Apr 25, 2009

How you feeling right now?

If you've popped on an MSM (Main Stream Media) in the last 24 hours, you might have caught wind of the newest SARS/OMG U GONNA DIE!!! paranoia.

This one? Swine Flu.

The problem seems to be - that this N5thing can move from person to person, rather than pig to person... which signals alarms. And the other unique feature is that it hits 25-45 year olds harder than the young or feeble - like normal influenza. Alarming, because experts said the 1918 influenza epidemic also struck the young and healthy.

Great.

The new strain of swine flu forced Mexico City authorities Friday to close schools throughout the sprawling city of 20 million people and order emergency health measures in an attempt to contain the disease. That's pretty serious.

In Geneva, the World Health Organization said the strain in Mexico was identical to one that recently showed up in California and Texas. "We are very, very concerned," WHO spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "It's all hands on deck at the moment."

As many as 60 Mexicans may have died from the illness in the past few days. In Mexico City, nervous parents formed long lines at clinics Friday, some wearing surgical masks.

Authorities in Mexico urged people to avoid hospitals except for medical emergencies because hospitals are centers of infection. They also said Mexicans should refrain from customary greetings such as shaking hands or kissing cheeks.

And yes, The CDC said the Mexican virus samples match the U.S. virus. The virus is a mix of human virus, bird virus from North America and pig viruses from North America, Europe and Asia. But don't sweat too hard, there are four drugs approved in the U.S. to treat the flu, but the new virus has shown resistance to the two oldest. The CDC recommends the use of the flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. Well, sweat a little. And remember that viruses do tend to mutate quite quickly.

Well, might as well do this during the Great Recession. Those who survive won't be worried about that unemployment rate.

No word yet if it was Swine flu that offed Bea Arthur. He was 86.

3 comments:

Capn said...

Nuts, I was so excited to see the Chinese characters, expecting them to admit that they've started the three pronged attack against their worthless assets in America -

but I translated it, and it says "Qu five spring sports weight loss"

Damn spam from China. Can't we do ANYTHING in this country anymore?

Robb said...

Only gays get to call Bea Arthur a "he"! Cap'n, you seem a little light in your loafers right now...

WaffleMan said...

You have to be gay to notice an Adam's Apple?

Look, Bea Arthur was in the Star Wars Christmas Special - so, I think a moment of silence is in order or something.