Comments on: Flu Epidemic vs. Flu Pandemic: What’s the Difference?

By: PublicHealthGuy

PublicHealthGuy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:34:00 +0000

Soap & water are the way to go if you have ready access. It is true that the widespread use of anti-bacterial soap is likely to lead to resistance in bacteria (though viruses are the issue at hand). BUT, alcohol-based (alcohol is an antiseptic; not anti-bacterial) hand-sanitizer is acceptable when soap & water are not readily available. Sanitizers are awfully handy and more likely to be used. It’s fine and effective to use them. No advice is flawless, but I’ve had to read more on this than I like to admit.

Also, dido on the normal flu vaccine having no anticipated effect on the “swine flu”. At least this is what the CDC is saying. A new vaccine is needed and will probably take a good deal of time to produce (though officials seemed more hopeful on todays DHS briefing).

Everyone needs to cough/sneeze into their sleeve/a tissue, avoid the sick, isolate yourself when you are sick untill after symptoms are well past, and wash your hands A LOT (again, sanitizers are effective and make this more likely to actually happen).

Hopefully this will pan out to be less serious that we’re gearing up for. Then we can get back to worrying about the “Bird Flu” H5N1 (totally different strain & likely to be nasty) that everyone has been worrying about for years.

By: Christi

Christi — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:26:00 +0000

Michelle, according to the news media/doctors in San Antonio, no, the regular flu vaccine does not protect against swine flu.
The link in my name is to the CDC’s info on the swine flu.

Recaptcha: collossus of (yeah, on SA news stations this week it’s info about the swine flu)

By: Karl

Karl — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Hey guys, I have a tip for y’all:

WASH YOUR HANDS EVERY HOUR OF EVERYDAY. I don’t care if you break a nail or get pruny fingers or if people will think of you as a germaphobe, just wash your hands. If that still doesn’t work, just be in your home & PANIC!!!!!!! Nah, just joking.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Here is a question I haven’t yet heard answered by the media: Does the current flu vaccine offer an protection against the swine flu?

By: Kelco

Kelco — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Karen, you are right – washing your hands with warm soapy water is much better than using hand sanitizer.

Anti-bacterial hand sanitizers are actually really bad for your health in the long run because they kill only the weak bacteria, while the strongest forms live on to reproduce. Because their life cycle is so short, with continued sanitizer use it is not long before you have bred ultra-strong bacteria that can really make you sick.

Bottom line – stick to soap and water!

Stay healthy

By: Drew

Drew — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:36:00 +0000

Maybe if I get the swine flu, Obama will bail out my immune system

By: karen

karen — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:44:00 +0000

I’ve been told that regular soap and warn water are most effective and preferred even over hand sanitizer.

Wash your hands people!

Tamiflu needs to be taken in the first 48 hours so fever and achey is good reason to call your doctor. Better safe than sorry.

By: Yessika

Yessika — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:48:00 +0000

The experts already spoke about this. It doesn’t transmit through food. Contact between people with saliva and mucous secretions is the way to get it. What everyone has to do, is follow with the instructions from the WHO, watch out for the symtoms and, if any, contact your doctor immediately. You can never be too careful when it comes to these things.

By: GoF

GoF — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:17:00 +0000

I work for an export company (poultry and other food) and we got a notice that Russia is already banning U.S. Poultry and pork, some other states are banning pork from certain areas, and we’ve tried to move up out shipments to get them out before our customers’ countries do. It seems like it may only be a limited time before the US does the same.

By: Matt Soniak

Matt Soniak — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Randall Flagg FTW.