WHO Declaration of Swine Flu Pandemic Appears Imminent

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984

In fairness however would we prefer an over or under reaction when dealing with potentially dangerous pathogens?

I really used to like it when people ignored me, or just stared or did not star if they agreed or disliked what I wrote. Instead of questioning me.

I would prefer a mature and intelligent reaction. The media hyper sensationalized the story, the VP was on the news rambling on about how he would avoid air travel or being outside. Yes I understand it was his opinion, yet he was on the news as the Vice president of the United states, the 2nd in command to the free world saying he would not recommend going outside or whatever. Yes that alarmed me a lil, got me thinking they knew something I did not.

You really did not need to make yourself any clearer, I agreed and understood.

I enjoy coming here and learning about things by reading people's contributions, I don't ENJOY communicating with other Authors over my opinions so they can point out flaws or things they think are flaws. I just want to be able to contribute to the board when I feel like it or am compelled to do so, to help others expand on their own beliefs or help people understand further. Sometimes I might sound like a complete idiot, I am having a bad day, or whatever. Yet sometimes perhaps I have a fragment of info that makes sense to you, and you can apply it to what you think. Who knows maybe you'll write a book or whatever. I don't mind answering questions, but questions are better off asked via U2U, or whatever.

no disrespect

UK (British) news just announcing that Pandemic (level 6) just means it's spread throughout the world but has nothing to do with severity of the virus.

There ya go - panic over.

Edit to add - 4 or 5pm GMT is when they're expecting the WHO announcement. I'm watching ITV News and assume this info will also be on their website.

[edit on 11-6-2009 by Maya00a]

This is well OTT,'Swine flu' cruise ship blocked from Caribbean ports
www.dailymail.co.uk...

Does this mean from now on anybody on a cruise ship who shows signs of the flu can effectively stop their boat from docking.This is what Australia did and it still got in.

Fears that another cruise ship has been struck by swine flu are mounting after it was blocked from entering two ports this week.

Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas is making a seven-night tour of the Southern Caribbean and was this week denied entry at St Lucia and Antigua.
Royal Caribbean's 'Adventure of the Seas' cruise ship

Suspected: Royal Caribbean's 'Adventure of the Seas'

Two members of the crew and one passenger have reportedly displayed flu-like symptoms.

Chief executive officer for the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Colin James told cruise website CruiseCritic.co.uk that despite three people being isolated and treated in Barbados, the ship was stopped from visiting St Lucia.

The website reported: 'Permission to dock in Antigua was also denied, based on advice from Antigua's chief medical officer and minister of health.'

Mr James added that the cases were confirmed as the H1N1 virus but a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman said earlier this week that full lab results were not yet available.

This is not the first time Royal Caribbean has been affected by swine flu - crew members were struck down with the virus on Serenade of the Seas in May.

And the news comes after the cruise operator said that the recent swine flu outbreak had hit its earnings.

'The flu outbreak had a short, but highly disruptive impact to our operations,' Chairman and Chief Executive Richard D. Fain said in a statement.

The Miami-based company said the virus led Royal Caribbean International's ships to steer clear of Mexican ports.

It also cancelled the launch of Pullmantur's Pacific Dream, which targets Mexican nationals.

Royal Caribbean, which has 37 ships in service and six being built, said its Celebrity cruises were not impacted by the virus.

'Fortunately, our vessels are quickly returning to their original itineraries, but the impact from the publicity surrounding the H1N1 virus on our Mexican business is frustrating,' Mr Fain said.

The World Health Organization says the disease has reached 66 countries and infected more than 19,000 people. It has caused 117 deaths, mostly in Mexico.

Speculation was also growing today that world health bosses could declare the swine flu outbreak the first global flu pandemic for more than 40 years.

reply to post by Adrifter


It's a discussion board, when you post people reply and question, that is how it is. If you don't like it then ignore the responses or don't post. Pretty simple really.

Anyway this swine flu has so far been blown out of proportion. Let's hope it has run it's course before the winter comes in the nothern hemisphere though.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984

It's a discussion board, when you post people reply and question, that is how it is. If you don't like it then ignore the responses or don't post. Pretty simple really.

A message board is in no shape or form designed for debates. A message board is not a classroom. If anything it is a chalkboard.... I see more people get mad and get off topic over questions, to a reply or just a contribution to the topic posted. it is a distraction I suppose, especially when one is thinking or pondering further, only to be interrupted by a question, on a message board. Also I am sure your not to sure of my point of view either. Its ok we are on a message board, I don't expect my words I write down, to substitute my inflection in my voice, or my body language in this presentation.

I'll take your advice. Yes Its going to be a pandemic, but I don't think we have much to worry about on a health issue. More concerned on the political side of it.




[edit on 11-6-2009 by Adrifter]

reply to post by Adrifter


You might want to watch Biden's comments again....he never said anything about not going outside. I am sorry he "alarmed you a lil". He didn't have that effect on me at all, but I suppose it's people like you that they are worrying about when they express concern about people being panicked or alarmed.

Given the large number of young people being hospitalised and dying from this flu, I think most anyone who loves their children would think twice before taking unnecessary chances at catching this thing and I think Biden was just speaking the truth.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


What part of this do you think has "been blown out of proportion"? All the facts, figures and links you need are on this thread, and they clearly show that quite the opposite has happened. Have you bothered to look at the hospitalization stats and seen how different they are to all previous years recorded? A "flu" has never caused this many hospitalizations in June, or at least not as far back as the records go, which if you look at NY, show that flu is down to virtually nil by the end of May each year.....not 1/2 mill. infected and hundreds on ventilators.



