Anyone in Favor of a Dedicated "Swine Flu" Forum?

[KoKo]

Documentation and state and world maps of every new case, plus update information on treatment, could be posted so that those who are concerned can check daily, hourly or minute by minute if so desired. Since it's reported that this Swine Flu epidemic/pandemic will be progressing across the globe long-term, it would seem a dedicated forum would be very helpful to all of us.

Such a Dedicated Forum would save time for those interested in the latest flu news and save clutter on the board for those who are more interested in political news and other discussion. Such a dedicated "Swine Flu Forum" would be a valuable public health service provided by DU Administrators to their donors and viewers.

Respectfully Submitted,
koko

[Orrex]

1. I propose a general 'Blind Panic' forum instead

Wherein we could document, for example, the media's frenzy to whip stories like this into a full-blown apocalypse.

[Egalitariat]

10. Less than 200 cases worldwide and they're already talking Pandemic

My prediction is this will be the biggest media overreaction of 2009.

[Orrex]

11. Exactly

Meanwhile, AIDS is still mostly overlooked, at least by the US corporate media.

[readmoreoften]

14. Well, if they're successful it will be.

If their "overreaction" causes people to take precaution, then, yes, it will seem like hype. There are few ways to determine whether or not this is overreaction since the "hysteria" itself stops the spread illness. Judging by the reactions of most people, I'd hate to see the day when a serious pandemic begins. If it doesn't happen like it does in the movies (mass deaths overnight) the public will deem it "hysteria" and continue to scoff at CDC/WHO ignorant Cassandras.

[Why Syzygy]

2. Not at all.

I think it's a bad idea, even though you usually have good ones, KoKo.

I expect this to fizzle out very soon.

btw, if it lingers, could be mods will start moving the threads to the Health forum.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. A general global pandemic forum would be good...

as the swine flu situation certainly won't be the last. It would be good to have a place to collect what we learn from this experience (months from now), in order to apply to the next pandemic scare, especially as it involves media coverage/influence, the evolution of vaccines, etc.

A separate forum would be great to funnel the various threads to, IMO.

:)

[carlyhippy]

4. Maybe a thread titled "the offical swine flu thread" could work in GD and LBN

everyone could post the latest as a link on the thread...

[HereSince1628]

5. I think this is gonna play out on its own. DU has a 3-5 day

attention span for things that become "also in the news."

[endarkenment]

6. All things will pass.

meanwhile I've heard about this great new 'ignore thread' feature on DU.

[Skidmore]

7. No, I'm in favor of a forum for the

media created pandemic panic posts though. I'd like to see actual information here.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. If it gets these posts out of GD, by all means.

[readmoreoften]

15. No room for Rush Limbaugh? Pedophilia? Octomom? Complaints about Arlen Specter?

And all the other high-minded discussion? Really? Your beef is with people tracking a virus?

[akwapez]

9. Sort of....

I think that there could be some sort of (for lack of better name) "Current Topics" forum with subforums of the most talked about current issues. This week (maybe longer) there would be a Swine Flu forum. When each topic fizzles, that forum is fazed out. I think this works much better than trying to fit all posts into a single thread and clearing up GD.

[readmoreoften]

12. It's, hopefully, too temporary a topic to warrant a forum.

If it still isn't eradicated or hasn't died out on its own in a month, I'd say it *may* warrant a forum. Meanwhile, I think people who are claiming *panic* and *hysteria* are really overstating the case. I've come to DU on days when there's almost nothing but Rush-Oxycontin/Pedophilia/Octomom garbage threads and very few people complain about "media hysteria."

It's only logical that people are going to follow a novel flu pandemic. It's interesting for many reasons beyond "PANICK!!1111!!!" New modeling tools are being used, new mapping technologies are being put to use, the replacement of legitimate medical reporters with corporate hacks, real time global surveillance, the subtleties of US/Mexican border relations, the relation between pandemic and national health care: all these are interesting to lay people as well as those in the health/media/education professions.

I see far more "hysteria" about "hysteria" than I do actual hysteria.

[KoKo]

17. Maybe it's worth it to wait awhile but the WHO does seem to think this will be a long slog...

:shrug:

[ProgressiveFool]

13. GD - Pig Flu, or GD - Panic? /nt

[demodonkey]

16. How about just a "Healthcare Reform" forum? I can't BELIEVE that DU still doesn't have one. nt