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Feeling Nostalgic? The archives > The Return of Swine Flu

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message 1: by RandomAnthony (last edited Oct 02, 2009 02:12AM) (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments My workplace health people are terrified of swine flu, apparently.

We all got these huge containers of special disposable wipes that we're supposed to use on our computer keyboards and whatever. But under no circumstances are they supposed to touch your skin (how are you supposed to handle them? Gloves?) because the warning labels on these suckers are big and black and say things like "NOT A BABY WIPE". And hand santizer is everywhere, every table, etc. I guess I'm glad the health people are in preventive mode.

I was out last week a couple days because of bronchitis and a rumor went around that I had swine flu. A student asked if her class could be canceled because she had class in the same room in which I taught. Nice try! Here, have some sanitizer and, uh, a toxic wipe thing!

How's swine flu impacting your life? What do you think of the preventive measures around you?


message 2: by Julie (new)

Julie | 568 comments I am glad I am no longer a cashier. When I did that, it seemed I got sick way more often.

Does a flu shot help any for the pig-flu?
Or is pig-flu a crazy resistant strain?


message 3: by Stephen (new)

Stephen (stephenT) I'm so glad someone else is picking up my pig-flu expression. Ahhh, happiness. I always got pinkeye from money. Dirty nasty stuff.


message 4: by Julie (new)

Julie | 568 comments Were you calling it that too?

Pinkeye from money!!!!!!
AAAAAHHHHHH!!
Now I am gonna be obsessively washing my hands, cause I do the deposit and deal with a lot of cash at work.
Ew.



message 5: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Swine flu requires a different shot, Julie. It's a different strain of virus. H1N1.


message 6: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments Someone told me yesterday that the supermarket that employs her granddaughter wiould not allow her to take the day off even though she had pinkeye. Eeeeewwwww.

There is hand sanitizer everywhere here.


message 7: by Angie (new)

Angie (angabel) The thing that concerns me with H1N1 is people's ignorance. Them thinking that there is some medicine to cure it, thus they go to the hospitals and wait around and don't actually have H1N1 but end up contracting it. On our local station, doctors have been coming on every night, encouraging people to STAY HOME with flu-like symptoms, and only go to the ER if they have complications.

The scary thing is that it's killing people who are not normally at-risk, those 18 to wherever the cut-off is for "elderly." It's not babies at risk, it's not the immuno-deficient, it's not the elderly. H1N1 is killing otherwise healthy people.

H1N1 has already killed two students of my college: http://media.www.miamistudent.net/med... and http://media.www.miamistudent.net/med...

This is maybe the first incident in my life that hype has not been a good thing, mostly because H1N1 is a virus, and there's really little you can do to prevent getting it other than being hygienic, washing your hands and covering your coughs, and staying home when you get flu-like symptoms.

I'm not personally worried. I wash my hands a lot and 98% of my in-person contact is with my parents.

Oh, and doctors are now calling it the "hiney" flu. Hehe.


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments What? You're not writing stories DAILY, Misha?
I know, it's ridiculous. But when there's anxiety, people want a constant flow of information, even if it's the SAME information they read yesterday.
Think of it like weather updates. Still sunny, with a chance of showers...


message 9: by Stephen (new)

Stephen (stephenT) Perhaps it's because for the first time in their lives they are being forced to realize that the flu kills people. The mortality rate of plain old flu is still very high, and I do not see that this pig flu is going to go any higher than the other.

What is disturbing is that it targets the young and healthy, like the 1918 flu. Still, people ignore disease, thinking they are safe, when something like this comes along and says, hey guess what, you're not safe.

I'm tired of it too.


message 10: by Stephen (new)

Stephen (stephenT) Still sunny, with a chance of showers...

Jackie, them thar's fighting words, missy. We had rain with high wind today. Also, your avatar scares me. It's so, Dr. Evil looking.


message 11: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) How can you look at that face and see evil, Stephen?


message 12: by Lorna (new)

Lorna No one is panicking about swine flu over here. Then again no one really panics about anyhing here lol.

Shots have just become available. Don't know if I'll bother getting one...


message 13: by Stephen (new)

Stephen (stephenT) It was the hat.


message 14: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments I just want everyone to know we're prepared in case swine flu breaks out on TC:

http://randomanthonyreturns.blogspot....


