Swine Flu

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed May 20, 2009 4:32 pm

Confirmed case in Melbourne

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 61,00.html

Kaiproject · Post by **Kaiproject** » Wed May 20, 2009 4:59 pm

sent round to office to freak em out

clifton hill, just round the corner from ere too

Post by **huge** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:11 pm

put him down tbh

mecka · Post by **mecka** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:14 pm

fuckin meh. Media circus.

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:15 pm

really?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/influenza_pandemic

i dunno man, i'm taking it seriously... in fact flu pandemic scares the shite out of me.

mecka · Post by **mecka** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:21 pm

Ah, wikipedia.

Yeah SARS, bird flu etc etc.

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:29 pm

no no... Spanish Flu 1918

50 million people dead.

mecka · Post by **mecka** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:31 pm

Considering how far health care has come since 1918 ... i'm pretty confident this is still hype.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:37 pm

The electric interweb in 1918 was nowhere near as devloped as it is nowadays.

Fact.

C.I.A. · Post by **C.I.A.** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:42 pm

Swine?

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:43 pm

mecka wrote:Considering how far health care has come since 1918 ... i'm pretty confident this is still hype.

no matter how far it's come... doesn't mean that it shouldn't be taken seriously.

nic · Post by **nic** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:44 pm

thought tis was a spam thread
bloody mexicans better not ban tacos and enchiladas

C.I.A. · Post by **C.I.A.** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:48 pm

deviant wrote:
mecka wrote:Considering how far health care has come since 1918 ... i'm pretty confident this is still hype.
no matter how far it's come... doesn't mean that it shouldn't be taken seriously.

Teh Baconator will save youse all.

I'm pissed @ teh bacon flu tbh. Hazn't killed manyone at all... less than normal flu and everyting. Got me all happy for nowt.

Mutate, virulate then propAgate or STFU

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:58 pm

nic wrote: bloody mexicans better not ban tacos and enchiladas

I love tacos

nic · Post by **nic** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:05 pm

pink taco
om nom nom

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:24 pm

That was completely out of leftfield nic

nic · Post by **nic** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:31 pm

i know.
not a very surpising post tbh

can you get swine flu from eating a pink taco you find on the street?

Post by **huge** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:36 pm

mrj · Post by **mrj** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:44 pm

nic wrote:thought tis was a spam thread
bloody mexicans better not ban tacos and enchiladas

ken oath

im taking some numchuks down to mexicali rose to make sure nobody fucks with their shit.

they can pay me protection money in the form of tostadas.

win!

Kaiproject · Post by **Kaiproject** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:45 pm

sure influenza kills heaps of ppl too

but theyre mostly old ppl with weak immune systems.
swine flu killing mainly young ppl 20s-30s which is a worry

and yes there are drugs that can treat it but scientists are worried it will mix with birdflu strain or other and become immune to all vaccines.

nic · Post by **nic** » Wed May 20, 2009 8:13 pm

that graph hasnt peaked yet

PEAK and be dne with it.

youthful_implants · Post by **youthful_implants** » Thu May 21, 2009 5:28 pm

run for the hills IMO.

Lil MiSbreaks · Post by **Lil MiSbreaks** » Thu May 21, 2009 5:32 pm

nic wrote:i know.
not a very surpising post tbh

can you get swine flu from eating a pink taco you find on the street?

Maybe if its a hairy pink taco

Hardy · Post by **Hardy** » Thu May 21, 2009 5:36 pm

Kill everything imo

nic · Post by **nic** » Thu May 21, 2009 6:30 pm

mass suicide
(then pull out at the last second and take everyones wallets as they go sleepy byes)

witty_pseudonym · Post by **witty_pseudonym** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:28 am

hope someone at work gets it tbh.

calstro · Post by **calstro** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:37 am

One of collegues' kids go to Clifton Hill Primary. (well not for the next few days anyway)

Not enough degrees of separation.

nic · Post by **nic** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:39 am

argghh its coming.
moar cases

i am a pretty good doctor and i reckon ill be self diagnosing swine flu within 4 days.

witty_pseudonym · Post by **witty_pseudonym** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:42 am

moar boar flu

nic · Post by **nic** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:47 am

Moar Boar MOAR BOAR

Post by **huge** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:56 am

calstro wrote:One of collegues' kids go to Clifton Hill Primary. (well not for the next few days anyway)

Not enough degrees of separation.

