Flu kills 36,000

HardDrive · 04-28-2009, 07:49 PM

No, not swine flu. Less than 200 cases of death from the current outbreak of swine flu.

Nope, regular old influenza kills 36,000 people every year in the United States. 98 people dead everyday. Why isn't the press reporting that?

This country is dumb.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I heard it several times on the radio and tv news today. I haven't had the flu in about five years. I'm not worried in the least.

Bill Douglas · 04-28-2009, 07:55 PM

I've had the flu for days and it doesn't worry me.

In fact I've been eating like a pig. Ah-oh I think I've just figured something out.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Well, if the death rate were 60 from 2,000 as we first heard from Mexico, then that would be something scary. But I guess there is a lot of doubt about that now?

bell · bell's Garage

a freind of my wife works for an amusement park company (not disney) and found out that oversees has been reporting that their park will be closed for the coming months and also that disneyworld shut down yesterday because of the "swine flu" (my wife was AT disney yesterday), she was receiving some 600+ emails per hour inquiring about this from oversees customers who were given blatantly wrong info ......

what the hell is the media thinking? they're also leaving out the fact that the "swine flu" deaths are mostly people with weak immune systems...... young children and the elderly......

jyl · jyl's Garage

I understood the deaths in Mexico were primarily young healthy people, which is unusual. Thank goodness I am neither.

Gogar · 04-28-2009, 08:11 PM

Well, 36,000 USA deaths/year from "regular" flu represents about 1% of the (average) total flu cases.

As far as Mexico swine flu goes, if you go by the Reuters numbers of 159 deaths/2500 suspected cases (which who knows if that is accurate), that's 8% death rate.

So, it does warrant a mention, but I agree the hysteria is stupid.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

I understood the deaths in Mexico were primarily young healthy people, which is unusual. Thank goodness I am neither.

No, but young, healthy people are getting infected.

Also, there are a lot of 'slums' in Mexico city where the people basically don't get health care. While the system is single payer, your employer pays the government your premium. No work, no coverage. If you're poor and unemployed, nada. I think this is having an effect on the people getting infected and the severity. I doubt those people had the vaccine

Someone should look at the students in the school, and correlate the students exposed and review who had flu shots in the past year. Does last years flu shot reduce the chance of infection or the severity of the swine flu?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I rode my new motorcycle about 85 miles today on the hwy. and city streets, a few times nearing 100 mph. I think my life was exponentially more at risk then than from swine flu. And I'll probably do it again tomorrow.

speeder · speeder's Garage

I wonder how many people who were really old and frail and at the end of the line anyways are counted as flu deaths.

I'm not worried, I'm healthy as a fk horse. (Famous last words).

jyl · jyl's Garage

What do you think your probability of death was, during the ride?

1%? 5%?

Quote:

I rode my new motorcycle about 85 miles today on the hwy. and city streets, a few times nearing 100 mph. I think my life was exponentially more at risk then than from swine flu. And I'll probably do it again tomorrow.

Jim Richards · 04-29-2009, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

i understood the deaths in mexico were primarily young healthy people, which is unusual. Thank goodness i am neither.

rofl!

Jims5543 · 04-29-2009, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bell

a freind of my wife works for an amusement park company (not disney) and found out that oversees has been reporting that their park will be closed for the coming months and also that disneyworld shut down yesterday because of the "swine flu" (my wife was AT disney yesterday), she was receiving some 600+ emails per hour inquiring about this from oversees customers who were given blatantly wrong info ......

what the hell is the media thinking? they're also leaving out the fact that the "swine flu" deaths are mostly people with weak immune systems...... young children and the elderly......

I am heading to Seaworld with the kids on Saturday. We did the buy one day go as much as you want deal last month during the kids spring break. We were told by a park employee that this was a good weekend to go because all the spring break / tourists are gone. Couple that with the hysteria and it should be empty there.

Fine by me.

It will remind me of late Sept 2001 when my wife and I went away to Universal for a weekend. The rest of the country was home hiding from terrorists and we had the place to ourselves.

Bell, I'll PM you over on Bill, you want to meet up for dinner by the Orlando Airport Friday night. We should be in town by about 5:30ish.

There are a few places to eat right around there. Maybe dinner at 7?

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

The big reason the news folks are all over Swine Flu is that it sells newspapers, magazines & gets people to watch the news programs. It is all about RATINGS and making money. The reporters have a job to do to earn a paycheck, pay their rent and put food on their table. Sensationalism is what sells.

legion · 04-29-2009, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speeder

I'm not worried, I'm healthy as a fk horse. (Famous last words).

Catherine the Great?

***

Chicago shut down a public elementary school this morning. The attendance rate dropped from it's normal 96% to 87% yesterday with many parents reporting flu-like symptoms. There are still no confirmed cases of swine flu in Illinois.

To me, it seems like it has become a self-reinforcing cycle. Parents are freaked out about swine flu, junior has a cough, so given the media hype, the parents decide to be safe and keep junior at home. The paranoia spreads from parent to parent. Repeat a few dozen times and it is enough to impact the attendance at a school, which draws the attention of school administrators, which freaks parents out...

billwagnon · 04-29-2009, 05:13 AM

If you guys don't understand the panicky nature of the reporting on this, you should read up on the 1918 flu.

Not that we can really do anything about it.

The Gaijin · 04-29-2009, 05:21 AM

You have got to figure much of the data coming out of Mexico is unreliable.

legion · 04-29-2009, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gaijin

You have got to figure much of the data coming out of Mexico is unreliable.

Well, it seems perfectly fine to quote when you want to use crimes in Mexico to restrict freedoms at home.

onewhippedpuppy · 04-29-2009, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

The big reason the news folks are all over Swine Flu is that it sells newspapers, magazines & gets people to watch the news programs. It is all about RATINGS and making money. The reporters have a job to do to earn a paycheck, pay their rent and put food on their table. Sensationalism is what sells.

Irresponsible at best. Our nation would be so much better if they would shut off the stupid 24-hour "news" (yeah right). An interview I saw this morning with a NY resident that had the horrible swine flu: "Yeah, I felt really tired and just didn't feel good for a few days." OH THE HORROR!!!!!!!!!!

gprsh924 · 04-29-2009, 05:50 AM

Hey guys I have a sore throat, and a bit of a cough and runny nose. Do you think I have swine flu? Or do you think I am feeling the effects of partying until 4am from Wednesday to Saturday, drinking 12+hours a day and sleeping for only a few hours?

I'm banking on the latter.