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments That's very reassuring, RA?

:]


message 16: by Stephen (new)

Stephen (stephenT) Um, great.


message 17: by Lori (new)

Lori Ha!

Lorna - no shots are available yet, it's the mist which contains live virus which I can't take. And it's not out in very great quantity either! I'm wondering whether I should have jake get it. Argh - he hasn't even gotten the regular flu shot either. I'm a baaaaaaad mommy!

Actually, the regular flu doesn't usually hit Seattle until later in the season, so we always wait til November, since the shot only last three months or so.



message 18: by Stephen (new)

Stephen (stephenT) I'm just gonna get a flu shot. I don't make out with Pigs, or Swine.


message 19: by [deleted user] (new)

Wisconsin Dells schools have closed for the week, as over 30% of the HS students were sick on Monday. Custodians will be wiping down everything for the next three days so that they can reopen next Monday.

They just had the first death from H1N1 on Monday of this week in Rock County which is just down the road from Madison.



message 20: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments I was going to post that today, too, Jim! (For those of you who don't know, Wisconsin Dells is maybe, what, forty-five minutes from your house, Jim?)


message 21: by Heidi (new)

Heidi (heidihooo) | 10825 comments That's just weird! I hope the custodians don't get sick from the thorough cleaning.



message 22: by Stephen (new)

Stephen (stephenT) It seems the target for this virus is young adults. JUST like the 1918.


message 23: by [deleted user] (new)

RandomAnthony wrote: "I was going to post that today, too, Jim! (For those of you who don't know, Wisconsin Dells is maybe, what, forty-five minutes from your house, Jim?)"

Yeah probably 45 minutes, and Rock County is around the same. One North, one South.




message 24: by Heidi (last edited Oct 07, 2009 09:31AM) (new)

Heidi (heidihooo) | 10825 comments I kind of reprimanded one of our study participants this morning. After handing me his UA sample, he hadn't flushed... and then I said, "Don't forget to wash your hands." He shrugged and walked out without washing his hands.

I said, "You DO realize you're in a HOSPITAL right now... where people are currently being treated for the H1N1 flu outbreak, right? You really should wash your hands moreso now."

He considered the reprimand and didn't wash his hands. Eww. Eww, eww, eww.


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments Ewwww!


message 26: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments It's amazing the way people say "that doesn't apply to me". At my mother's synagogue for Rosh Hashanah, they went out of their way to say "Please don't hug and kiss and shake hands this year. There are other ways of greeting a friend." Then we got outside, and a lady I hadn't seen for ten years planted a big kiss on my cheek. "I know they said not to, but I don't care!" she said.
Great. But what if *I* care?


message 27: by Lori (new)

Lori [image error]

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message 28: by [deleted user] (new)

That is good Lori.


message 29: by Mary JL (new)

Mary JL (maryjl) | 250 comments One problem is that the media often repeats lots of things; so some people get in the habit of ignoring it.

Many persons die for the regular flu each year. But unless the persons is a friend or relative, few people take any notice. The regular flu takes a high toll of elderly persons, especially in nursing homes and so on.

This flu is more frightening to parents, as young children are among it's victims.

Overdoing things and panicing may not be ncessary. But washing your hands after using the bathroom shuld be automatic--it is only common courtesy if nothing else.

PS Lori--loved the photo!



message 30: by Cosmic Sher (new)

Cosmic Sher (sherart) | 2234 comments Lori... I just literally laughed my ass off. Thanks!

Okay, the one thing that everyone should be doing, besides washing hands and being generally super-hygenic, is to daily take extra Vitamin D (2000-4000 mg) and Vit B-Complex (100s across the board), as well as up your Vit C. These have shown to markedly reduce your risk of contracting this virus.

