Who else is worried (scared) about this bird flu? I am very dam worried, it could kill 50,000 brits if mixed with flu :'(
im sry! ill pray 4 you guys!
50,000 brits? try again. this time think global scale. they're thinking in the hundreds of millions worldwide if this flu mutates and is able to be transmitted human-to-human.
i have been reading a lot about this possible pandemic recently and scientists are saying that it's not IF this could happen, but WHEN this will happen.
to put this into perspective, did you ever read about the influenza that hit right after World War I? it killed something like 10 million people worldwide, but over 100 million people suffered from it. that means that the virus killed 1% of its victims. this avian influenza, H5N1, kills 50% (50x that of the influenza that hit right after WWI) of its victims.
assuming this hits in the next few years, it will wreak total havoc. yes, i'm worried about it.
edit: oh, and to make matters worse, the only vaccine that's available now (Tamiflu, i believe it's called) is still very experimental and only about 100,000 doses are available currently. scientists are hoping to have 1 million doses available in one year. ungh.
i have been reading a lot about this possible pandemic recently and scientists are saying that it's not IF this could happen, but WHEN this will happen.
to put this into perspective, did you ever read about the influenza that hit right after World War I? it killed something like 10 million people worldwide, but over 100 million people suffered from it. that means that the virus killed 1% of its victims. this avian influenza, H5N1, kills 50% (50x that of the influenza that hit right after WWI) of its victims.
assuming this hits in the next few years, it will wreak total havoc. yes, i'm worried about it.
edit: oh, and to make matters worse, the only vaccine that's available now (Tamiflu, i believe it's called) is still very experimental and only about 100,000 doses are available currently. scientists are hoping to have 1 million doses available in one year. ungh.
Last edited by The Soup Nazi (2005-10-16 20:19:52)
i could always go back to mars
i wouldnt worry about it.Keep your immune system healthy and you wil be fine.Echinacea suplements and vitamin c in powdered form (sodum ascorbate) will do wonders as will some exercise.The flu only affects people with weak immune systems hence the elderly and infants.The worst thing you can do is take the shot which will depress your immune system even further almost guarunteeing that you will get sick.I have not been ill in any way in 6 years.No colds nothing .The immune system is like a muscle it needs to be trained to resist disease.Stress will depress it as will anxiety to keep a healthy attitude and eat healthy foods you should be fine.And yes I am a Doctor.
TA_Havok is right - There's also evidence that I've seen that says that eating lots of raw foods (vegetables etc... - not raw hamburger guys) can improve youre health.
Just my .02
Just my .02
wth is the bird flu?
Thankgod I live in a island country like Australia.
Although there is still a chance that it could get here, it's less likely than most countries.
Although there is still a chance that it could get here, it's less likely than most countries.
In perspective, 12,000 (Brits) die each year from 'normal' influenza so bird flu has a lot of catching up to do. I'm not worried, it's just another one of those things. In some cases it's a bit like SARS, or that disease that was going to wipe out civilization, what's it called now..... erm AIDS (in no way meant to trivialise those that are suffering from AIDS), in the UK that too was meant to wipe out 10's of thousands each year.dan500 wrote:
Who else is worried (scared) about this bird flu? I am very dam worried, it could kill 50,000 brits if mixed with flu :'(
I'm not worried about bird flu, I'm worried about the lack of correct information, the lack of urgency from the UK Government, the lack of equipment, the lack of beds.
Wow does this ever *not* belong in this forum section... moved.
Well im not too worried? im sure they are trying to controll it as best as possible! but if it gets out, then theres nothing you can do? id rather die not having spent my last few months/years worring about something thats out of my controll!
I think george carlin put it best:
"we never got sick as kids... wana know why? because we swam in raw sewage. our immune systems were tempered with raw shit!"
so throw out your vitamin pills and go swim in your local toxic lake.
"we never got sick as kids... wana know why? because we swam in raw sewage. our immune systems were tempered with raw shit!"
so throw out your vitamin pills and go swim in your local toxic lake.
You've hit the nail on the head there. There was a programme in the UK called 'eat dirt', and that's just how I remembered growing up, making mud piles, eating the odd bug or two, slicing and dicing worms. And as a kid I was never sick. Today's children are wrapped up in cotton wool, kept away from all things unclean and therefore not exposed to the commonest of minor bugs.... and therefore, a tad sickly.beeng wrote:
I think george carlin put it best:
"we never got sick as kids... wana know why? because we swam in raw sewage. our immune systems were tempered with raw shit!"
so throw out your vitamin pills and go swim in your local toxic lake.
