’ll be calling the Doc to see if they can do anything after the fact to test.

As for Disney one thing I noticed (A few weeks ago) is there were constantly people cleaning the restrooms and wiping down tables. Far more than in the past.
It is unusual for me to be on the side of defending Disney, but I think they are doing a good job with this.

I spent 12 days in Disney and did not get it and I did not do anything out of the ordinary.
I have barley left the house since I got home from Disney.
Now two weeks later I "have it" from my kids school.

 

[Minniemama350]

We were there a few weeks back and did not contract H1N1. I'm certain others have gone and have. I am not about to stay home. I'd also have to stay home from work, church, grocery store, movies and everywhere. And then don't forget deliveries would be out of the question because what if someone sneezed on the package? A virus can live outside the body for a period of time. So, no food delivery either. Wait a minute...where would it end? Sorry, but everyone has there own self-imposed limits on things like this. I just refuse to let it affect things I enjoy when other things can cause the very problem I'm avoiding. Carpe diem!

 

[challer]

Sounds like yet another poor attempt by the NYT to "manufacture" news and create panic.

I don't know how much panic they're trying to "manufacture" by putting this feature article on page 3 of the Travel section...

Maybe it's the DISboards trying to manufacture the panic. The NYT did quote the boards in the article.

Bottom line is that it is a concern for many people.