Swine Flu in Dulwich SE22

[candj]

As some of the previous posters pointed out before, it is a flu and like other flus we need to be diligent about washing hands, covering mouths and noses when sneezing and coughing, and teaching our children to do the same.

Just to keep it in perspective, according to the CDC, the common flu alone kills between 30,000-50,000 a year in the States. Not intending to scaremonger, but just to point out that this one isn't really that bad (has only killed 23 people in Mexico because of a delayed response in going to the hospital) as far as we can tell. The overreaction by some governments has cause more harm than good (ie, Egypt culling 300,000 pigs without any suspected cases of Swine Flu, China quarantining ALL Mexicans regardless of where they travelled to and from, etc).

Keep well, wash your hands and go on with your lives.

Best,

-C

[antijen]

Sorry off topic, didnt see the metro, but have never known there to be so little coverage, or, as like the swine flu, the usual scare tactics so common with the press.

[antijen]

C diff and mrsa deaths http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3602788.ece

[Huggers]

yes and can we kill the puns- it's got very swilly.

[Jah Lush]

Pah! I spit on swine flu. Ain't nuthin gonna get me baby.

[Rolo Tomasi]

If you want more information and advice on the recent news on the Swine Flu call Southwark Council's flu line on 020 7939 3493.

The national flu line is 0800 1 513 513.

How can you protect yourself?

One of the best ways to avoid passing on viruses is to take some common sense precautions:

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible.

Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.

Wash hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.

Clean hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.

Make sure your children follow this advice.

Where can I get more advice?

You can also find more information and advice on-line at

Southwark PCT

Health Protection Agency

Department of Health

The World Health Organisation

For travel concerns visit the Foreign Office website

Southwark Council's pandemic planning strategy

Southwark Council's pandemic planning strategy is already well up and running, as it is based on our current flu pandemic plans. Our emergency team is also working with the NHS locally and the emergency services to ensure we are as prepared as possible.

If residents are concerned about their personal situation, and feel they may have flu like symptoms, they should limit their contact with other people and call NHS direct for advice on 0845 46 47.

Please also visit Southwark Councils preparing for a pandemic webpages.

[HonaloochieB]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Pah! I spit on swine flu. Ain't nuthin gonna get

> me baby.

Despite the hubris JL, I hope you sty infection-free. Through swill power alone, if need be

[gerritsmith]

There is an open day at Nunhead Cemetery. Just in case.

[lenk]

Hmm, US health secretary playing it down, a country with more potential for infection, what with being connected to Mexico and all...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/05/swine-flu-cases-britain

[Rockets]

As a comedian once said: Listeria is the list of things the media talks up to cause hysteria.

I just returned from a trip to San Diego and in a week there I saw one person wearing a mask (so naturally I sneezed and cloughed close to her!!! ;-) ). This sense of impending calamity is laughable and probably a neat ploy by governments around the world to take attention away from a faltering economy, drug companies who want to produce more anti-flu drugs and newspapers who want to fill pages at a quiet news time.

Perhaps we should all go and congregate around Alleyns and get a dose to build up our immune systems for when the angry brother of Swine flu returns in the winter......

Now, where are those truffles.......

[Kingy]

I've been suffering all weekend, never felt worse in my life and now I've run out of oinkment - and my little girl has a cough - if pigs could fly - I blame Pink Floyd

[lenk]

I saw someone with a mask heading from Rye Lane towards Bellenden Road area last week... couldn't tell if it was genuine or 'ironic artist' though. Either way, pfft.

[Jah Lush]

lenk Wrote:

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> I saw someone with a mask heading from Rye Lane

> towards Bellenden Road area last week... couldn't

> tell if it was genuine or 'ironic artist' though.

> Either way, pfft.

Yeah..I 'em. That was Michael Jackson.

[mummypig]

I heard that the best thing you can do if you feel ill is to call a hambulance

[JetSetWilly]

some of the more common signs are a sizzling temperature and breaking out in a rasher.

[Lizziedjango]

Between 36,000 - 40,000 people in the USA and 20,000 in the UK die each year from 'normal' flu related deaths......yet all this scaremongering over 'swine flu' Methinks it is all beneftting the pockets of the makers of Tamiflu, who'll be raking in the billions in drug sales.

[matthew123]

Sounds like the beginning of a storyline for the next series of 24...

What I want to know is whether the swine flu fatalities would have avoided death if they'd had 'normal flu' symptoms..?

Secondly, what is the ratio difference between swine flu and 'normal flu' cases to actual deaths?

[keripowell]

I think Government had to make a decision. Nothing is hyped - they just had to cover themselves. The world is overdue a flu pandemic.

[macroban]

Texas death rate 2/61 (3.2%).

UK death rate 0/27 (0.0%).

[????]

Seriously...and on what basis is the World overdue a Flue Pandemic? Are they Cyclical? Was there not one in 1968? Do we harp back to 1918? Load of crap written about that not based on science too, is my suspicion? We're probaly due a World War too based on their frequency since the first one...

...hearsay and crap journalism is my suspicion on the FACT that we are overdue a pandemic...

..come on Higenot prove me wrong with some googling

[Sue]

I had Asian flu in the fifties and lived to tell the tale :)

That was the swine flu of my childhood :))

[robbo*uk]

Personally I think that in this recession hit time the drug companies are using the media to fully cover themselves. Media terrorism is a fantastically prevalent disease in countries like ours and I am in no doubt that Tamiflu are receiving astounding profits from our latest dose of terror. This is a sickness which is less potent than common flu and has so far made a few people slightly ill for a few days in England, yet when it hits Alleyns the ENTIRE school is given medication. Make up your own minds, but please dont read the Daily Mail.

[RosieH]

robbo*uk, go back and read Seanmcgabhan's link to my fiance Ben Goldacre (aka Bad Science)'s take on Tamiflu or read this.

The media's not evil, no matter how consoling a thought that might be. Tamiflu's helpful. Better the whole school get the Tamiflu and fewer people get swine flu as a result, surely?

[robbo*uk]

While the media are not evil they are more motivated by profit than by honesty. Swine flu isnt killing anyone, why is it such a big deal?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Quids, I think the flue pandemic is due to the resurgence of natural fires over increasing oil/gas prices.