Why is the media trying to scare us with the H1N1?
Vitaminyes asked:
The H1N1 is a unique strain of flu that has existed for quite some time. There is an existing yet basically exhausted supply of vaccines, and the estimated crude death rate seems to be not too far off from the regular flu. Why should we care? Is the H1N1 at risk of doing something like evolving multiple times in rapid succession within the decade into something extremely deadly? I just don’t get all the hype.
Twelve Month Internet Millionaire
we gotta buy the medicine it makes lots of money for lots of people.
We should care about H1N1 just as much as we care about the regular flu. It’s true, the media has hyped it up so much that it’s either taken too seriously and people panic, or they don’t take it seriously enough and treat it like it’s a joke. The same precautions that apply to the regular flu season apply to this scenario, it’s only been overhyped because it’s unfamiliar to most people.
its another thing that they can use to scare us. scared ppl are easier to control
It’s another example of fear-mongering perpetuated by the corporate media. The capitalist lackeys are still hard at work focusing the attention of the masses on non-essential matters while the real issues are glossed over or conveniently omitted. Squadala, we’re off!
This is not the seasonal flu, it’s a pandemic – a worldwide infection – and there are many unknowns to consider. In general, it’s better to safe than sorry. Not being prepared and ending up having to account for a million or more preventable human deaths is not very smart.
Seasonal flu
type A/H3N2, A/H1N1, and B
250,000 to 500,000 deaths each year worldwide
about 36,000 in the US
Pandemics:
1918 – 1920 Spanish flu pandemic
type A/H1N1
50 to 100 million deaths worldwide
500,000 to 675,000 in the US
1957 – 1958 Asian flu
type A/H2N2
about 2 million deaths worldwide
70,000 in the US
1968 – 1969 Hong Kong flu
type A/H3N2
about 1 million deaths worldwide
33,800 in the US
2009 – Swine flu
type A/H1N1 type
more than 6,000 deaths so far
These flu strains are never going away. It’s almost certain that, one of these years, another virulent strain will evolve and a pandemic will kill tens of millions. It could have been this year – so don’t complain too loudly – it might be next year….
Don above showed you all the facts – all I would add is that it’s the age-groups affected that is alarming – children 5-14 and pregnant women, plus as probably always, vulnerable groups such as neurodevelopmentally disabled and those with serious underlying conditions and weak immune systems are at much greater risk.
Usually it’s the older people who die first – the fact that healthy young people have succumbed is what has upped the ante.
Your sword is enough