NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200411/s1252858.htm
I always knew that this might get outta hand. Despite the fear that SARS created, it wasn't very infectious, and is all but eradicated. That just showed us how easy it is nowadays to spread diseases from animals to humans, and was essentially a dress rehersal. This is the real thing, and I fear it may be far more deadly. We're long overdue for a big flu pandemic, anyhow.

More like Flu Pandemic.

bump

we seem to go through this "ohmygod this flu is going to be worse than the pandemic of 1919" bs every freaking year

i am pretty sick of it

ill believe it when masses of people start dying.

ill believe it when masses of people start dying.
LOL, that's the spirit! Superflu, climate change, international terrorism...the list could go on and on.

Well obviously, if a flu pandemic breaks out that is short of what Steven King outlined in The Stand, it's negative effects overall may cause lots of pity, but will really be marginal. Life will resume again in the spring. But still, we haven't had a big flu in years. The last I can remember that hit the US was the Swine Flu, and that was before most of us were born.

Fuck it. We're overpopulated anyway. Before anyone thinks i'm being thoughtlessly callous, I have family members at risk of dying from flu. Bye mom and uncle Joe. I'll miss you.

Well obviously, if a flu pandemic breaks out that is short of what Steven King outlined in The Stand, it's negative effects overall may cause lots of pity, but will really be marginal. Life will resume again in the spring. But still, we haven't had a big flu in years. The last I can remember that hit the US was the Swine Flu, and that was before most of us were born.
thats what im thinking

the swine flu was pretty much a bust too. i remember getting the shot for it when i was in college. (damn im old) i guess i was lucky, the shot turned out to be a bigger menace than the flu was.

i just dont think that we have the same risk factors that existed back in 1919. better health care, antipyretics, better nutrition, better hygiene, better understanding of how disease spreads, better communication of the risks.

thats what im thinking

the swine flu was pretty much a bust too. i remember getting the shot for it when i was in college. (damn im old) i guess i was lucky, the shot turned out to be a bigger menace than the flu was.

i just dont think that we have the same risk factors that existed back in 1919. better health care, antipyretics, better nutrition, better hygiene, better understanding of how disease spreads, better communication of the risks.
But there are different risk factors as well. Unlike in 1918, the world today is peaceful, making travel easy. Add that on top of frequent air travel. It won't be as big as the Spanish flu for the reasons you stated, but any flu pandemic is bound to cause at least a little damage.

A pandemic is always a worry because it can happen. Just look at the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918-19. It was an odd strain that didn't do what the flu usually does. It killed the young, strong and healthy. You'd wake up fine in the morning but be dead by evening. Also it was one of the factors in bringing the war to a quicker end. You can have all of the vaccine you like, but whose to say that one freak strain won't visit us and wipe out a nice portion of humanity.

A pandemic is always a worry because it can happen. Just look at the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918-19. It was an odd strain that didn't do what the flu usually does. It killed the young, strong and healthy. You'd wake up fine in the morning but be dead by evening. Also it was one of the factors in bringing the war to a quicker end. You can have all of the vaccine you like, but whose to say that one freak strain won't visit us and wipe out a nice portion of humanity.
There are also several plagues like it. The Black plague, for example, spread throughout the world before anyone realized it was even happening. And today, despite our ability to develope vaccines quickly, and to treat patients effectively, we can't assume that a pandemic can't happen.