Swine Flu

Discussion in 'News and Current Events' started by Xamiazi, Apr 27, 2009.

  1. Xamiazi
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  2. Meemo
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    Attempting to close the borders would just be a waste of resources for two reasons:

    1 - The US has been trying to stop Mexicans crossing the border illegally for years now, so I don't see how they could close the border.
    2 - Even if they could close it, it's already too late as Swine Flu has already crossed the border.

    Here is a map of where it has got to.

    So far I'm not aware of any deaths outside of Mexico, and I've been hearing that current anti-viral medications (especially the ones stocked from the bird flu scare) are effective against it. So I'm not too worried.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. sid the rat
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    I'm not worried about me and mine. Even though there have been reported cases in British Colombia, King County (in Washington State) is rated as one of the highest (the highest?) on the list of being prepared for a pandemic flu outbreak. We already have hundreds of thousands of anti-viral meds stockpiled, and hundreds of thousands more on the way thanks to the state of emergency being declared.

    I'm watching this with curiosity to see how it unfolds - I'm very curious to see how many of the cases reported in Mexico turn out to actually be deaths due to the H1N1 flu (they are still working on confirming/denying each case, and currently only 2 labs are running tests on this).

    I don't think this will come close to any of the previous flu pandemics we've had this century in terms of deaths, but time will tell - maybe we'll see a deadly mutation?
     
  4. Xamiazi
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    that what one of the articles suggested, mutation - which everyone knows is bad new bears for everyone.
     
  5. TheEPIC
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    You obviously don't understand what goes on with the U.S. border with Mexico. Under the Bush administration we actually saw more done to open up the border.
    -Closing a large number of checkpoints on the highways
    -Laws to allow Mexican commercial trucks to transit into the states

    For the most part, actions against illegal immigration happens on a more local scale (i.e. Minute Men groups).

    Your other point about the flu being here already is true. But closing the border would be a necessary step towards containing it.
     
  6. s o k a r
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    Mexico is in an epidemic right now. "Closing the borders" makes perfect sense. Illegal alien arguement is stupid the border closing means no one from US can go down there. So it's not a matter of an illegal alien running across and infecting everyone its a matter of keeping stupid Americans from going to Mexico and then coming back infected.

    I don't see how the CDC is a joke. I guess it goes along with the uninformed part. There is no vaccine for the virus. They have stocks of the actual virus which can be used to create it but even that would take a few months. Anti-viral drugs are different because they just attack a predetermined part of the organism. It also means you have to have the virus before its even useful. Which means go to the doctor if you are sick before it gets to the point where the drugs won't work.
     
  7. Brownmccoy
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    Zombie outbreak; when mad cow, bird flu, pig flu and potato flu (its coming... for those pesky vegitarians) combine!

    ... yeah I had to say something stupid.
     
  8. The Communist
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    I like your view on things!
     
  9. Roch The Shaman
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    it knows not to come to alabama, this place is bad enough as is not need for it to stop by here
     
  10. TheEPIC
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    I agree with this. Even if it is already here, we need to cut ourselves off from the source. As I stated earlier, our borders (at least in California) are widely open and that allows many potential carriers into the U.S.
     
  11. sid the rat
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    The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its alert level over swine flu from three to four - two steps short of declaring a full pandemic.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8021827.stm

     
  12. Xamiazi
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    your above quote after this one makes me laugh, close the borders is the first step, even China and South Korean's are using scanners and checkpoints to check everyone that comes from USA or Mexico if they have a fever they pull them aside and do whatever is necessary to keep it from spreading, its all over the news. Whats our gov't body doing? .....
    ............
    .................
    wow, nothing; their too worried about veterans of the USA being terrorists to this country. Their telling us to wash our hands..thats why CDC is a joke sokar; a trillion dollar organization that tells u to wash your hands. come on..

    <---pissed how our gov't is starting to act
     
  13. TheEPIC
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    Living in Southern California, about an hour and a half from the border, I would have expected to see a larger reaction to the disease. Needless to say, I've been keeping a pretty close eye on it but I don't hear to much of it coming up in casual conversation and such.

    Generally, the people I interact with don't seem to really know or they don't care. Either way, this worries me because I think that without some public outcry or concern I don't think we'll see borders closed because of this (which I whole-heartedly support). I can see some potential for this to have a large impact around me.


    EDIT:

    I just got this email from my school:

    That pretty much sums up the mood around here.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2009
  14. Xamiazi
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    nice; i used to live in cali and Cal poly is beautiful, Pismo beach is awesome. That sucks though, least they sent out an email. Watch out man
     
  15. Neptuno
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    cause they already know how to squeal like a pig around there without it
     
  16. s o k a r
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    I'm a microbiology major going with a masters in pathogenesis. Washing your hands is exactly what you need to be doing. It's not airborne so the only way you can get it is through contact. Food, drinking after someone, getting coughed on, touching where someone has coughed etc... No washing your hands won't keep someone from coughing on you but it will keep it off your hands and away from your mucus membranes, cuts, sores, etc that you touch with them... So yes washing your hands is important.


    What kind of response would you like to see? Martial Law? E.T. Style Containment? They don't even know how its spreading yet. Start with the basics and move on from there.

    China and Korean don't have citizens like you who just try to find something bitch about. If we actually closed the borders and screened everyone like that, you and half of the country would be screaming about your civil liberties being violated. Fox news would round up the conservative party and start screaming about how we are turning into a nazi state and that the next step is martial law.
     
  17. Moon
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    Blame it on the fat people who are causing the global warming issue.......
    No seriously this is a cover up for some secret testing on some kind of new weapon they are developing the last time they tried they blamed it on the birds and it was a epic fail so they made it stronger. But then again I am not disclosing who " they" are ... "looks out her window and in the closet" Ok so umm yea fat people and them are to blame for this....


    " I am sleep deprived freaking WoW has taken my sleep away once again im lvl 74 almost there my retro pali rawks! "
     
  18. Aral
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    the swine flu is vastly overblown, its like that SARS outbreak again.

    "SARS IS COMING!!!! WERE ALL GONNA DIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"
    *month later*
    " 'sars' what? oh right, id forgotten"
     
  19. EF2
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    yay
     
  20. Brownmccoy
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    That's exactly what I'm thinking. And the funny thing is, SARS came nowhere near NS, and there are 4 people with Swine flu/soon-to-be-zombified in nova scotia. Apparently, my Dad has a shotgun in the attic (an antique one but w/e) so I'm set.