Have you purchased your supply of these yet?

[SpursWoman]

No, but we're the next town over. GTFO.

[CubanMustGo]

You can usually get immunity from most of the 'current' flu strains by getting a shot each year. This is a risky flu because it's a new strain that has characteristics of several species' flu. There are no vaccines that will protect people against it. Tamiflu is somewhat effective *after* the bug is in your system. Unlike a shot, Tamiflu doesn't confer any kind of immunity; it simply makes it harder for the virus to spread in your system. It also seems to be being spread pretty easily, since people don't have any built-in resistance.

They just don't know enough about it yet to say what the total impact is going to be. Of concern is that it seems to be hitting everyone, not just the old/young/compromised who are usually the worst-hit. The good news is that, while there have been many deaths in Mexico, the US cases have been mild, and they're trying to figure out exactly why such a difference exists.

[JudynTX]

No, but we're the next town over. GTFO.

Aren't you packing yet?

[ploto]

Typically with whatever you have, you are contageous when you have fever.

Not really true.

[desflood]

while there have been many deaths in Mexico, the US cases have been mild, and they're trying to figure out exactly why such a difference exists.

It probably has something to do with Mexico being a third-world country with sh*tty-to-no health care.

[SpursStalker]

I need to get me one of these.

I have access and will send you one ...

[balli]

I'm hypochondriac as all and this is scaring me to the point that I'm almost paralysed. It's not being blown out of proportion at all IMO. Given the fact that it's spreading so rapidly and that we only have 50 m Tamiflu tabs on hand, I'm pretty worried that ten millions of people are going to die. None more important than myself. People should stay in and away from me/each other.

[Hypochondriac]

i'm hypochondriac as all and this is scaring me to the point that i'm almost paralysed. It's not being blown out of proportion at all imo. Given the fact that it's spreading so rapidly and that we only have 50 m tamiflu tabs on hand, i'm pretty worried that ten millions of people are going to die. None more important than myself. People should stay in and away from me/each other.

+1000

[ashbeeigh]

I have to drive to Houston tomorrow and am freaking out driving through Cibolo.












just kidding...half way.

[Dex]

I have access and will send you one ...

Could make things more interesting in the kitchen.

And would be useful for cooking, as well.

[Richard Cranium]

I sneezed at work this morning and haven't been bothered since.

[SpursStalker]

Could make things more interesting in the kitchen.

And would be useful for cooking, as well.

Although the apron that I have is a lil different from your pic ...

[Extra Stout]

The trouble with flu outbreaks such as this is that nobody knows how the body is going to react to a new pathogen to which nobody has any previous exposure or immunity. There are no vaccines against it; the best that can be done is to deal with the symptoms.

In 1918, some kind of swine or bird flu mutated into a form that could be transmitted by humans. It spread around the world quickly and ultimately killed 50 to 100 million people, which was as much as 5% of the world's population at the time. What was especially virulent about this flu was that unlike typical epidemics which prey mostly on those with compromised immune systems, such as the very old, the very young, and those who were already sick, the 1918 "Spanish flu" killed mostly young, healthy people between the ages of 20 and 40. This was because it somehow triggered an overreaction in the body's immune system that caused the body to attack and kill itself.

A similar outbreak today would result in the death of up to 300 million people worldwide, nearly equal to the entire population of the United States.

This is why authorities react so strongly to new flu outbreaks.

[CuckingFunt]

All of the descriptions of swine flu sound an awful lot like the flu I had in March.

[SpursWoman]

Not really true.

Not really false, either. Unless I've been taking my children to a bunch of damn liars all of these years. Which could be case, I guess.

Either way, it doesn't make it any less irresponsible to expose so many people to your illness. The flu to you could very well be a death sentence to an elderly person ... and all they wanted was a free book.

[JoeChalupa]

I never get a flu shot.

[angel_luv]

It's not about the luxury of whether or not you have any sick days. Typically with whatever you have, you are contageous when you have fever.

Especially when you have a job that not only has you in close contact with other coworkers, but the general public as well. That is a huge health concern and ridiculously irresponsible to put others at risk.

I agree it would be better for everyone if sick people stayed at home.

[Dex]

Although the apron that I have is a lil different from your pic ...

It doesn't look like this, does it?

Otherwise if its lacey, pink, or flowered, then you might have to wear the apron (exclusively )

[ploto]

Not really false, either. Unless I've been taking my children to a bunch of damn liars all of these years.