Also, My sis and her 7 kids got it in AZ, and pretty much they are taking extra Vits & immuno boosting things like Airborne. The ER is only when you start having symptoms like shortness of breath, extremely high fever, or the like.


message 31: by Lori (new)

Lori Let me add that if you do take Vit D, it needs to be D3 - cholecalciferol, not anything else. I have thoroughly researched it and been megadosing on it since the summer because many MSers have suggested it, and my levels have been low. They are saying that 80% of Americans are pretty deficient, it's been all over the news that everyone should be taking it. Vit. K2 is important too as it helps out bodies utilize the D3.


message 32: by Angie (new)

Angie (angabel) Thanks Misha. I am literally in the middle of eating a ham and cheese sandwich. Gosh. /sarcasm


message 33: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) What are the odds?


message 34: by David (new)

David (bowsertheturtle) i just read: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/17/us/... there testing three pigs to see if they are the first swine in the US to catch swine flu =-o


message 35: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments I'm surrounded by sick people. Some of them have swine flu. I'm taking lots of vitamins, but my tendency to project symptoms once I read them is starting to creep in.


message 36: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments I hear you, Sarah...I'm trying to start a pool as to when the university shuts down...


message 37: by Jane (new)

Jane Ohhh, poor Piglet.

A local newspaper in Portland (and someone posting here) referred to it as the "Heinie"/"Heiny" (sp? anyone?) Flu, which sounds WAY better than swine flu. Really, "swine"? Is that the best they could come up with?


message 38: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
I hope my university doesn't shut down. I only have three weeks to cover A LOT with my students before they have a draft of their arguments due.
Of course, I don't want to get sick either, but I think I've already caught one of everything. Between working in the university with students who have COME TO CLASS WITH SWINE FLU to working at the junior high where kids sneeze on their desks and then lick their hands, and then cough in my general direction - I've caught it.


message 39: by Angie (new)

Angie (angabel) Jane wrote: "Ohhh, poor Piglet.

A local newspaper in Portland (and someone posting here) referred to it as the "Heinie"/"Heiny" (sp? anyone?) Flu, which sounds WAY better than swine flu. Really, "swine"? Is ..."


I think it's spelled "hiney"? Where oh where is BunWat; she'd know!

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/ind... = Swine flu is actually endemic in pigs, which I didn't know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_in...




message 40: by Lori (new)

Lori Question to all the people here who are surrounded by people who have/had the swine flu: how is everyone so sure they have that and not the regular flu?

I went to a big dr complex today for a blood test for my thyroid levels, and there was security at the front under a big banner about everyone needs to be questioned about symptoms with a table of Purex and masks. Anyone who had symptoms had to use the Purex and wear a mask. Wow! I felt like I was in some scifi movie!


message 41: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments I'm not sure, but the memo went out today that if you have symptoms, assume it is swine flu. Or hamthrax, if you prefer.




message 42: by Cosmic Sher (new)

Cosmic Sher (sherart) | 2234 comments Great... then I think my daughter has had it for almost week now. She's on the mend though. Between cold meds, ibuprofen, and super-vits I think we've kicked it! lol Actually, tonight I gave her a castor oil chest pack for her cough, and she's sleeping better tonight than she has all week. Now if we can get her over her fever, and wait the required 24 hrs, maybe she can go back to school and give me some peace around here. ;)

This swine flu is sneaky!


message 43: by [deleted user] (new)

Seriously, I think I might have swine flu right now. I've been achy and congested for the past 2 days. I don't want to overreact, but, you know...if I start growing a snout and a coiled tail, then I'm gonna get really worried.

Thank goodness for Tylenol and Sudafed...for now.


message 44: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments According to those who have had it or have loved ones who have had it around here, the main symptoms are fever and puking your guts out. I would guess it is not swine flu if you are not puking.


message 45: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments All 26 of my students were in class today. What the hell? What's wrong with them?


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments You want your students to be sick, RA? That's very disturbing...

;)


message 47: by [deleted user] (new)

Maybe they love their teacher - who knows could happen :-).



message 48: by Lori (new)

Lori Thanks Misha - I was really curious about that.


message 49: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments Ha, Jacks and Jim...thanks...but if I were them, I'd see potential swine flu as the ultimate free pass. They don't need Dr. notes, etc...good kids, though...


message 50: by Angie (new)

Angie (angabel) Yeah, but if you tell a prof you've got swine flu and you don't, and then you really do get it, you're stuck.

I get strep throat like crazy, even without my tonsils, and one fall semester, I got it twice. One of my professors flat-out told me that he thought I was just looking for an excuse to get out of my class, and was a little shocked when I handed him a doctor's note proving I had it.


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