Why the panic over something as trivial as Swine Flu?

Why the sudden concerns and general sense of panic when something as trivial as Swine Flu starts to hit the headlines? Are people really that uneducated and close-minded to the world they live in?

Lets take a quick look at whats happening around us right now.

AIDS is killing around 3.1 million per year. Source
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recorded in 2006 36,828 new cases of AID's for the US alone.
World wide, The Yale AIDS Watch has a figure of 5.1 million new cases of AIDS per year.

People are dying in their millions from AIDS yet life goes on as normal around us.


Lets look at cancer.

According to WHO( World Heath Organisation)

* Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide: it accounted for 7.4 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2004.
* Lung, stomach, colorectal, liver, and breast cancer cause the most cancer deaths each year.
* The most frequent types of cancer differ between men and women.
* More than 30% of cancer deaths can be prevented.
* Tobacco use is the single most important risk factor for cancer.
* Cancer arises from a change in one single cell. The change may be started by external agents and inherited genetic factors.

So Tobacco use is killing 100'000's of people a year and is still generally sociably acceptable in main-stream society. Do we see people wearing face masks when they pass a group of people smoking?.


For 2005, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recorded the following catergories of Deaths in the US

Number of deaths for leading causes of death

* Heart disease: 652,091
* Cancer: 559,312
* Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 143,579
* Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 130,933
* Accidents (unintentional injuries): 117,809
* Diabetes: 75,119
* Alzheimer's disease: 71,599
* Influenza/Pneumonia: 63,001
* Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 43,901
* Septicemia: 34,136

Kinda makes this Swine Flu seem pretty small eh?

yeah thats very true.
but as they say this virus is something new and scary/deadly.
thats why whole attention goes to the new flu.

Also according to some reorts, this is not regular swine flu, but a mutated version, which contains components of avian, H1N1, and swine flu. There was debate in WHO over whether to call this 'swine flu' as it is not.

Double post, sorry.

[edit on 4/27/2009 by Layla]

The difference is, that outside of AIDS, nothing you listed is communicable. With AIDS, people know what precautions to take. The fear comes fromt he fact that the flu is spread human to human without sexual intercourse or anything like that. Seemingly (although this isn't confirmed) little contact is needed for the disease to spread.

On the same note, there was a time when AIDS only affected a handful of people too.

New flu-like diseases and strains are being discovered all the time, the ones we have known about for decades are still killing people in the 100,000's world-wide dispite medicines being freely available than ever before.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 35 to 50 million Americans come down with the flu during each flu season, which typically lasts from November to March. Children are two to three times more likely than adults to get sick with the flu, and children frequently spread the virus to others. Although most people recover from the illness, CDC estimates that in the United States more than 100,000 people are hospitalized and more than 20,000 people die from the flu and its complications every year.

Source

Just because its 'new', does'nt automatically mean its deadly.

reply to post by Layla


If this 'new' flu starts killing say, 20,000 people of your country a year would you be worried for yourself and family? Would you take extra precautions to prevent catching this?

CDC reports an average 20,000 US citizens die from 'normal' flu each year, so I would be more worried about catching the common cold than this new flu. Its all about proportions and scale.

Until this new flu reaches the top 10 of likely cause of death I see no cause for worry.

reply to post by Freelancer


I'm actually not concerend about it at all. I was just trying to give an answer to the question posed. Why are people panicing? This could be why.

Personally, I'm not concerend. I live in San Diego, near the border. All of my kdis are in school today, I'm at work. My head and throat hurt and my co-worker who just flew backf rom Houston is sitting at her desk coughing and sniffling, yet, we're joking about growing snouts.

I agree that the panic is much, my point was to show the difference between the diseases posted in the OP and why this flu was being looked at differently by some.

reply to post by Freelancer
Yes, but this flu is attacking young healthy people in higher numbers. Most people who die from the flu in the USA are the very young the very old, and the sick.

reply to post by Freelancer


also some in the WHO are saying that this virus is in it's infant stages and they believe it could could kill between 110-120 million people if it mutates into a full blown powerful disease similar to the 1918 Spanish Flu..

also what was funny is..last night on sky news they had a little breaking news flash at the bottom and it clearly said "Sources says usual vaccine is useless against this strain" then 2 minutes later it was gone and nothing mentioned about it.

There have been six cases of the new flew over in the UK today! This worries me as It has travelled so far within a day!

Although the people are fine, I am going to take extra precautions before i do anything!"

Who's panicking? I don't see anyone running down the street, butt neked screaming "Were all going home in body bags!"

reply to post by Layla


Not concerned with population contol freaks & cold-blooded SWINES being in power that will do whatever it takes to get a NWO via a NAU? If there is an outbreak, it will be the perfect escuse for martial law in Mexico, the US & Canada...

I CAN'T STAND THE APATHY AND DENIAL ANYMORE!!

reply to post by Time=Now


Yeah, that's EXACTLY what I said...

The differance is that HIV is a disease that you can live with for a very long time. It is no longer a death sentance, there are treatments and very potentially a cure. This "flu" is killing people within days. Not years, but days and it's new. Not to mention a mutated strain that has the potential to kill thousands if not millions within DAYS. That's my two cents for what it's worth.

Originally posted by Aliengurl
Who's panicking? I don't see anyone running down the street, butt neked screaming "Were all going home in body bags!"

That's a good thing... Fear let's them control you more, and gives the exscuse to come in with the millitary, and take your freedom to laugh at conspiracy realities away.

Originally posted by raz24400
Also according to some reorts, this is not regular swine flu, but a mutated version, which contains components of avian, H1N1, and swine flu. There was debate in WHO over whether to call this 'swine flu' as it is not.

I heard it was a mutation, but I must have missed the avian and other new components. Sounds like a genetic engineered virus. Damn government.

The panic is because it's engineered...
The evil of the elite is such a REAL threat, and the live avian flu virus was caught... They tried it once, and they have to get on with their agenda, so they are trying it again... And will suceed unless WE ALL SPREAD THE TRUTH NOW TO EVERYONE!!!

Fear ridicule, or fear death.

This is the crossroads...

[edit on 27-4-2009 by Time=Now]

reply to post by Time=Now


Yeah, I feel ya. It's Martial Law that I'm worried of the most.
I'd rather croak from the virus to be honest.....

And I don't think people are "freaking out."
If anything, we're concerned!! Nothing wrong with that...


IMO, this virus is genetically modified.

Where is/are this "Swine(s)" that the virus originated from??
THEN it hybrids to/with different strains such as Avian, and mutates to human virus, attacking the immune system.....of "young healthy people."

Something's fishy, and I don't see any tuna.

Or swine for that matter.

Who's panicking? People have shown great concern over this, but i haven't seen panicking. And for good reason, it has a death rate of 8% in Mexico. The Spanish flu of 1918 had an estimated death rate of 5% and killed at least 25 million people in the first 25 weeks. That's a 5% death rate.

AIDS is far different and should not be likened to the flu. The flu can be caught by walking past someone with it. You catch AIDS from certain bodily fluids.

While I am not concerned in the least about this and won't be canceling my vacation plans, I can understand why some feel concerned.

[edit on 27-4-2009 by Neaux]