Some possibly scary s&#t!!!

[mattjmcd]

Not exactly firearms-related (oaky, not at all) but thought it'd be of interest to CBP guys, cops in border states, potential travellers etc.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu

I've been hearing more about this lately. Sounds like a hybridized virus containing DNA elements from swine, avian species, and humans. It IS passed via human contact. Not good. I am not much of an alarmist about this kind of thing but this one sounds a bit worse than average.

[ToddG]

At Mexico City's international airport, passengers were questioned to try to prevent anyone with flu symptoms from boarding airplanes and spreading the disease.

airport lackey: Excuse me, sir. There has been an outbreak of a deadly plague in the city and we have to force you to stay here if you have a stuffy nose or sore throat. Do you have a stuffy nose or sore throat?

everyone with a 3-digit IQ: Uh (cough) No, not at all. (sniffle)

[mattjmcd]

airport lackey: Excuse me, sir. There has been an outbreak of a deadly plague in the city and we have to force you to stay here if you have a stuffy nose or sore throat. Do you have a stuffy nose or sore throat?

everyone with a 3-digit IQ: Uh (cough) No, not at all. (sniffle)

No kidding. I live in LA, dude. If this dz goes critical, how long before we see cases of this at County/USC? Weeks?

[parishioner]

Throughout the past several centuries, an influenza pandemic in humans has occurred every 10-50 years causing alarming mortality and morbidity rates as well as economic woes. Considering the last pandemic occurred in 1968, the global population is now ripe for another to ensue.

Lets hope this can be contained.

[Modern Paladin]

My agency has been prepping pandemic contingency plans for 2 years now. We are WAY overdue.

[parishioner]

My agency has been prepping pandemic contingency plans for 2 years now. We are WAY overdue.

I have some respirators with HEPA filters.

Please tell me this will significantly reduce the risk of contracting it.

Yes, I am extremely paranoid when it comes to this.

Especially since the last influenza pandemic infected 1 in 5 and killed about 40 million people across the world in 1918-1919.

[HAMMERDROP]

I eat ham but its as close to a pig that I get :D.
Scary its being transmitted from person to person.

Michael

[Modern Paladin]

I have some respirators with HEPA filters.

Please tell me this will significantly reduce the risk of contracting it.


The respirators help.

"Social distancing" is a key during the event (i.e. less population density = less transmittal)

Other than that, stringent hygiene regimens, and quarantining victims...

[drrufo]

Listening to the late night talk radio at work last I heard the tale of how two ways to handle the out breakout of flu turned out so different.

The island in the middle of San Francisco Bay was military and the brass in charge put an early quarantine. The result was no deaths.

The City of San Francisco city council voted to not require facemasks and the result was people dying at the rate of 50 a day until they voted again to require masks and shut down the city.

Sometimes we have a little too much democracy.

[30 cal slut]

80 dead in Mexico thus far.

[parishioner]

There are also two confirmed cases in Kansas now.

Its now in Texas, California, and Kansas.

[LOKNLOD]

There are also two confirmed cases in Kansas now.

Its now in Texas, California, and Kansas.

Ruh-roh shaggy -- it's just about got me surrounded.

Honestly the only thing that really worries me about this is that i have a pregnant wife due next month and a 2 1/2 year old. I've got the immune system of a buzzard but they're germ sponges :(

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

It seems like it is hitting middle aged people from reports I've seen? Great, just when the economy was starting to show signs of life.

[parishioner]

The good news is that seven of the confirmed cases in the U.S. have now fully recovered. Also, I read a CDC report and it claims that the virus is susceptible to two different drugs.

Here is the latest advisory....http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/HAN_042509.pdf

[mattjmcd]

WIth good comms, a vibrant and (fairly) smart CDC, and known hygiene protocols, this outbreak should not be nearly so bad as the 1918 go-round. IOW, hopefully we won't see anything like millions of casualties. Still, it could be quite bad. Maybe let's oughta quarantine Mexico?;)

It DOES seem to be a big story, now.