I agree with the group who is all for exercise. I won't say that I don't ever get sick, but it is less often than a lot of people who don't (note: my control group for this test was drawn from my friends and is therefore based on no real study). I exercise on a regular basis (damn you Army! Why did you make me enjoy this crap!) and I tend to refuse medication unless it is something serious. I usually get sick about once a year and then that is it. I have noticed that I get small colds more often than I used to now that I've started school. I think that is atributed to the fact that there are a lot of people from all over coming together and mixing up germs.
Am I worried about the bird flu? Not as worried as I am about the girl on the cell phone who is looking before she changes lanes.
Edit: who isn't looking. sorry.
Am I worried about the bird flu? Not as worried as I am about the girl on the cell phone who is looking before she changes lanes.
Edit: who isn't looking. sorry.
Last edited by Krauser98 (2005-10-18 15:16:31)
Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives.
--A. Sachs
'hmm'. I've just been given information today that puts a whole new slant on 'incompetence'. Last year there was very little uptake on the flu jab, so ALL outlets, as in surgeries, pharmacies and so on, decided this year they would order limited stocks. This year, understandably, the uptake is huge.... result, there is now NO available flu jabs in my region.
The way to prevent 'bird flu' from mutating and passing from human to human is to PREVENT a serious outbreak of influenza (of any description). The flu season is early September to end of December, new flu jabs availability, end of November due to the underproduction of supplies.
The UK Government, as most Governments, have been watching the progress of 'bird flu',( it's now almost on our doorstep (Greece), migrating birds carry the virus... 'they are not required to follow air traffic control rules, therefore they will land where they want.... and are doing so'), should have ordered manufacturers to 'up' their production so that everyone COULD have a jab if they wanted one.... result, probably very little in the way of influenza this year, less risk that bird flu will mutate.
For myself, my entitlement to the jab changed this year, I can't even buy one for love nor money. I'm not too bothered about bird flu, I'm just bothered about flu. Perhaps if the incompetents got a severe dose of flu, they may have a rethink about future supplies.
The way to prevent 'bird flu' from mutating and passing from human to human is to PREVENT a serious outbreak of influenza (of any description). The flu season is early September to end of December, new flu jabs availability, end of November due to the underproduction of supplies.
The UK Government, as most Governments, have been watching the progress of 'bird flu',( it's now almost on our doorstep (Greece), migrating birds carry the virus... 'they are not required to follow air traffic control rules, therefore they will land where they want.... and are doing so'), should have ordered manufacturers to 'up' their production so that everyone COULD have a jab if they wanted one.... result, probably very little in the way of influenza this year, less risk that bird flu will mutate.
For myself, my entitlement to the jab changed this year, I can't even buy one for love nor money. I'm not too bothered about bird flu, I'm just bothered about flu. Perhaps if the incompetents got a severe dose of flu, they may have a rethink about future supplies.
as far as I know, up to now only one variant of the bird flu can transfer to the human body, that is the NF15 ( or s.th. like it ). And that takes a lot. You would have to work with birds regularly to be in any danger.
so far "only" about a hundred people have died from bird flu worldwide. compared to the tenths of thousand that die from "normal" flu each year ( 10.000 in germany alone ), that's really nothing.
So I am not worried much right now. what we need to pay close attention though is any mutation of the bird flu. over time, it could mutate and then become more easily transferable to the human body. so it is important to take precautions and get some really good scientists to develop some medicine or vaccination for bird flu.
fact is, you cannot really control the outbreak of bird flu. Those damn birds fly whereever they want.
btw, as far as I know, normal flu jab won't help against bird flu.
so far "only" about a hundred people have died from bird flu worldwide. compared to the tenths of thousand that die from "normal" flu each year ( 10.000 in germany alone ), that's really nothing.
So I am not worried much right now. what we need to pay close attention though is any mutation of the bird flu. over time, it could mutate and then become more easily transferable to the human body. so it is important to take precautions and get some really good scientists to develop some medicine or vaccination for bird flu.
fact is, you cannot really control the outbreak of bird flu. Those damn birds fly whereever they want.
btw, as far as I know, normal flu jab won't help against bird flu.
What if you're injected while in mid-air?
i can just imagine the warm reception i am going to receive at SFO when i get there on Thursday..
hmm.. chinese..
hmmm.. asian..
hmmmmm.. "sir, have you been to thailand in the past 4 weeks?"
err.. yes?
