Oh, god, tell me this isn't what I think it is...

[bacchae23]

MEXICO CITY - Mexico's president assumed new powers Saturday to isolate people infected with a deadly swine flu strain as authorities struggled to contain an outbreak that world health officials warned could become a global epidemic.

New cases of swine flu were confirmed in Kansas and California and suspected in New York City. But officials said

Comments

[bacchae23]

:(

What's Captain Tripps?

[gaiafaye]

The start of the zombie apocalypse?

In all seriousness, this article says the WHO says we're pretty prepared to deal with this. I wouldn't be too worried about it. This is a lot like the paranoia over avian flu or SARS; it didn't get as out of hand as a lot in the media were claiming it would, that it would spread across the world and kill us all. (At least, that's the impression I got at the time.)

Unless there's something else you're worried about that I'm missing?

Actually, zombies was my first thought when I first read the news. Lolololol.

[bacchae23]

I'm trying to refrain from getting LIEkWHOA APOKOLIPSE kind of attitude, but I still finding it spooky. Outbreaks -- even if they never become epidemics -- just give me the creeps. To be fair, you're absolutely right about the avian flu and SARS (god, especially SARS; I remember all the FREAKOUT about it -- people wigged out and it turned to not be as big of a deal as everyone thought.

Nonetheless, I think the fact that 200 people have died in Mexico (according to local news, not government calls) from this over a progression of March and April is a little startling. And possible strains in Kansas and NYC -- even if it's not that big of a deal (which it hopefully won't be) -- to me, shows our vulnerability as a species. Which is both a good and bad thing, I guess.

I keep going through a 28 Days scenario in my head. Is that so bad?

Re: Actually, zombies was my first thought when I first read the news. Lolololol.

[gaiafaye]

Oh, I agree the deaths are still startling, but hopefully although we known incompetence litters our infrastructure, we won't get into some movie-worthy situation where governmental/scientific arrogance leads us to our doom.

Heh, when I read the part about soldiers corralling possible infected people, my first thought was "Oh my god you're going to get bit and not think it's so much of a big deal, you'll just get the antibiotic, but even after that you'll start feeling flushed and dizzy and next thing you know you're in the market and THE RAGE takes you and you infect one, two, three more people and they infect others and OH GOD."

No, I don't think media warps my thought patterns AT ALL why do you ask?

[15lbpurebunny]

This *does* sound scary. But, I'm reminded of the last big "pandemic" of 1976 in which something like 52 people died from reactions from an under-tested flu vaccine and ONE person died from the flu. That year, it was a bird flu, but quite similar circumstances.

I'm not too worried. Yet.

[bacchae23]

Hmm...point.

I guess it's all a matter of looking at it logically. There have been some "close cases" over the past thirty years. I just get anxious when I hear about the

1957: Asian flu that killed two million, and the
1968: this outbreak in Hong Kong that killed one million.

But eh eh. Looks like we're hella more prepared for something like this than we have been before. Which is, honestly, rather comforting.

You're in the city of Angels, right? Are people just chillin' or are they all wiggin' out?

[15lbpurebunny]

People here are pretty chill. I don't see people with masks or anything. The two cases in Califonria have been near San Diego county.

But, still, it could spread fast, that's for sure.

It is stress-inducing to think about it, and it does seem scary but then again, the regular flu kills hundreds in the US every year and so far everyone in the US who has this has reportedly "mild" cases.

I guess it's a waiting game. We'll know for sure how bad it is going to be in a few more days/weeks.