As Epidemics Go…
By Mitch Berg
…Swine Flu is not the big kahuna. It’s fairly preventable and treatable; it spreads through media that the average person can, with a little conscientious thought, cut down on.
Still, it’s serious now:
“I can confirm the very sad news out of Texas that a child has died of the H1N1 virus,” the CDC’s Dr. Richard Besser said.”As a parent and a pediatrician, my heart goes out to the family.”
He said the child was about 2 years old.
Six of the 64 confirmed swine flu cases in the United States have been reported in Texas, according to the CDC.
Of course, it’s been serious in Mexico for quite some time; the deaths there are no less real (although to the American media, which judging by the Today show is already switching into full-blown panic mode, a life north of the Rio Grande is definitely more newsworthy than one on the other side).
At any rate – stay informed, and don’t sneeze on me.
April 29th, 2009 at 9:32 am
I’m following it at my now “politically correct” blog http://hybridflu.info
The big myth I am now trying to correct is that you can catch this from eating pork. Because of this hysteria expect bargain prices on everything pork in stores. Pork is not infected and even if it was you can’t catch this from eating pork so enjoy the bargain prices on pork. It’s great on the grill! I’ve been eating fresh center cut pork chops all this week. The price was right. help Minnesota’s pork producers with their totally wholesome product and stock the freezer at bargain prices.
Visit my “politically correct” http://hybridflu.info or if you feel “un-PC” http://mexicanflu.info
April 29th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Mitch said: “It’s fairly preventable and treatable; it spreads through media that the average person can, with a little conscientious thought, cut down on.”
Blaming the media again, eh Mitch? WATCHING MSNBC WILL GIVE YOU SWINE FLU!
April 29th, 2009 at 11:45 am
…Swine Flu is not the big kahuna. It’s fairly preventable and treatable; it spreads through media that the average person can, with a little conscientious thought, cut down on”
I think that’s a statement no one is ready to make difinitevely – at least not anyone from the CDC, so I’d be careful about proclomations.
This strain, according to the MSM, has characteristics which are not unlike pandemic strains. Also, preventable? Not really, communication can be constrained, but you can’t take a flu shot to prevent it.
I’m just saying don’t say more than you really mean to – it’s scary enough that it should be taken seriously, much more so than a garden variety, well-known and understood strain.
As far as the MSM’s treatment goes, look, they were told “it isn’t quite so seriuos, there haven’t been any deaths in the US” up until yesterday, and now there has been. Reporters are robots, if you tell them the sky is black, when it’s not black, they ask questions. They also pretend to be experts on things which they aren’t (or so it seems – coming from a non-expert reporter on reporters) – so they pontificate about medicine – hmmmm… wait a minute ;).
April 29th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I’m just saying don’t say more than you really mean to
That’s a fair point. I’m urging people to steer somewhere between complacency and panic.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I took AssClown to task the other day for his knee jerk reaction calling it an epidemic.
April 29th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Didn’t Napolitano say that “90% of all swine flu cases we’ve traced come from Mexico”? Seems I’ve heard that number somewhere before…