35,000 people die in the US every year from the flu ... BUT

[nadinbrzezinski]

here is the critical part of this statistic that people are throwing out like shit to see if it sticks on wall

Yes, 35,000 people die a year. But those are the USUAL suspects who always die from the FLU, an older population set, the young, as in kids, and the inmuno suppressed

One thing that is scaring the living daylights of those with a clue (and a sense of history) is that the people who have gotten sick and in Mexico have died, are the young, the 25-45 year old set.

Yes, there are people in their sixties, and of course the young babies, but this is what is scaring folks

The second point is that the FLU usually crashes in April and May, as it has run its curse

So if you are going to use that statistic, please do get informed as to WHO this is affecting? And that this is the LEADING edge of the infection, not the crashing phase of the infection. See a bell curve for an explanation

(Oh and for those who have a problem with data, here is my asbestos suit... I expect the flames... any longer)

Oh and I forgot, to some this is running with my head on fire... I think the flames agree with my eye color and complexion... so there!

[OhioChick]

1. I agree with you and am concerned, as well. n/t

[Maru Kitteh]

2. We don't know where we are in the curve.

Frankly I'm more worried about the fall.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I am concerned about the fall since

these things come in waves (if this is the real deal)

The first wave in 1918, 1957 and '68 were actually pretty mild

[aquart]

4. Which is why informed world governments are acting with such alacrity.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Yep, and I for one am glad the adults are in charge

I will add, world wide

[xchrom]

6. you must be an operative of the 'DU Panic Monger' brigade --

i mean you're talkin all that sense and everything.

since when did we start acting like 35,000 people a year was nothing?

the costs to families, the medical costs that can be associated with any illness, etc

these are children, grandmothers, sisters, etc to somebody -- what about them?

[Hanse]

7. Sure, the flu kills 36,000 infants and elderly every year, but they're expendable!

This is bad, because I'm at risk!

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. I knew somebody would read this piece of DATA

that way... NEVER EVER FAILS

:hi:

Thanks for proving it would not fail

[Hanse]

9. You mean essentially the same way you did, but cognizant of what it really meant?

[Lyric]

10. You made a value judgement. The OP did not.

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. No, that is DATA solid data

and DATA is just that DATA

[JI7]

21. the post was about how Swine Flu was different from the usual ones

nothing else.

[cornermouse]

12. I believe pneumonia is also a leading cause of death.

To my understanding you may have cancer or something similar but it is frequently the pneumonia that actually gets you.

[dkf]

13. I don't understand how 25-45 year olds could be more

vulnerable than the young or the elderly. That just doesn't make sense.

[Hannah Bell]

14. my guess is, it will eventually turn out not to have been true.

just speculation.

[Sigh Sister]

20. Over-reaction by healthy immune system

When a population is exposed to a virus it has never seen before, those with well-developed, healthy immune systems may fair worse because their immune systems over-react. Something called a cytokine storm. Essentially, they drown because the immune system attacks lung tissue causing the lungs to fill with fluid and debris.

[JI7]

22. maybe that age group just ended up getting the virus more than other age groups

which made the percentage of that age dying from it higher.

but if a similar number of the elderly/babies got it then there would be a higher percentage of deaths.

[KharmaTrain]

15. Concern...Yes...Panic...Not Quite

I was gonna reply to another post we had going yesterday, but this one works as well.

I think there's a disconnect between concern and exploitation. The corporate media's obsession with death counts and throwing around the words like "pandemic" and screaming for borders to be closed is a lot of noise that serves little to prepare a population for a possible spread of this flu...just panic.

There are many factors that play into the spread of diseases. It's hard to compare the situation in Mexico with poor sanitation and public health aparaus compared to what we have here. I'm just as scared of drinking Mexican water as I am from getting the flu...if you had "tourista" you'd think you were dying, too.

There is definitely a need to be concerned; especially if we learn that the virus came from an American-owned farm, but then we had several people die from contaminated peanut butter and other than a few reports, there wasn't the widespread panic that we're seeing here, and I submit a good part of the reason is to whip up the "illegal alien" (translation: all things Mexican) bashing.

The corporate media's crying wolf is as much a danger as any concern...their "hot and cold" attitude on public health does more to confuse people than to inform them.

Cheers...

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Completely Agree KT

I'm glad the experts in the field are keeping an eye on this, but i think it's clear that there is a media feeding frenzy over this.

We've seen it before, and we'll see it again. Swine flu panic in the past. Avian flu in the more recent past. The asian epidemic (SARS?) from just a few years ago.

It's real and deserves expert attention, but the media is just going way over the top.
GAC

[KharmaTrain]

19. It's The Bright Shiny Toy, Professor...

Good mornin' to ya...

I think their over-the-top coverage is doing more harm than good...creating a lot of misinformation and turning this from a health matter into political and whatever else. I'm listening to right wing talking points about "close the border"...and you know that has ZERO to do with the flu, but sure fans the flames of hatred and intolerance. Or those like Lou Doobies who are salivating on pushing this matter in his latest "crusade". Meanwhile they miss the real stories...the conditions in Mexico that make it possible for the virus to develop, possible corruption by American corporations that crated the conditions and the overall health and living conditions of many in that country and others around the world.

I'm fully with you, Professor...I'm glad we have the real experts monitoring the situation...not Sanjay Guptha.

Cheers...

:hi:

[NNN0LHI]

17. Isn't that the same as with any form of flu?

Most people die from secondary bacterial infections not the flu?

That has always been the case. From 1918 until now.

Hasn't it?

Don

[cali]

18. The first confirmed death from this flu is a toddler.

not saying what that indicates, but it's not someone who falls outside the groups that normally perish from the seasonal flu.