![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Swine Flu Pandemic Has Begun
Okay, I may be really, really off base here but I kind of feel like people are just causing massive panic with this Swine Flu thing. So far, from the stats in this article, the worldwide fatality rate for Swine Flu is .5% of those infected. Yes, that's less than 1%. Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year out of millions infected. So why are they so ready to call this a pandemic? 29 thousand people (144 deaths) is a pandemic but millions every year is not?
I'm not trying to downplay the potential severity of the problem, but causing a panic is not going to help anyone. Scientists are already working on a vaccine that should be out in September, in time for flu season. As this article says:
"Fear has already gripped Argentina, where thousands of people worried about swine flu flooded into hospitals this week, bringing emergency health services in the capital of Buenos Aires to the brink of collapse. Last month, a bus arriving in Argentina from Chile was stoned by people who thought a passenger on it had swine flu. In Hong Kong on Thursday, the government ordered all kindergartens and primary schools closed for two weeks after a dozen students tested positive for swine flu — a move that some flu experts would consider an overreaction."
This is one year when I will definitely be getting myself vaccinated along with the kids, especially with Joey's vomiting issues. Yes, it does scare me that the people that have died are mostly children and young people but causing panic on a global level just isn't productive.
Okay, I may be really, really off base here but I kind of feel like people are just causing massive panic with this Swine Flu thing. So far, from the stats in this article, the worldwide fatality rate for Swine Flu is .5% of those infected. Yes, that's less than 1%. Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year out of millions infected. So why are they so ready to call this a pandemic? 29 thousand people (144 deaths) is a pandemic but millions every year is not?
I'm not trying to downplay the potential severity of the problem, but causing a panic is not going to help anyone. Scientists are already working on a vaccine that should be out in September, in time for flu season. As this article says:
"Fear has already gripped Argentina, where thousands of people worried about swine flu flooded into hospitals this week, bringing emergency health services in the capital of Buenos Aires to the brink of collapse. Last month, a bus arriving in Argentina from Chile was stoned by people who thought a passenger on it had swine flu. In Hong Kong on Thursday, the government ordered all kindergartens and primary schools closed for two weeks after a dozen students tested positive for swine flu — a move that some flu experts would consider an overreaction."
This is one year when I will definitely be getting myself vaccinated along with the kids, especially with Joey's vomiting issues. Yes, it does scare me that the people that have died are mostly children and young people but causing panic on a global level just isn't productive.