Swine flu the musical?

[alan refail]

Scottish honeymooners who had flu - and now don't - hire Max Clifford, now, presumably, short of something to do after the death of his last client, to tell/sell their "story".
I try to steer totally clear of the sensationalist media, but I do rely on such as the BBC for factual information. But even they seem to have much the same sensationalist approach to the situation.
Whatever happened to bird flu, or the New Zealand flatworm for that matter? Both of these were going to cause almost certain Armageddon!

[oldherbaceous]

And the eating of eggs.

[Smurfy]

I try to steer totally clear of the sensationalist media, but I do rely on such as the BBC for factual information. But even they seem to have much the same sensationalist approach to the situation.

Radio 4 all the way, all though they do occasionally have a guest who dramatises the whole thing most of the time its a considered approach.

[richard p]

bird flu disapeered as soon as the US anounced a multi million dollar order for flu vaccine.....

as far as i can see so far there have been arroiund 20 deaths in mexico confirmed as swine flu with something less than 300 suspected cases.

in our local weekly rag our mp states that 15% of the uk population get flu anually resulting in 12 thousand deaths in the UK each year from "normal" flu.

draw your own conclusions

[Smurfy]

I have a question about Swine Flu. When does a disease or virus become a pandemic, what are the criteria for it?

I agree that there have not been many cases but yet the news keeps mentioning that it's a pandemic. If it's just sheer weight of numbers then surely acne or chicken pox is a pandemic too?

[alan refail]

Smurfy

The WHO criteria for pandemic are HERE

You will see that the next to top phase which WHO declared yesterday is:

Phase 5: Human-to-human transmission in at least two countries

So not weight of numbers.

Another thing nobody seems to remember in the hysteria over millions of deaths possible worldwide is what I heard a scientist say on Radio 4 yesterday re the hysteria: "It's perfectly possible to have a pandemic according to Phase 6 criteria and there to be no deaths at all."

[peter]

Richard Littlejohn in todays Daily Mail quoted an unnamed Virologist on the TV speculating at random without evidence that Swine Flue and Avian Flu could hybridise and produce a rampant Human eradicating version.


Littlejohns take?


Perhaps we'll have to call it "Flying Pig Flu".

[alan refail]

[Elaine]

Dear Alan, Where can I purchase OINKSIP. I've got all the symptoms displayed on the packet. I haven't come out in rashers yet though.

[Compo]

Some said that before America got a black president then 'pigs would fly' 100 days after his inaugeration 'Swine Flew....'

It tickled me anyway

CoMpO

[Smurfy]

I rang the hotline for pig flu but they were no help as i all i got was crackling

[snooky]

Is this how it is spreading?

[Elaine]

Hi Smurfy and Snooky Brilliant stuff. I really have got the flu and it's no joke, so you've just cheered me up! Ta muchly.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Elaine, sorry to read you are not well, i do hope you're soon feeling a lot better.

[peter]

So Elaine, you started out feeling perky and thats when the trouble started.