[parishioner]

this outbreak should not be nearly so bad as the 1918 go-round. IOW, hopefully we won't see anything like millions of casualties. Still, it could be quite bad.

I dont think it will be as bad either but the scary thing is that this swine flu is of the H1N1 subtype which was the same subtype as the 1918 influenza.

[5pins]

I seem to remember a swine flu scare in the 1970. IIRC the shots they were giving were making people sick.

Now there are some suspected cases in New Zealand.

[30 cal slut]

HHS declared a public health emergency today.

[parishioner]

8 cases in New York and 1 in Ohio now bringing the total to 20 cases in the U.S.

[Nathan_Bell]

It seems like it is hitting middle aged people from reports I've seen? Great, just when the economy was starting to show signs of life.

The real danger with it striking the age group it seems to hitting is that we do not tend to go to the doctor. If your child get sick, you haul them off; if your elderly parents get sick, same thing. I get sick, I go "to hell with it, I will feel better in the morning. "

[ZDL]

The real danger with it striking the age group it seems to hitting is that we do not tend to go to the doctor. If your child get sick, you haul them off; if your elderly parents get sick, same thing. I get sick, I go "to hell with it, I will feel better in the morning. "

Exactly. In the same boat.

[-gary]

I've got the immune system of a buzzard but they're germ sponges :(

The problem with that, is you're the one most susceptible to this virus. It causes what is called a cytokine storm. The defense reaction makes the immune system of the most healthy individuals go crazy and attack their own body.

The vast, and damn near entire, majority of the victims of the Spanish Flu were healthy 20-40ish year-olds, not the very old and young that are normally taken by common human flu.

The CDC has been warning hospitals around the country to start planning for the worst since the middle of the week. The small Oklahoma town where I'm from issued prescriptions and set aside doses of Tamiflu for hospital and emergency responder staff on Thursday.

[parishioner]

The problem with that, is you're the one most susceptible to this virus. It causes what is called a cytokine storm. The defense reaction makes the immune system of the most healthy individuals go crazy and attack their own body.

So basically your body's immune response kills you?

For some reason I dont think that could happen. I know it could cause a severe reaction but im not sure if attacks your own body since it was designed to help you.

Are you sure?

[Nathan_Bell]

So basically your body's immune response kills you?

For some reason I dont think that could happen. I know it could cause a severe reaction but im not sure if attacks your own body since it was designed to help you.

Are you sure?

IIRC that is what killed you witht eh 1918 break out. Not whiteblood cells attacking your body, but the immuno response does you in. Fever, inflammation of the lungs, dehydration, etc.

[parishioner]

Ok you're right. For some reason I was thinking about leukocytes killing you.

I think a lot of people also died from secondary infections caused by opportunistc bacteria since they were all immuno-suppresed.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Wife is a doc and I started asking her about home preperations and maybe going heavy on some food stocks when she makes her next run, she looked at me and said what we do matters little, you'll get it or you won't.

Masks, handwashing and the likes sounds like all the extra security at the airport, its the best we can do and they have to tell you somthing, but it doesn't really do much. If this is in New Zealand, Spain, NYC, Ohio and Mexico, the cat is out of the bag. I guess if you are going out you can wash your hands and hope, I don't know too many people who can take a month off and spend some quality time in the Bunker.

I did buy a couple of boxes of nitrile gloves, hand sanitizer, anit-m wipes, bleach and some N95 maskes

[sixfootbrit]

Good site to get up to date sit-reps

http://biosurveillance.typepad.com/biosurveillance/

The MD that runs it checks out as legit. (I'm not affiliated with the site in any way, just researched it a bit)

[bigshooter]

some interesting insite from ground zero.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/8018428.stm


I'm a specialist doctor in respiratory diseases and intensive care at the Mexican National Institute of Health. There is a severe emergency over the swine flu here. More and more patients are being admitted to the intensive care unit. Despite the heroic efforts of all staff (doctors, nurses, specialists, etc) patients continue to inevitably die. The truth is that anti-viral treatments and vaccines are not expected to have any effect, even at high doses. It is a great fear among the staff. The infection risk is very high among the doctors and health staff.