If your kid is running fever simply due to an ear infection, they are probably not contagious. If you have a urinary tract infection, you are not contagious.

And on the flip side, if you have something that is contagious, you can still be contagious after the fever is gone.

[SpursWoman]

It's usually in reference to strep or flu ... but whether you are or not when you no longer have fever, you pretty much are when you do. But whichever, better safe than sorry.

And I just got an automated message from Judson ISD ... no cases in our district yet! They are probably just saying that because it's TAKS week, though.

[Summers]

The trouble with flu outbreaks such as this is that nobody knows how the body is going to react to a new pathogen to which nobody has any previous exposure or immunity. There are no vaccines against it; the best that can be done is to deal with the symptoms.

In 1918, some kind of swine or bird flu mutated into a form that could be transmitted by humans. It spread around the world quickly and ultimately killed 50 to 100 million people, which was as much as 5% of the world's population at the time. What was especially virulent about this flu was that unlike typical epidemics which prey mostly on those with compromised immune systems, such as the very old, the very young, and those who were already sick, the 1918 "Spanish flu" killed mostly young, healthy people between the ages of 20 and 40. This was because it somehow triggered an overreaction in the body's immune system that caused the body to attack and kill itself.

A similar outbreak today would result in the death of up to 300 million people worldwide, nearly equal to the entire population of the United States.

This is why authorities react so strongly to new flu outbreaks.

My grandmother's family was quarantined during this epidemic up in Minnesota. My grandmother was 3 and didn't remember it, but her older sister and her grandfather got it. The house was quarantined and a nurse came by every day to take care of them. Her grandfather recovered, but her sister died.

An interesting family story and heirloom that's been passed down from that episode is that when she was ill, my Granny's sister asked if she could play with her mother's dolls. These are a boy-and-girl pair of china dolls given to my Granny's mother by her uncle for her trip from Germany to America in about 1890. Nobody was allowed to touch them, of course, but Blanche was dying, so she took them down off the mantle. Each doll had wire-rim glasses and the boy's glasses were lost while Blanche played with them and never found. My mom has these dolls now and says I can have them when I'm old enough , but they're in mint condition, except for those glasses.

I don't know why I told you that story, but I always think about it when I hear about that flu epidemic.

[Shelly]

I would think O'Connor would be seeing cases of the swine flu since it is the AG program for NISD. But I think they're done with the animals for the year.

My OC son had the flu last week, but a mild one.

[RandomGuy]

My employer gifted my booth with two bottles of Germ-x.
It seemed really random until I remembered the headlines.

I have an excellent immune system, so I wonder if I can trade the germ-x in for its cash value.

I am Random Guy and I approve of this post.

Random gifts are the only kinds of gifts to give. Just ask my wife how much she appreciates the network cable, 1/2 peanut M & M, and ball of lint I gave her for our last anniversary.

[RandomGuy]

My grandmother's family was quarantined during this epidemic up in Minnesota. My grandmother was 3 and didn't remember it, but her older sister and her grandfather got it. The house was quarantined and a nurse came by every day to take care of them. Her grandfather recovered, but her sister died.

An interesting family story and heirloom that's been passed down from that episode is that when she was ill, my Granny's sister asked if she could play with her mother's dolls. These are a boy-and-girl pair of china dolls given to my Granny's mother by her uncle for her trip from Germany to America in about 1890. Nobody was allowed to touch them, of course, but Blanche was dying, so she took them down off the mantle. Each doll had wire-rim glasses and the boy's glasses were lost while Blanche played with them and never found. My mom has these dolls now and says I can have them when I'm old enough , but they're in mint condition, except for those glasses.

I don't know why I told you that story, but I always think about it when I hear about that flu epidemic.

Be sure to borrow Angel-Luv's Germ-X before playing with them.

[RandomGuy]

Not really false, either. Unless I've been taking my children to a bunch of damn liars all of these years. Which could be case, I guess.

Either way, it doesn't make it any less irresponsible to expose so many people to your illness. The flu to you could very well be a death sentence to an elderly person ... and all they wanted was a free book.

The pandemic flu from 1917 was so deadly because it actually hit healthy young people as well.

From what I understand, having a healthy immune system actually works against you for some forms of illness, because the body's immune response is so extreme and harmful that you are more likely to die if your immune system is healthy than if it is slightly comprimised.