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Fri May 22, 2009 11:19 am

nic wrote:
mass suicide
(then pull out at the last second and take everyones wallets as they go sleepy byes)

C.I.A. · Post by **C.I.A.** » Fri May 22, 2009 1:55 pm

nic wrote:argghh its coming.
moar cases

i am a pretty good doctor and i reckon ill be self diagnosing swine flu within 4 days.

I've diagnozed it in twelfty people so far.

One or more of teh following symptoms and you call the police an they lock them away for two blissful weeks:

- You owe them money
- They are irritating
- You owe them a report or a review or other piece of w3rk that you can;t be assed doing
- They won't shut up about their kids
- They slurp their coffee
- They are hipsters
- They wear those scarves that support the palestinian movement but they don't get the significance and bought theirs at General Pants (see point above)
- They are hippies
- They walk slow

aroes · Post by **aroes** » Fri May 22, 2009 1:57 pm

leo spaceman is a doctorB

youthful_implants · Post by **youthful_implants** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:11 pm

C.I.A. wrote:
nic wrote:argghh its coming.
moar cases

i am a pretty good doctor and i reckon ill be self diagnosing swine flu within 4 days.

I've diagnozed it in twelfty people so far.

One or more of teh following symptoms and you call the police an they lock them away for two blissful weeks:

- You owe them money
- They are irritating
- You owe them a report or a review or other piece of w3rk that you can;t be assed doing
- They won't shut up about their kids
- They slurp their coffee
- They are hipsters
- They wear those scarves that support the palestinian movement but they don't get the significance and bought theirs at General Pants (see point above)
- They are hippies
- They walk slow

I fuckin hate people wearing those scarfs as a fashion statement. Especially if they're colour co-ordinated. What a lame trend.

I blame Vice magazine.

nic · Post by **nic** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:08 pm

NO I FUCKEN HATE THEM THE MOST
gheylords truly.

BOAR FEVER is spiralling

its going to smash through soon. (IMH PHD O)
goog time to be going to airport and sit in plane for 30hrs.

i will piss on anyone who coughs at me or touches my face.

calstro · Post by **calstro** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:09 pm

-aroes- wrote:leo spaceman is a doctorB

LOL.

30 rock FTW!

witty_pseudonym · Post by **witty_pseudonym** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:11 pm

POAR BOAR.

nic · Post by **nic** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:13 pm

MOAR?

pork roll nom nom

C.I.A. · Post by **C.I.A.** » Mon May 25, 2009 2:20 pm

Whine flu.

Over it. Hurry up an get all 28 days later on us alreddy.

Wood have expected someting more spectacular from GAIA tbh. I give it 1 1/2 silly blue mask things.

DEGENERATI0N · Post by **DEGENERATI0N** » Wed May 27, 2009 1:43 am

I dont think that regular flues and viruses work this way, as in a instantaneous mutation that's part bird flu, part pig flu and part human flu that just all of a sudden starts popping up on all corners of the globe without any realistically feasible connection.

In my opinion this is an intentional release designed to create the stage for a new vaccination program, the previous ones have already been proven to be less than commendable operations from what ive seen and its AAALLLL about population control and mind controlling propaganda, as it usually is.

this shit has human laboratory written all over it and im amazed that it is taking people so long to figure it out.

Guarantee the outcome of this is going to be some kind of fucked up legislation or other totally unnecessary indoctrination processes.

...or its just another round of the old "be afraid, be very afraid!"

hopefully some kick ass scientist dude will somehow discover that it was in fact developed in a lab and it will all blow over before we catch on to what is really happening. AGAIN.

