Swine Flu

[Luna]

Does anyone else think this has been blown out of porportion???

I live in the town of scotland where its been found, you cant get moving for press

SBBB - Next Clue - Let's be having you. Just once a week though.

[Trinity]

I was thinking about you when I heard it was Airdrie.

No, I don't think it is blown out of proportion by the responsible media. It is an important, worldwide threat.

However, some of the tabloid press - the Express in particular are totally irresponsible in their reporting.

Some people get the wrong end of the stick and come out with the biggest load of horse manure imaginable. Have you have a look at the Talking POint on the BBC news website on the subject? It is shocking how ignorant and stupid some people are.

My hubby is in Texas at the moment (working with a Mexican crew on a job). I am concerned that he has to fly two planes home. He is always catching stuff on planes (he travels long haul at least twice a month).

At some point there will be a flu pandemic, whether or not this is it remains to be seen.

I think that the public is fed up being scared by AIDS, SARs, CJD, Bird Flu - and assume that every new scare is going to end in the same way. A big talking point on the news but nothing in real life.

Unfortunately we are not talking about a dead swan being washed up in a remote scottish village. We are talking about a new flu virus that has jumped the species barrier and can now be transmitted from human to human.

So far, out with Mexico, the virus seems mild, but in Mexico it isn't and we need to know why this is.

At least the bird flu scare has meant that most developed countries have stock piles of anti viral medication.

[Trinity]

Well, 5 confirmed cases in UK, a school shut in Devon and the first confirmed death outside of Mexico - a 23 month old child from Texas.

This could be the tip of the iceberg.

[Chloe O'brien]

A couple from the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, which is about 3 miles from were I live have been quarantined in their home. They have returned from honeymoon from Cancun the same time as the couple from Falkirk.

[Abigail]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8024611.stm

The five people in the UK are responding well to treatment. All of them have recently returned from Mexico, where they aren't closing the borders. Mexico have to stop people going into and out of the country, it's the only way to prevent further spreading of it to other countries not affected yet.

We can't prevent it spreading in the countries it's already arrived in but we can stop people leaving Mexico and passing it on to other people. Stop international travel, it only takes one person to infect the other hundred or so passengers on a plane who then pass it on to others.

I'm not expert on swine flu but it's pretty obvious that controlling the source goes some way to controlling the spread.

[Siobhan]

Would it shock and surprise you to know that 30000 to 40000 deaths occur due to the flu each year in the United States? Mainly with old and young.

[Trinity]

This doesn't shock me, obviously the flu is a killer, and that is why old and vulnerable people have annual vaccinations against it.

The flu virus mutates readily, and the worry of a new strain is that is transferable human to human is that there is no natural immunity in the population.

If this virus (which, it has to be said, seems at the moment to be more benign that normal seasonal flu) were to mutate into a more viralent strain then we would all be in trouble.

It hasn't happened yet, but it is still sensible to keep an eye on this as it develops. If it isn't this strain, then there will be another one at some time soon.

[Katy]

My mates become quite obsessed with this and keepsgiving us updates from what he's read on the Internet. It scares me how quick it can spread.

[DaVeyWaVey]

A girl in my class, her brother has just returned from America and has been advised to stay at home as he is suspected of having swine flu. He has returned and has all the symptoms and is currently being tested.

Quite worrying really!

[.:SpIcYsPy:.]

Double post, sorry!