I have a lot to say about 2009 H1N1 virus. I call it “pig flu”. Because I’m funny really original like that. Hee hee.
However, I thought the best thing would just be to post this link. Go ahead, click it:
That way, you can decide whether to go to work/take an airplane/sit in class/stay in a home-cave with a mask for emergency grocery store trips.
In all honesty, I do hope and pray that this flu is not a repeat of 1918. In my (fairly worthless) opinion, I do believe it is a bit overblown at this point, and I hope I am right. I *do* think that, should it spread to high-density areas of the world that are completely ill-equipped to deal with a virus, it might be devastating. But so far, given the slow spread of cases (and the very low death rate – 0% in this country, discounting the toddler in Texas who died after being brought to Brownsville from Mexico), I am dubious.
I feel very terrible for the pig farmers in Egypt. I think that is one of the most tragic stories of this flu. What a senseless loss.
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May 1, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Nicki
I know, I cried when I heard about those pigs. I mean I know that was their demise eventually anyway and maybe they were being cruelly farmed for all I know, in the first place. But still. What a senseless loss.
I have a rule of thumb for freaking out that goes like this:
I was freaked out until yesterday when the media really lost their minds. Before that, though, I thought they were being a little too rational and level-headed for my comfort level. Their words weren’t matching the local actions and that made me verrry nervous. Now they are overreacting (seriously they took down that plane in Boston because they couldn’t handle the rest of the trip to DC with a suspicious flu case on board? I hope to God there was more to the story than that – like that the sick person was actively dying…) and I am feeling a lot more calm. It’s a very rational strategy I think 
if the media is calm, freak out. if the media is freaking out, it’ll be ok
Still I’m not going in public places until its blown over, mostly because I don’t want the flu and avoid public places during any flu season. And I sorta think if everyone did that we’d have very mild flu seasons. It amazes me what people consider to be Very Important Activities right now. And then, subsequently, it explains a lot about how disease travels.
May 1, 2009 at 5:08 pm
R
NO KIDDING about the plane diversion. WTH?!? I am really trying to envision how *that* went down – the woman was on the plane from MUNICH to DC and decided in BOSTON that she had to get off?!? I read that and couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Violently. I agree – I seriously hope there was more to that story. For the love…
May 1, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Emily
and yet i am still afraid of getting pig flu! paranoia paranoia
May 1, 2009 at 8:56 pm
bustedbabymaker
Every time my husband tries to kiss me, I call him “piggy sicky” and back away – you know, because the one lady at his office went home sick the other day…but yes, I agree that chances are the media is grossly overblowing the dangers.
May 2, 2009 at 4:06 am
Alasdair
WAAAAYYY in the hell overblown at the moment
The first guy in the UK to catch it without having been to Mexico ( went drinking with his buddy when he arrived home) said something like “I had a headache, a sore throat and felt a bit crap for a couple of days but I am much better now”
If it carries on like this it shouldn’t be worse than seasonal flu
My worry is that for political reasons governments will blow their stockpiles of drugs on this then we will get another nasty one in the fall flu season and won’t have the drugs.
I find calling it “piggy flu” is the least scary
Pig sneezes would also work
May 4, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Erica
Oink. I am afraid I might have had the pig flu. The hospital I work for put me and my office in quarantine and demanded that I see a MD and get tested. I refused–no sense in paying $$ to be told what I already know (fluids and tylenol). I also didn’t want to be a pariah and be the reason the local schools closed down. So far all the people in my state who have tested positive have NOT traveled anywhere which makes it a little weirder.
Honestly, it doesn’t scare me that much. Unless it mutates and comes back next fall. In that case I think we are looking at something similar to the 1918/1919 epidemic. If that is the case, I PRAY that Duc and I just had the piggy flu. A little immunity is better than nothing and I don’t know that our gov’t could immunize us against the next big wave.
May 6, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Dave
hahaha that website is very helpful.
I feel bad for those pigs..