Swine Flu: Overreaction or Cause for Concern?
October 7, 2009
It happens to all of us. Sitting in class, nursing your sore throat and feeling sorry for yourself, you begin to realize: “I’m sick.” All week you’ve tried to convince yourself otherwise. It’s only a cough, you say, as you struggle through the cloud of fatigue and discomfort that can only mean one thing: the flu. Once denial is no longer an option, your parental units call you in sick for a couple of days. And then it’s over. You’re back to school, feeling good, with only sunny skies in sight. But just when you think you’ve got the disease cycle under wraps, nature hurdles a curve ball your way.
The Swine Flu (perhaps known better by its other alias, H1N1) began making headlines earlier this year as a new, killer strain of the traditional Influenza. Reports were sketchy. Some called it just a slightly different version of everyone’s favorite headache. The symptoms were to be mild and the only real danger lies with the very old, very young or immune deficient. Others, however, snatched up the story and ran with it like a gazelle. With limited factual information, these startled media outlets printed alarmist headlines saying that a pandemic (a global epidemic) of disastrous proportions would soon ravage the globe, killing freely and mercilessly. It was starting to sound like the bird flu all over again (remember that?). But rest assured, swine lovers, this flu ain’t yo daddy’s flu!
There are a couple of main reasons that some are showing legitimate concern as this year’s flu season approaches. One is this strain’s history. 1918 is a year everyone around the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) office knows as the year nature stamped its cruel foot on all of humanity. It was the year of the Spanish Influenza pandemic. The exact name of the strain was, you guessed it, H1N1. Millions the world over perished from this disease, and some say that is a real possibility in today’s world. Those with common sense tend to reply, “nay.” 90 years ago there were no antibiotics, no indoor plumbing, few received proper nutrition and hygiene was an afterthought. I would be legitimately surprised if no virus seized the opportunity to earn its place in history.
Another key difference between this flu and bird flu is that bird flu never really got off the ground. Its potential for mutation was great, but perhaps it was too lazy or something, because it remained unchanged for the most part. Once the media found something else to terrify you with it slipped out of the collective consciousness of America and into obscurity. This flu, on the other hand, has already mutated and can now easily spread from person to person. Cases have been confirmed all over the globe. But so far, the deaths toll hasn’t been catastrophic: according to the European Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, the H1N1 virus has killed 4,494 people worldwide as of October 5th of this month. Less than 1,000 in North America have succumbed to the piggy. Right now it’s behaving just like a normal flu, just on a global scale. Still, one can’t help but think that we could be on the precipice of something potentially devastating. But never fear, for your federal government is here!
The modern vaccine arrives almost as quickly as the disease in some cases. To prevent panic and uncertainty, the government rolls out a giant shield to hinder the progress of our dreadful enemy. The swine flu vaccine, in this case, is more of a precautionary measure because most victims recover from the illness in only a few days time with limited treatment. But it’s better to be safe than sorry. Again, this flu has massive potential. And with anything big, like the vaccination effort, it can a get a little complicated.
People never change. The government, corporations, and anyone trying to make a buck will use fear as a weapon. And not even the swine flu vaccine is immune to this (haha, get it? Immune? Never mind…). While some corporations make enormous profits over the production of the vaccine, others (mostly anti-vaccine advocates) are fear-mongering people away from even considering it. They print exclamatory stories about how the vaccine is deadlier than the real flu. Sometimes it’s hard to discern the facts from the flab.
To be fair, no one really knows what will happen this winter. Experts can spend weeks coming up with algorithms and hypotheses to predict the future, but no one knows. My advice? Take what you’ve learned from this article, expand your knowledge, and formulate your own opinion. If you are adamant about the need for a flu shot, they will be available in most doctors’ offices as early as October 5th of this year according to The Associated Press. Regardless of your viewpoint, you should form some habits for the common decency of those around you this winter. It’s very simple: just observe proper hygiene as you would in a normal winter. That means washing your hands, staying home when ill and (as funny as it may be) don’t sneeze all over people.
Good luck this winter, and remember, it isn’t all bad. After all, swine may give you flu, but you can still eat bacon!
Sources
http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/Documents/091005_Influenza_AH1N1_Situation_Report_0900hrs.pdf
http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/
http://www.kare11.com/news/national/national_article.aspx?storyid=825202&catid=18\
Swine Flu Reaches Minnesota
May 1, 2009
Over the past week, a new threat has entered the United States. It is not some extremist threatening to destroy a building or angry protests regarding the passage of same-sex marriage. This threat is something new and there has not been a threat like this since the avian flu in 2005. This threat is the swine influenza type A (H1N1), or the swine flu.
Practically overnight, this virus has spread through Mexico and into the United States and Canada. In Mexico alone, there are 300 confirmed cases and 12 deaths, while in the United States there are 109 cases and 1 death. The one death that occurred in the U.S., however, was a 23 month old boy from Mexico City receiving treatment in Texas.
This H1N1 influenza A has been asked to not be called the “swine flu” by the WHO. Because of the use of this nickname, it has caused widespread slaughter of pigs and bans on pork products. Even if pigs are killed, the virus will still spread. The virus did originate in pigs but scientists are unsure of how the virus jumped to humans.
The swine flu has even reached us here in Minnesota. It was feared that a worker at Rocori Middle School had the swine flu and was sent to the hospital to be tested. The case was confirmed on April 30 by the CDC and as a result, Rocori Middle School has been shut down for seven days.
“We’ll be taking a number of other measures,” says Governor Tim Pawlenty, “but principally focusing on the investigation in this area to determine the source as well as the impact in this community.” He reminds Minnesotans that “this is a situation that is a cause for concern but it is not a cause for panic.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this epidemic a Phase 5 epidemic. This means that there is an imminent chance at a global pandemic and the time to finalize measures is short. But here in the U.S., we have been fairly lucky. The cases here have only shown seasonal flu symptoms.
As for South Washington County, Barbara Brown, Director of Communications for South Washington County Schools, confirms that “there have been no reported cases of the H1N1 novel influenza in District 833.”
With that being known, if you are ill, stay home. Also remember to follow the common health procedures: wash your hands and use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing. Be sure to stay informed of any news of the H1N1 and follow any public health advice.
Visit the following sites for more information:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu/swine/index.html
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