The funny thing about the much postulated, but as yet to truly materialize "flu pandemic," is that it's not so much a matter of "if," as a matter of "when."
Then again, I live near a large, ostensibly active volcano-the Valles Caldera-which is "due" to erupt. Which could mean NOW, or 6,000 years or so from now....which, geologically speaking, is about NOW, I suppose. :lol:
Not a matter of "if," though-a matter of "when?"
In any case, to recap: this flu is scarybecause no one knows how this particular strain, which combines elements of avian flu with swine flu and is transmitted by humans, actually came to be- or even could have-this is what has health authorities quaking in their boots, though someone I've been in contact with speculates that that big old Mexican pig farm in that region (ConAgra or someone has about 130,000 acres of hogs in the area where this first appeared) had some pigs that ate some infected bird doo-doo.
Odds are good we'll never know, though. IN any case, better that the health control powers that be are overreacting than not reacting at all-and, trust me, they're not over reacting. They're just reacting. Not a whole lot much more that they can do, right now, and the concensus really seems to be "wait until Thanksgiving, when the real flu season starts, and see what happens....."
Someone mentioned "Mexican health care." Actually, as someone who goes to Mexico as often as I can (keep my boat there, have a condo in one place and a house in the town named after one of my ancestor's ships....) I can say that Mexico actually has pretty good health care-good enough that a lot of Americans go there for dentistry, elective surgery, knee and hip replacements, and other things.....I can also add that you can get almost anything over the counter in a Mexican pharmacy-we stay well stocked with broad spectrum antibiotics, tamiflu and....other things.....for my boat, ya see? In any case, Mexico City has really, really, really bad air, and when this first started I theorized that a lot of the people there already have compromised respiratory systems-the kind of people who are susceptible to the complications from the flu that kill (most people whose death is attributed to the "flu," actually die from pneumonia and other complications....). That's one factor, another being the likelihood that most of those that died didn't get medical attention in time, because they didn't seek it in time. By the time they got to the hospital or doctor, they already had pneumonia, and were well on there way.......out.
Whic brings us to the other thing, that most of those people who have died weren't really on the "short list" of people who can die from the flu. Also scary....
The other thing being, of course, that the WHO protocol for positively identifying those who have died from this particular flu-or, rather, complications from this particular flu-is hampered by a variety of things, not the least of which is being unable to obtain tissue samples on those who have been quickly buried or cremated, which, given Mexico's brand of Catholicism, can sometimes be pretty quick.
Additionally, the culture down there is one that allows for quicker transmission of this sort of thing at this time of year: most of my friends there typically offer a kiss on the cheek and a hug along with a handshake. Lots of people go to church. Lots of people meet on the streets and kiss and hug. At church. At school. At the movies.On their rather large public transportation system.
You get the idea. Not nearly as much of that here in the U.S.-in addition to the fact that most of us not only get to the doctor pretty quick (especially under the spectre of "pandemic") but also have pretty good access to the right medications....
In any case, being "scared" is sort of like being "scared" of that asteroid that supposed to hit the Earth-today, tonight? Tomorrow? 11,000 years from now? Not a matter of "if," it's a matter of "when," and if it's now, well, there's not a damned thing most of us can do about it, except what we're told, or think is best......wash, wash, wash, wear a mask for all the good it'll actually do, stay home if you're inclined-avoid public transportation and crowded places.....or, just go on with your life and take your chances.Mostly won't really make any difference......
....in the meantime, though, with apologies to Eric Clapton and Creem, and a nod of the head to Bill Mattocks and Andy Moynihan:
Swine Flu (to the tune of Strange Brew, by Creem)
Swine flu-kill what’s inside of you.
It’s a nasty virus that first came from birds,
then it went to pigs when they ate their turds
bird turds.
Now isn’t that absurd?
Swine flu-kill what’s inside of you.
It’s some kind of demon, made of superglue
if you don’t watch out it’ll stick to you
to you
Now what ya gonna do?
Swine flu-get stuck inside of you.
In a subway car down below some town
It will spread itself till there’s nobody
around
You’d best get outta town!
Swine flu-kill what’s inside of you.
