TIMES ONLINE:
"Seasonal flu viruses (which mutate every year) kill between 250,000 and 500,000 people a year.

The symptoms produced by the current strain of swine flu resemble those of seasonal flu - fever, coughing, muscle aches and extreme tiredness - but it also appears to cause diarrhea"

OK, i keep on hearing about this Swine Flu Virus. Perhaps i'm wrong, but WHY are people freaking out and treating this differently than any other flu virus? what i want the media to say is how people are dying because of this in mexico...poor health to begin with? living conditions worsening the symptoms? no health care options? --extreme dehyration?...

apparently the cases in the US have been mild. but bc of the "DEATH TOLL" media, parents who have kids that are just mildly sick now are going to be freaking out now.

i think it's well and good to notify people that there's a new strain of the flu going around, give people a head's up...but to just spit out the death toll, say that we're preparing and stockpiling Tamiflu, and not explain more about WHY people have been dying, that people always die from the flu every year, is not okay. the media needs to be more responsible and at the very least have a doctor on saying listen if you do A B and C if you get it, you should be fine.

what i especially don't understand is why they are saying that people who are even just suspected of having it and their family members (some official lady in CA said this) should begin treatment of antibiotics. last time i heard antibiotics only fight against bacterial infections, and this is a virus not a bacterial infection.......right?

again, maybe i have missed something...but i don't get the hysteria. if people start dying in the US because of it, people who had access to medical care, .... then i'd be concerned. don't get me wrong, i'm very sad that people have died of this, i just --until i see info. otherwise-- think that perhaps the 'death toll' is normal.

i think and hope that we all should be fine if we take care of ourselves, like with any flu, and go in to get fluids if we're dehydrated. go in and get a steroid shot if we are having difficulty breathing. (disclaimer, i'm not a doctor)

Well I'm not sure why none of us saw this one coming

SPAM SPAM SPAM

Now arriving: Swine flu spam

It's bad enough that we're all in a panic over the threat of a freakish pig-human-hybrid virus that could kill us all. Now it gets worse. Give your inbox a once-over: Swine flu spam is on its way and picking up steam.

McAfee's Avert Labs is reporting that spam activity using "swine flu" as a keyword phrase is way up. Subject lines are all over the map, but carry a familiar theme. Some of the common subjects currently being used include:

> First US swine flu victims!
> US swine flu statistics
> Salma Hayek caught swine flu!
> Swine flu worldwide!
> Swine flu in Hollywood!
> Swine flu in USA
> Madonna caught swine flu!

I got home early today because I had to pick my little guy (ok he's middle school) up from school not feeling well. I think its either a headache or that I have a test/class that I want to miss. I didn't dare tell them that mom (me) was in Mexico 5 days ago. I feel fine but I'll keep a eye out on him. No sore throat or fever so I'm not worried. Yeah I'm pretty sure I would not want my family to be the first case in FL

my extremely paranoid/hypochondriac prone boss sent one of our office assistants home cause she was coughing. told her- "you probably have the swine flu i think you should go back home." that was like at 9am...half an hour after our office opens for the day. *lmao* then she sent our receptionist to Duane Reade to buy Lyesol wipes, hand sanitizers, etc...(maybe i should send her the story candyhart posted.) k i know this is no laughing matter but, i couldn't help but laugh at that...

ps- hope your son is okay smartmom. just keep a close eye on him...

"There is no dark side of the Moon really...

as a matter of fact it's all dark."

i don't get it, on Facebook i keep on seeing people posting their status to "sick w/ cold" etc and people posting "OH NO! i hope it's not Swine Flu!! " It is just a of the flu virus, right? Why is everyone freaking out? In my office, people are freaking because someone is "being allowed" back to work from their honeymoon trip to Mexico. Anyone that is feeling ill is afraid they have the swine flu. why are they afraid that they have the flu? i am not being sassy i just honestly don't get why everyone is so afraid.... :?