BACK TO SLEEEEEEEEEEEP

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed May 27, 2009 10:44 am

Health authorities are able to instruct people who have been in close contact with someone who has signs or symptoms of swine flu to stay at home and not leave their home or garden in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

A guide to Swine Flu

Swine flu will spread quickly: Roxon When a person with the flu breathes, coughs or sneezes they can spread the flu virus from their respiratory tract.

Droplets carrying the virus can spread up to a metre onto surfaces such as tables, benches and floors.

For more information on home quarantine, visit health.nsw.gov.au

For more resources on swine flu visit: health.gov.au/healthemergency

Swine flu hotline number: 1802007

What is home quarantine?

Quarantine means separating people who are not showing signs of human swine influenza but have possibly been exposed to swine flu from other people in the general community or at home.

How long will I be in quarantine?

You will be in quarantine for at least 7 days after your last exposure or until we are sure you have not been exposed to the virus.

If you develop signs or symptoms of swine flu you will be quarantined for up to 7 days from the start of symptoms.

You will be told by a health care worker when you can leave your home.

Will I need to have tests done?

You will not need to have any tests done unless you develop signs or symptoms of swine flu.

Initial results of swabs will be available within 24 hours and confirmed results within 72 hours.

Can I have visitors?

No, unless they are health care workers coming to treat or check on your progress. Non-household members should not enter your household.

You might warn expected quests by telephone that they should not visit until you are allowed out of isolation.

What signs and symptoms should I be looking for?

The symptoms of human swine influenza are similar to normal influenza: Fever, cough, tiredness, muscle aches, sore throat, chills, shortness of breath, runny nose, headache.

Some cases of human swine influenza have also complained of vomiting, diarrhoea or pneumonia. Symptoms of influenza generally appear between two to four days after exposure.

What about the shopping?

You should ask neighbours, family or friends to get food and any other essential supplies for you.

They should leave the groceries or supplies on your doorstep and keep at least one metre away from anyone in home isolation.

If you are having difficulties, contact your local Public Health Unit for advice.

What should I do to protect other people in my household?

• Cover your mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of tissues into the nearest bin and wash your hands immediately afterwards.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and running water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based gels are also effective.

• If possible, sleep and stay in a separate room to other members of your household.

• Keep your personal items separate and do not share them with others in the household.

• If you develop symptoms of human swine influenza, you should then wear a surgical mask whenever you are close (within one metre) to any member of your household.

Do I have to report to anyone?

A health care worker will contact you each day to follow-up on your progress until you are no longer in quarantine.

HOME ISOLATION

If an Australian has contracted swine flu, officers are able to instruct her/him not leave their home or garden in order to prevent the spread of human swine influenza.

Isolation means separating people with symptoms of human swine flu from other people in the general community by isolating them in their home.

You may go outside in your garden but must stay one metre away from your boundary.

How long will I be in isolation?

You will be in isolation until you are well, or until your tests have shown that you do not have human swine influenza, or until seven days after the onset of symptoms of influenza.

You will be told by a health care worker when you can leave home.

For more resources on isolation, visit health.gov.au

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1018 ... e-yourself

C.I.A. · Post by **C.I.A.** » Wed May 27, 2009 1:59 pm

DEGENERATI0N wrote:I dont think that regular flues and viruses work this way, as in a instantaneous mutation that's part bird flu, part pig flu and part human flu that just all of a sudden starts popping up on all corners of the globe without any realistically feasible connection.

In my opinion this is an intentional release designed to create the stage for a new vaccination program, the previous ones have already been proven to be less than commendable operations from what ive seen and its AAALLLL about population control and mind controlling propaganda, as it usually is.

this shit has human laboratory written all over it and im amazed that it is taking people so long to figure it out.

Guarantee the outcome of this is going to be some kind of fucked up legislation or other totally unnecessary indoctrination processes.

