Swine Flu

As we are all fully aware now, Swine Flu is out there in the world.

Unfortunately I sometimes feel it has been taken a little too far!

People die from Influenza every year, or at least they die from complications due to Influenza.
Influenza is catching, you can get the flu from someone who has it, yes, if at work someone is coughing and sneezing, you can catch it, they may have the flu, and bingo, so could you have it a few days later.
This is how it has been for many years now. Medical professions are aware of this and that is one reason why they try so hard to have an active Flu Injection available each year. Because they know that Flu can kill. Or at least people who develope the flu are susceptable to further compications.
If next year everyone who had the flu was to report it to the Ministry of Health, there would be a major out cry, but we no longer really keep a tally on the amount of people who die each year from the flu.

Suddenly we have people panicking over Swine Flu, when at present it is showing no more symptoms in people than the ordinary everyday flu. And the other funny thing about it....it is exactly like the flu.

Alex's daycare has just sent a message home about Swine Flu. Seems that they will turn people away who have any flu like symptoms.
Such as:

1. fever
2. cough
3. sore throat
4. runny nose
5. stuffy nose
6. headache

Alex is home today as it is not a day he goes to daycare, he has a snuffy nose. A typical childhood cold that he no doubt caught from one of the other little kids at daycare, or even from his brother, who caught it from school. I have a snuffly nose too, have had for about 2 weeks now, again typical thing I have in the winter months.

So does this mean that suddenly we should stay home till the symptoms disappear? So far I would have been off work for 2 weeks.

Yes we need to stop this spreading, but how do you stop a cold spreading?

There has been, apparently, 1 death in England. But what they don't tell you, is that even though the person was H1N1 positive, they haven't actually said that that is what they died of! They may have died from Pnuemonia, which could have been a complication of having the flu, but because they were positive then it must make the media.

As you may be able to tell, this bugs me a little. I don't want anyone to die from Swine Flu, yes I will do all I can to assist in it not spreading, but to start telling people that if you have a cold to stay home until the symptoms have disappeared, well then New Zealand may as well shut up shop for 7 days, everyone stay home, do not socialise with family and friends, do not pass go, do not get $200 and don't dream of breathing!

A vaccine is required, and yes I know they are working on one. There will be pandomonia when it is released. They had better have enough because I think the uptake on it will be huge and it will not go down well to have the medical company come forward and say 'sorry, we just don't have enough!' People will want it when it is available, so lets hope there is enough.