QUICK THOUGHTS ON THE FLU
April 28, 2009
by: jovial_cynic
by: jovial_cynic
A coworker IM'd me regarding the human/swine/bird hybrid flu that's going around. I'm not one to copy/paste chat-logs, but I figured I'd step out and do it.
coworker [10:57 AM]:
Do you worry at all?
coworker [10:57 AM]:
Or do you think it's hype?
me [10:58 AM]:
um... i don't worry, but i don't think it's hype. my family isn't prone to the flu anyway - our lifestyle doesn't put us in places where we catch the flu with any sort of regularity; none of us have ever had the flu shot.
coworker [10:58 AM]:
Interesting.
me [10:58 AM]:
so... another strain of flu might kill people, but since our lifestyle doesn't put us in the path of the regular flu, i don't suspect we'll be in the path of a DEATH OMG flu.
me [10:58 AM]:
so that's my first thought.
me [10:59 AM]:
my second thought is that it hasn't been fatal outsidethe US (correction) Mexico yet, and I suspect that's because people are getting treated as soon as they suspect that they're sick. this flu leads to pneumonia-like symptoms, and THAT'S what's been killing people in mexico.
me [11:00 AM]:
but i think it's the lack of medical attention that's been fatal. prior to knowing that it *could* kill you if untreated, people seemed to just wait it out, like you would with a regular flu.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
Having been in Honduras last year, I can tell you medical services outside of the USA are sketchy at best.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
And limited.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
Largely a luxury of the rich.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
And hygenie isn't even a consideration.
me [11:01 AM]:
not really the case in Mexico city, though. it's fairly up to date, medically speaking. i think the problem is that people *weren't* seeking medical attention, or at least not until it was too late.
coworker [11:02 AM]:
I getcha.
me [11:02 AM]:
with all the media, everybody now is getting medical attention right away, so that should prevent widespread fatalities. this flu may be lethal, but only if untreated. like catching TB or something. my wife has had TB, but it was treated, and she's fine.
coworker [11:02 AM]:
You blogging this online?
me [11:02 AM]:
negative.
me [11:03 AM]:
too early to say, yet. this is merely my *theory*, and i don't feel like posting incorrect theories. ha!
coworker [11:03 AM]:
Why not? Millions swear by it!
me [11:03 AM]:
aye. the world's a'twitter with rumors. however, i don't need to feed the mill.
So I've now officially blogged the flu. We'll see in a few days if the WHO bumps up the threat level. This is certainly an exciting time to be alive.
coworker [10:57 AM]:
Do you worry at all?
coworker [10:57 AM]:
Or do you think it's hype?
me [10:58 AM]:
um... i don't worry, but i don't think it's hype. my family isn't prone to the flu anyway - our lifestyle doesn't put us in places where we catch the flu with any sort of regularity; none of us have ever had the flu shot.
coworker [10:58 AM]:
Interesting.
me [10:58 AM]:
so... another strain of flu might kill people, but since our lifestyle doesn't put us in the path of the regular flu, i don't suspect we'll be in the path of a DEATH OMG flu.
me [10:58 AM]:
so that's my first thought.
me [10:59 AM]:
my second thought is that it hasn't been fatal outside
me [11:00 AM]:
but i think it's the lack of medical attention that's been fatal. prior to knowing that it *could* kill you if untreated, people seemed to just wait it out, like you would with a regular flu.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
Having been in Honduras last year, I can tell you medical services outside of the USA are sketchy at best.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
And limited.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
Largely a luxury of the rich.
coworker [11:00 AM]:
And hygenie isn't even a consideration.
me [11:01 AM]:
not really the case in Mexico city, though. it's fairly up to date, medically speaking. i think the problem is that people *weren't* seeking medical attention, or at least not until it was too late.
coworker [11:02 AM]:
I getcha.
me [11:02 AM]:
with all the media, everybody now is getting medical attention right away, so that should prevent widespread fatalities. this flu may be lethal, but only if untreated. like catching TB or something. my wife has had TB, but it was treated, and she's fine.
coworker [11:02 AM]:
You blogging this online?
me [11:02 AM]:
negative.
me [11:03 AM]:
too early to say, yet. this is merely my *theory*, and i don't feel like posting incorrect theories. ha!
coworker [11:03 AM]:
Why not? Millions swear by it!
me [11:03 AM]:
aye. the world's a'twitter with rumors. however, i don't need to feed the mill.
So I've now officially blogged the flu. We'll see in a few days if the WHO bumps up the threat level. This is certainly an exciting time to be alive.