Flu is Spreading Rapidly

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Saw this link on the Drudge ReportFlu infections sweep America hospitalizing thousands and leaving 18 children dead of complications, and it's going to get worse | Mail Online

So far, my family seems fine, but that sure is a worry (winter only started) because it seems so widespread. I do hope it stops soon.

Everyone okay out there so far?
  • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
    1918 saw the worst pandemic in the worlds history.

    During 4 years of fighting, World War One claimed 8 1/2 million souls. In only a few months time the inappropriately name Spanish Flu killed 50 million world wide.

    An excellent PBS video, Killer Flu.

    Joe Mobley
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  • Profile picture of the author garyv
    That story seems more like fear mongering to me. There are over 300 million people in the United States and only 2,257 of them are hospitalized for the flu? Do the math - you have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of being hospitalized by the flu. Someone's trying to boost some flu shot sales.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      Someone's trying to boost some flu shot sales.
      From what I've heard about the commercialization of American medicine, that sounds a distinct possibility, to me. :confused:

      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      There are over 300 million people in the United States and only 2,257 of them are hospitalized for the flu?
      Very few people normally get hospitalized for flu, though? Only normally babies (to avoid dehydration) and the very elderly with other illnesses (to avoid other complications)? I don't know, but 2,257 is perhaps a high number to have been hospitalized by the first week of January? :confused:

      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      Do the math - you have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of being hospitalized by the flu
      I hear you ... but epidemics (I'm not suggesting this is one!) are funny and unpredictable things, and you never know ... I think there's more of it about in the UK than is normal for the time of year, too: HPA - HPA National Influenza Report
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        From what I've heard about the commercialization of American medicine, that sounds a distinct possibility, to me. :confused:



        Very few people normally get hospitalized for flu, though? Only normally babies (to avoid dehydration) and the very elderly with other illnesses (to avoid other complications)? I don't know, but 2,257 is perhaps a high number to have been hospitalized by the first week of January? :confused:



        I hear you ... but epidemics (I'm not suggesting this is one!) are funny and unpredictable things, and you never know ... I think there's more of it about in the UK than is normal for the time of year, too: HPA - HPA National Influenza Report
        Yeah, it is never the quantity, but the location. In Rise of the planet of the apes, to drive the fact home, they showed how the contagion spread from ONE person, at the end of the movie! YEAH, ANOTHER movie reference, but AIDS supposedly spread the EXACT SAME WAY! Does that make you feel better? In RISE, it was an American pilot. In the AIDS case they said it was a CANADIAN FLIGHT ATTENDANT. Otherwise, IDENTICAL!

        Workers, and fliers, are both often encouraged to work through illness. So people on a flight may be VERY ill, and people attending to them might be also. Just one example, but it happens. That may be why something like the flu can spread SO FAST today! In the past, logically, it would blossom out from ONE central contact. With todays central communication, you could predict the spread and possible time. But TODAY, it blossoms out from MANY spots. In the case of RISE, and AIDS, EACH was where the plane touched down. The pilot would go talk with people and spread the aerosolized one. The promiscous flight attendent went for homosexual sex and spread the supposedly purely blood borne one.

        Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author David Maschke
      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      That story seems more like fear mongering to me. There are over 300 million people in the United States and only 2,257 of them are hospitalized for the flu? Do the math - you have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of being hospitalized by the flu. Someone's trying to boost some flu shot sales.
      The lovely Megyn Kelly was smiling when she got her flu shot yesterday.



      Talk about propaganda.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      There are over 300 million people in the United States and only 2,257 of them are hospitalized for the flu? Do the math - you have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of being hospitalized by the flu.
      Doing the math, that would mean that there are more than 2257 lottery winners in a year? Wouldn't you have to count the bingo winners too to get that number?

      Originally Posted by AprilCT View Post

      It hit me one year when I already had a serious infection from something else and that put me off my feet for over 2 months.
      I'm sharing a house with 5 other people right now, and the youngest, healthiest person got it. It's been nearly a month and he still isn't quite over it.

      I get the shot every year, and very glad I did this year.
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  • Profile picture of the author HorseStall
    Two of us got the "flu" just over a week ago, the other two house members just got sick it has about a 6 day incubation, and its nasty and does not go away very quickly. :-(
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  • Profile picture of the author garyv
    I honestly hope that there's not a larger than normal outbreak.

    I just know that the news hungry instant media that we have today is much more easily manipulated than it ever has been. If there's an agenda to be pushed, then there's always a news story somewhere to be found that can help push it. And there's always a journal-less news channel eager to promote something that they can pass off as journalism.

    I hate that I'm so skeptical when I hear these stories. But I've been jaded by the sales pitch that our country tries to pass off as "news".
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    • Profile picture of the author Joe Mobley
      Gary,

      TV --> Power --> Off. :rolleyes:

      I probably haven't watched 30 minutes of news in over a month. Mostly morning weather.

      In all fairness, tonight...

      [Football] Joe --> TV [Mute]while commercial[/Mute] [/Football] --> Power --Off.

      Joe Mobley


      Originally Posted by garyv View Post

      I just know that the news hungry instant media that we have today is much more easily manipulated than it ever has been. If there's an agenda to be pushed, then there's always a news story somewhere to be found that can help push it. And there's always a journal-less news channel eager to promote something that they can pass off as journalism.

      I hate that I'm so skeptical when I hear these stories. But I've been jaded by the sales pitch that our country tries to pass off as "news".
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Barboza
    I can tell you that it's happening here in Colombia as well. I have been sick since December 31st and everyone is talking about the issue.
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  • Profile picture of the author taskemann
    Flu is 100% normal and I use to have it every year like everyone else I know. And no one I know or I have died from it yet. Never in my life that I will vaccinate me against it either because the vaccination is more dangerous than the flu itself. Ironic huh?

    The "danger" of flu is soo overhyped. it's not dangerous at all if you're a healthy person. But it can be dangerous for those who have, for example, lung diseases.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by taskemann View Post

      Flu is 100% normal and I use to have it every year like everyone else I know. And no one I know or I have died from it yet. Never in my life that I will vaccinate me against it either because the vaccination is more dangerous than the flu itself. Ironic huh?

      The "danger" of flu is soo overhyped. it's not dangerous at all if you're a healthy person. But it can be dangerous for those who have, for example, lung diseases.
      If you listen carefully, they DO say it is for the old and young. What gets me is that people would laugh at you for wearing a mask, but some people are SO unhygenic etc.... I actually carry sanitizer in my car!

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
        I have a very elderly relative and it worries me every winter when flu starts to spread.

        It might have been last year or so, but there was an article where the flu shots weren't covering everyone for the actual strain of flu that did hit. Unfortunately, by the time the correct shots are ready, the epidemic is usually over because it takes too long to make it.

        As far as people with poor hygiene go, all you have to do is watch how many never wash their hands in a public bathroom to get an idea why you always need to be very careful.

        To everyone that has caught it, my best wishes to be rid of it very soon. It hit me one year when I already had a serious infection from something else and that put me off my feet for over 2 months. It's not just the babies and elderly you have to worry about, other people can have problems, too.
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