I work as a resident doctor in one of the biggest hospitals in Mexico City and sadly, the situation is far from "under control". As a doctor, I realise that the media does not report the truth. Authorities distributed vaccines among all the medical personnel with no results, because two of my partners who worked in this hospital (interns) were killed by this new virus in less than six days even though they were vaccinated as all of us were. The official number of deaths is 20, nevertheless, the true number of victims are more than 200. I understand that we must avoid to panic, but telling the truth it might be better now to prevent and avoid more deaths.


Is shit getting real or what?

[-gary]

Is shit getting real or what?

The only problem with the quotes, is that there is no vaccine for this. It is way too new to be cultured in large quantities yet. From all accounts I've read, it appears to be responsive to Tamiflu, but any doctor, even a resident, would know the difference between the two. Vaccine's are also useless after infection has occurred.

[bigshooter]

The only problem with the quotes, is that there is no vaccine for this. It is way too new to be cultured in large quantities yet. From all accounts I've read, it appears to be responsive to Tamiflu, but any doctor, even a resident, would know the difference between the two. Vaccine's are also useless after infection has occurred.

unless the vaccine initially administered was just the seasonal vaccine, before they realized it was something else.

[mattjmcd]

unless the vaccine initially administered was just the seasonal vaccine, before they realized it was something else.

That's how I read it, too.

[dmanflynn]

Sounds like i need to drag out the M-95 and buy a few more NBC filters:eek: I dont think itll be that bad though with modern comms like TV and internet we can contain it much more easily. Still a danger mind you, somthing we all need to keep an eye on so if the SHTF we can do somthin about it. Its the lack of orginization that got 40 million killed. Hell i dont mean to get way out there in left field but if worse comes to worse we could get gas masks and construct make shift air tight structures that would last the length of the pandemic. But all we can do is prepare, i dont worry myself with these things to any extent, i just watch em and prepare. all i can do:)

[parishioner]

I want to know why the mexican border is still open.

[thopkins22]

Sorry to bring this back to the top, but I felt that this was pretty pertinent to the discussion.

Ron Paul on "Swine Flu." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdPdjufEL8U)

Stop freaking out.

[ZDL]

Sorry to bring this back to the top, but I felt that this was pretty pertinent to the discussion.

Ron Paul on "Swine Flu." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdPdjufEL8U)

Stop freaking out.

Interesting.

[30 cal slut]

Sorry to bring this back to the top, but I felt that this was pretty pertinent to the discussion.

Ron Paul on "Swine Flu." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdPdjufEL8U)

Stop freaking out.

i wish that man was our President.

[Failure2Stop]

This is all incredibly troubling. In the service of our people I will give the following advice to those concerned about their safety-

1- Hygene is the beginning. Most people come into physical contact with 15.5 people on an average day (this is a real statistic, look it up). Of those, 100% will be covered in raw sewage of some kind- 51% of the population do not wash their hands after toilet time, and touch commonly used items such as door-knobs, coffee pot handles, break-room silverware, and physically interact with others by shaking hands, hugging, and goosing the interns. 43% of the population fail to wipe properly, leaving copious amounts of body waste on their fingers and palms. Even if 100% of those with sloppy wiping wash their hands, they will come in contact with the faucet knob (present in 62% of workplaces) prior to sanitation, the same knob you will use to wash your hands, effectively retransmitting the comtaminant to himself as well as all others that use the faucet.

Even worse, 84% of the population will wipe a runny nose with their hand, and 68% will cover a sneeze with their hand and fail to sanitize it prior to interacting with commonly used items or people.

Alcohol based hand sanitizer, while a good start, is not sufficient to kill all bacteria and viruses. Industrial grade bleach is the only option. Be sure to carry a large squirt bottle with you wherever you go. Spray down door-knobs, mugs, copiers, co-worker's hands, your hands after touching a co-worker's hand, your key-board, any exposed orifice of any person within arm's reach, as well as the soles of your shoes.