...or its just another round of the old "be afraid, be very afraid!"

hopefully some kick ass scientist dude will somehow discover that it was in fact developed in a lab and it will all blow over before we catch on to what is really happening. AGAIN.

BACK TO SLEEEEEEEEEEEP

Uhuh. So, Professor D, what was the reasoning behind the engineering of this particular virus?

Here's a list, feel free to add your own:

1. Leading the way, a ploy by the US government to stop the flow of illegal immigrants across the border. Rumors suggest the virus is only contagious and deadly to Mexicans therefore it is anti-Hispanic biological weapon to stop those illegal immigrants once and for all.

2. A massive cover up by US government after a secret military biochemical weapon was accidentally released (oopsies!)

3. It’s those Pharmaceutical companies at it again. With the economic crisis still looming what better way to get their revenue moving. Hmm, rumors abound that the Baxter Corporation which makes the only cure for the virus are were in big financial trouble. Has anyone checked to see if Bush has shares in Baxter (I’m just saying).

4. Along with Pharmaceutical companies doctors also need a contagious disease to make their salaries positions safe during this hard uncertain time.

5. Response to the Republicans cutting pandemic funds from Obama’s first budget.

6. Mexican drug cartels released the virus to bump off that pesky Mexican Army.

7. It’s the beef and chicken industry’s scare campaign against pork.

8. Coincidence you say? Obama was in Mexico at the same time as the virus first appeared. Hmm, nothing like a pandemic to deflect from the world economy,climate etc.

9. Why has Obama earmarked $1.5 billion for fighting the Swine Flu but refuses to close the Mexican border?

10. Those surgical mask producers have suddenly found themselves a whole lot richer thanks to the run on protective wear. Rumors abound that the outbreak could lead to the largest manufacturing mask run in world history.

11. Those good people at PETA finally got their hands on a virus that could end meat production forever! Mad Cow and bird flu didn’t work for them…third time lucky!

12. Al Qaeda, those pig hating extremists, using Mexicans like plague spreading rats!

13. One way to remove the Vatican’s power, wipe out the largest Catholic following in the world, Mexico.

14. Lindsay Lohan spreads it every time she spreads her legs.

So far no theories linking Swine Flu with Somali pirates or Kim Jong Ill, but I threw those down to get your imagination going.

Psst: Ever heard of Ockham's razor? Ever studied evolution of viruses, phylogenetic disruption, or mutation? Did you know that viruses mutate at a rate 105–106 times faster than their DNA counterparts. This process can be simulated by a continuous stochastic model on a smooth one-dimensional fitness landscape where selection forces the viral quasispecies to combine to produce higher fitness values. The bold section is science-speak for pig flu and bird flu hooking up because, like, viruses can totally do that.

Also, why does a kick-ass scientist have to be a dude???????

DBoy · Post by **DBoy** » Wed May 27, 2009 2:40 pm

someone is driving this crap, after all... "no one has died from swine flu in Australia yet, however more than 3,000 Australians die from influenza every year".

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed May 27, 2009 3:59 pm

C.I.A. wrote:14. Lindsay Lohan spreads it every time she spreads her legs.

LOL

mecka · Post by **mecka** » Wed May 27, 2009 4:57 pm

quasispecies is my new favourite word.

dr cia ftw.

dengelman · Post by **dengelman** » Wed May 27, 2009 5:52 pm

DEGENERATI0N wrote:I dont think that regular flues and viruses work this way, as in a instantaneous mutation that's part bird flu, part pig flu and part human flu that just all of a sudden starts popping up on all corners of the globe without any realistically feasible connection.
In my opinion this is an intentional release designed to create the stage for a new vaccination program, the previous ones have already been proven to be less than commendable operations from what ive seen and its AAALLLL about population control and mind controlling propaganda, as it usually is.
this shit has human laboratory written all over it and im amazed that it is taking people so long to figure it out.
Guarantee the outcome of this is going to be some kind of fucked up legislation or other totally unnecessary indoctrination processes.
...or its just another round of the old "be afraid, be very afraid!"
hopefully some kick ass scientist dude will somehow discover that it was in fact developed in a lab and it will all blow over before we catch on to what is really happening. AGAIN.
BACK TO SLEEEEEEEEEEEP

Sigh. I've been trying to stay out of this thread for a while, but this rant flamed me good and proper.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but...

