Okay, everyone. Please don't freak out about Swine Flu.
Firstly, if you live here in America (this includes you, Ohio and other Mid-Westerly people), you have medical treatment available. You have a good, clean country, with high health and food standards that we even do a decent job of upholding.
Second, oh no, it jumped species. Not really a big issue. Just because a virus has one effect in one species doesn't mean it will have the same effect in another. Sure, it could be worse, but it could also be better.
Third, Oh, noes, we don't have a vaccine! To this I give an adamant FUCK YOU! Let me explain something, and it involves the standard flu vaccine that I intentionally don't get every year. The flu vaccine is a guess based on the observed trends in the constant mutations that the flu virus is undergoing. With this "information" an assumption is made, and the flu vaccine is created; this is done every year, and the "vaccine" is in circulation before the actual flu season starts. The reasons I don't get the vaccine are as follows:
1) It may not work anyway.
2) I may not encounter the flu during this flu season.
3) I may not get sick, or quickly shrug off the flu during the flu season.
4) The vaccine itself may give me the flu.
My whole point here, we never have a true vaccine for the flu, and if it comes to it and we are dealing with a real problem with Swine flu, we will have a better functioning vaccine in due time.
All in all, people, take it in stride. Yes, the WHO did make an announcement about raising the threat level of Swine Flu, now labeled as Influenza A (H1N1). Yes we should be aware, yes we should be concerned, especially if we are in or visiting "developing" or underdeveloped countries. But please, please people, don't be stupid.
And I swear, the first person I see wearing a face mask is getting punched.
Second, oh no, it jumped species. Not really a big issue. Just because a virus has one effect in one species doesn't mean it will have the same effect in another. Sure, it could be worse, but it could also be better.
Third, Oh, noes, we don't have a vaccine! To this I give an adamant FUCK YOU! Let me explain something, and it involves the standard flu vaccine that I intentionally don't get every year. The flu vaccine is a guess based on the observed trends in the constant mutations that the flu virus is undergoing. With this "information" an assumption is made, and the flu vaccine is created; this is done every year, and the "vaccine" is in circulation before the actual flu season starts. The reasons I don't get the vaccine are as follows:
1) It may not work anyway.
2) I may not encounter the flu during this flu season.
3) I may not get sick, or quickly shrug off the flu during the flu season.
4) The vaccine itself may give me the flu.
My whole point here, we never have a true vaccine for the flu, and if it comes to it and we are dealing with a real problem with Swine flu, we will have a better functioning vaccine in due time.
All in all, people, take it in stride. Yes, the WHO did make an announcement about raising the threat level of Swine Flu, now labeled as Influenza A (H1N1). Yes we should be aware, yes we should be concerned, especially if we are in or visiting "developing" or underdeveloped countries. But please, please people, don't be stupid.
And I swear, the first person I see wearing a face mask is getting punched.