Family members and children will generally not react well to the bleach as it may cause slight discoloration of colored clothes or people and will cause a slight itching sensation when in contact with skin- in this case I advise submersion in boiling water. Be sure to bring the water to a rolling boil, and test the water temperature by inserting one hand in the water for 2 minutes. If the water is hot enough it will kill all foreign invaders on the skin. You will know if it is hot enough if your hand smells like a hot-dog when you remove it after the 2 minutes. Though it will smell delicious, do not eat it! You will need it later after it heals.

2- The only way to ensure your survival is to hermetically seal your environment. All cracks in the home must be sealed with heavy-duty adhesive and caulk. It is easier to do this from the inside or else you risk recontaminating your home when reentering. That is unless you can teleport- in which case you can just move into the most remote location on earth, but you will probably be really bored. And hungry. Probably thirsty too. You will probably want to bring snacks. And maybe an IPod. A companion would be nice too, but they may already be infected. . . Ok, nevermind that bit, just teleport into the Playboy mansion and die happy.

3- Once the home is air-tight, you will need to completely control your micro-atmosphere. Since most contagions enter through the nose and mouth, you will need to seal those. Take a large, heavy-duty trash bag and place it over your head. This will prevent direct access by sneezed-out demons, however, those viruses are real sneaky and may have evolved thrust vectoring by the time you read this. To be safe, we will have to go one step further. Cinch the bag tight around your throat and secure with duct-tape. Make sure the duct tape makes contact with both the bag and your neck-skin to form an air-tight seal. Check the seal by blowing out all the air in your lungs, making the bag expand like a baloon (fun for the whole family!). If any air leak is felt, immediately apply a bead of hot-glue to the leak point and cover with duct tape. I guarantee that within 3 hours you will be impervious to infection of any kind.

-If anyone squirts any other person in the eyes with bleach and/or boils any extremity, they are a moron and are to immediately post their contact information so I can drive to their home and perform a vascectomy on them with a hatchet and a blow-torch.

This is a joke, just like the inflated fear of a swine flu pandemic. How many times have we narrowly avoided the cessation of the human race from tuberculosis, HIV, AIDS, whooping cough, Black Plague, Anthrax, Bird Flu, Ebola, Small Pox, Black Syphallis, Red Death, etc, etc. Yawn. I have evolved an elite team in my immune system- black blood cells. They look just like tiny ninjas with 6920s. And they eat swine flu like I eat bacon (messily!).

Seriously.
The sky is not falling. If you are worried, stay away from hospitals unless you need medical treatment, and if I did need medial attention, the last place I would go is to a Mexican Hospital. Sheesh- "The Mexican medical community is unable to get the situation under control." How does that surprise anybody? Oh wait, you must mean the medical authority that has provided unequalled medical care to it's citizens, the one with all the medical breakthroughs, with all the best doctors, right?

Yeah :rolleyes:.

[Saginaw79]

And yet we do nothing...:rolleyes:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=p&msa=0&msid=106484775090296685271.0004681a37b713f6b5950&ll=32.639375,-110.390625&spn=15.738151,25.488281&z=5

[Business_Casual]

I saw we had one confirmed death from the flu.

Let's not freak out, there are many hundreds per day every year (based on 1999 extrapolations):

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/f/flu/deaths.htm

Seems to be a pretty credible site.

M_P

[losbronces]

Some photos I took last Tuesday in B.A. Mexicana Airlines came in with supposedly 17 people ill (according to the article I read anyway). The press was all over the airport and I had to fill out a form with regard to prior travel before entering Argentina.

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z8/losbronces/P4280200.jpg

At the Mexicana counter (all further flights into Argentina cancelled).

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z8/losbronces/P4280198.jpg

And a press truck with a notice on the front that they don't transport money.

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z8/losbronces/P4280201.jpg

The press loves a good scare story no matter where you are.