You Are Wrong.

"Regular flues" ie the influenza virus, works exactly this way. In fact, it's one of its most well know characteristics, and the entire reason influenza A has such epidemic and pandemic potential.
If anyone is interested, look up terms such as antigenic shift and drift in any microbiological reference.
You could start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigenic_shift
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza or visit any of a multitude of online resources on the topic.

In MY opinion, H1N1 is not scary or particularly dangerous. I'm not any more afraid of catching it than any other annoying respiratory virus that little sick kids cough, splutter and spit all over me each day at work. My prediction would be heaps of people will get it this year, even more next year, but most will be only slightly unwell, and the Case Fatality Rate (percentage of people with disease who die from it) will be low.

Of course, we didn't know that initially, and the strategies put in place were therefore justified to try to contain an unknown situation

I believe there is probably enough evidence now for an official line to come out telling people to "Chill the fuck out" and get on with their lives. I can understand though, that authorities are not willing to do this until they are 99.9% sure it's not going to come back to bite them, ie: if people (outside of Mexico) DO start dying at any alarming rates, you sure as hell wouldn't want to be the person who told everyone told to worry...

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed May 27, 2009 6:02 pm

Pandemic influenza kills in a different way to that of seasonal influenza (by way of cytokines not usually pnuemonia).... that's what raised the alarm in the first place.

DBoy · Post by **DBoy** » Wed May 27, 2009 6:16 pm

but do tell us doctor dengle, in your opinion, will it be a virus like that that wipes a large percentage of us of the face of the planet.

Given the number of us that cover the surface, the way in which we travel and interact, is it possible, or now maybe even likely, that virus's or flues or whatever of this nature are much more likely to do some real damage. Sure, we have better medicine and better ability to cope with pandemics than ever before, but are the virus' getting stronger as well?

Opinion?

dengelman · Post by **dengelman** » Wed May 27, 2009 6:51 pm

Deviant: I'm not aware of that, but don't claim to be an expert in these things.
Cytokines are basically chemicals released by your immune system during the process of inflammation and infection. They do lots of different things, including giving you a fever and making you feel shithouse. (Think little storm troopers blasting out bugs and foreign material from the rebel alliance - the cytokines are the gunshots and alarms that attract others to the scene.)
It's interesting, where did you read that?

D: Again, I'm not an expert, but have a basic grip on how these things work (from a Scientific/Western Medicine perspective that is.)

It won't wipe a large percentage of us off the planet. I'm happy to stand by that. It will kill quite a few, which is shit, but people die from viruses and ballpoint pens every year. We should try to minimise the impact of all aspects of disease and injury.

Your second question is more complicated, and relates not to the current H1N1 outbreak but infections in general.
Yes, spread of virus round the world and therefore risk pandemic is undoubtedly increased in the modern world - this a human-to-human directly transmitted disease.
Yes, we have made amazing advances in communications, surveillance, global cooperation, vaccine development etc etc etc that could mediate some of the effects of any serious pandemic.
No, I don't think the viruses, in general, are getting stronger. Bacteria (like the media darling "Golden Staph"), and parasites like malaria ARE getting more bad-ass due to antibiotic resistance, but this has not been a major factor with viruses. Having said that, there is a risk that an individual influenza virus could mutate to another form. This may be less strong, or it could be more strong.
I'm not sure if we are more or less at risk in today's world than back in 1918. I would guess we are better off, as rapid detection and surveillance probably counter-balances the increased transmission, and the vaccines, drugs and containment strategies definitely save lives. Most of us in the Western world are more healthy than we were back in 1918, and therefore less likely to die from these things.

I tried to answer that clearly, but know it wasn't very succinct. It's tricky stuff...