*mikeshw is no more*
first it was terrorists, post 9/11..and profiling
with bird flu.. i cant even imagine
hmm.. chinese..
hmmm.. asian..
hmmmmm.. "sir, have you been to thailand in the past 4 weeks?"
err.. yes?
*mikeshw is no more*
first it was terrorists, post 9/11..and profiling
with bird flu.. i cant even imagine
will you be visiting chuy when you go to SFO ?
i will be in San Jose, which is like a good 45mins drive from SFO.. not sure man.. wat i'd really like to do is to play BF2 over in the US, just to be in the same time zone as the majority of you nice folks here.. Miakei tried to set me up with a shuttle pc but US voltages dont work back in asia..SOL..
Even if you are exposed to shit as kid, or eat dirt at joes! a newly mutated virus from the avian flu is capable of affecting anyone. In computer english: It is not in our virus database. Yes, eat healthy, Yes, follow governement rules on how to avoid such a desease, just be cautious.
So what happens to all those people who cannot eat healthy because they are soooooo poor!? They will actually serve as breeding grounds for this virus to mutate, and then pass it along to the economically better and healthier subjects.
But like SARS our governments have prepared very well to avoid propagation. You can see the news birds being burned at the stakes as witches were only a century ago. This is one of those "Maquiavelic" things cause many poor people have lost their only belingings: a few birds to eat or sell, but the results affect a larger population.
Information is a powerful tool, and as long as you know what is hapening and act on it your chances of being infected may be slim.
So what happens to all those people who cannot eat healthy because they are soooooo poor!? They will actually serve as breeding grounds for this virus to mutate, and then pass it along to the economically better and healthier subjects.
But like SARS our governments have prepared very well to avoid propagation. You can see the news birds being burned at the stakes as witches were only a century ago. This is one of those "Maquiavelic" things cause many poor people have lost their only belingings: a few birds to eat or sell, but the results affect a larger population.
Information is a powerful tool, and as long as you know what is hapening and act on it your chances of being infected may be slim.
Last edited by jag1973 (2005-10-25 10:27:58)
I was just having a rant at our Government's Health ministry.... From what I'm being told (official source), the flu jab this year (not bird flu), has been massively underproduced due to last year's poor uptake. Even the trusted supermarkets are not doing it as it turned out to be 'non profitable' last year.
I would buy it from the web (not webbed feet), but it would probably be the wrong one . As for "What if you're injected while in mid-air?" cheers CMDR_Dave That could work, but then they'd fall from the sky as we're all asked to sit for 5 mins after the jab, just in case .
I just don't want flu this year ... or any year
I would buy it from the web (not webbed feet), but it would probably be the wrong one . As for "What if you're injected while in mid-air?" cheers CMDR_Dave That could work, but then they'd fall from the sky as we're all asked to sit for 5 mins after the jab, just in case .
I just don't want flu this year ... or any year
Yup thats not good.
Who does??? But than again, getting the flu from time to time is not so bad... Compare it with a virus definition upgrade. That's why vaccination is a good idea, for weak people, but for the stronger actually getting exposed now and then is not so bad... It will make your immune system more potent against, for example, a transmuted bird-human flu virus.thinner44 wrote:
I just don't want flu this year ... or any year
Currently you should not be too worried about the bird-flu-virus and its potential in exterminating human kind. 'Only' 60 or so victims in China, where most people in the chicken business live crammed up with the animals. The degree of contagiousness is well within 'acceptable' limits.
But, here is something else to worry about; the degree of which the bird flue is spreading among the animals. It is rising to the scale of a world problem. If they don't find a way to stop the spreading among animals fast, and I mean yesterday-fast, we will have an economical disaster at hand.
Ever made the math’s about the amount of animals slaughtered at the moment? Do you know what the worlds most served 'meat' dish in the world is? And than I am not referring to only the Western world, where we have the luxury of choosing between beef / pork / any other animal that needs a couple of years before it has grown to a size where the amount of meat is profitable.
Thus yeah, indeed: chicken.
If this keeps on going for a while, the damage to the world chicken stock will be catastrophic. And guess who's going to suffer the most? Yep, Africa, Asia, and South America...
So New Zeeland... Keep breading those sheep, because you'll have a growing interest for them.
R
ps.: don't get me wrong, I do feel for all current 'human' victims, and I have no strange affection for chickens. But a major economical drawback for Africa, Asia, and South America will only worsen their current conditions.