[edit on 11-6-2009 by phoenixs1]

reply to post by phoenixs1


*sigh*


And his statements were mature and intelligent and well thought out to state on the news? Sorry I don't quite remember his exact words. Yet his presentation was pretty convincing to stay away from public transportion or populated area's.

this is exactly what I mean about message boards. It is hard to communicate what you mean..

reply to post by Adrifter


I had no problem with what he said. I live in Australia where they have cancelled sporting matches etc, and I think that is a mature and intelligent thing to do.

Many people are catching this from air travel and being in crowded public places, and no doubt on public transport. Again, I have no problem with what Biden said.

reply to post by phoenixs1


I have no problem on what he said, I just do not think it is mature and intelligent to tell people not to travel or do business as usual for a flu that really is no different then the flu. It would be one thing if people who caught this were dieing at a high rate or whatever. I don't want to catch this flu, but I am not going to stop living in order to think I am safe from getting sick. The fact is this is not killing like a Ebola virus or something, people get sick and pretty much recover from it. I don't think its appropriate for you to tell me to go back over biden's quotes in order to understand better or understand something specifically he said. I got his message. I got your's I respect it and I am not Personally advising you to do further research. This is not a good place for debates is all I am saying.

Oh and it is no longer imminent level 6 is here.

Here we have been told over and over again, by main and non mainstream media alike, that some of our basic liberties would be shelved in order to battle this pandemic if we go to six. Now we are going to six and its "this doesn't mean the pandemic is dangerous, it's only because of how widespread it is. Please no one panic!" So are they changing the rules of six then? And if so, why not just change the rules for five? I'll tell you why. Because it is all in the wording. And it gives excuse for actions planned or in the works right now.
I don't know, maybe I'm going overboard but it seems declaration of six has been such a huge huge deal and now they are downplaying it. WHY?

Originally posted by Adrifter
The media hyper sensationalized the story,

I think the exact opposite is true.
There was a news cap on the media.
They pushed APATHY.

Originally posted by Adrifter
I just do not think it is mature and intelligent to tell people not to travel or do business as usual for a flu that really is no different then the flu.

The Swine Flu is VERY different then the seasonal flu. VERY.
Read Laurie Garretts book on coming plagues .. chapter 6 is swine flu.
It will educate you on all things 'swine flu'.

There is no immunity in the general population for Swine Flu, unlike seasonal flu.
It has many of the same markers as the 1918 flu.
It's behaving in much the same way as the 1918 flu.

What isn't intelligent is for the media to promote apathy towards this and for people to brush it off. This is serious. The 1918 flu didn't become a major killer until after the summer - in September/October.

To poo-poo this swine flu before the November time frame is irresponsible.

BBC Report saying that we are at level 6 Global Pandemic but nothing much going on the WHO website!
news.bbc.co.uk...

reply to post by Adrifter


With all due respect, Biden never told people not to travel etc...he merely said that's what he was telling his own family. I'm sure he's not the only loving parent wanting to ensure his children stay alive and healthy.

Nobody has asked you to stop living! You can take as many chances as you want. and you can put your kids in situations where they will likely catch it if you choose (would obviously not be my choice!). We all have that choice, at least at this stage.

But if you get it, please stay home, rather than go out and infect others because you are convinced the experts are wrong and it's no big deal. There are hundreds of children and young adults on ventilators from this all over America, and kids with mild illnesses like asthma dying from it. I do hope you'll be responsible in this regard, even if you are "skeptical".

well we are there now so all the wondering can now be about what it means to be there as opposed to what it means if they put it there.

Level 6 Official;

WHO raises flu pandemic alert to highest level

The World Health Organization has declared the world's first flu pandemic four decades, after learning that H1N1 infections are continuing to spread, including in Canada.
The WHO held an emergency meeting Thursday morning to discuss the changing global situation and then announced it was moving the flu pandemic level to Phase 6. It's the WHO's highest alert level and indicates an influenza pandemic is underway.

www.ctvbc.ctv.ca...

WHO declares swine flu pandemic, raises alert to highest level

ISTANBUL - The World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic on Thursday, raising its alert to the maximum level six - the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. (UPDATED)


The move came as infections climbed in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere.

www.hurriyet.com.tr...

So the mortality rate in the US is something like 0.27%. That's pretty low, and it's even lower in other countries such as Australia (0%). So what's the big deal?
People say, 'yeah, well it's not lethal yet, but it could mutate into something more deadly'. Well I have a question. Is 'Swine Flu' any more likely to mutate than any other flu? I know we apparantly have a higher immunity for regular flu, so why don't we just let it run it's course, and have the community build up an immunity to it before it mutates? I guess I'll get flamed for that, but just wondering.

And I don't see how people can say it's been kept 'quiet' in the MSM, either. Here in NZ, you don't go a day without hearing about it, and usually Tamiflu gets a mention as well. It's ridiculous.

Now if swine flu has been officialy raised to level 6 pandemic level, based on the amount of countries it has spread to, not it's lethality, then why isn't the common cold or flu a pandemic?

reply to post by Curious and Concerned


That's a good question about immunity. I wont get too worked up over this until I see a large percentage of the population dying off or getting near fatal flu symptoms.

What I'm wondering is if this will skip the Fall flu season and come back strong next summer or perhaps the fall of 2010?

It shouldnt be like 1918, since we have antibiotics for secondary infections; although history has a way of correcting over populaltion. That part is concerning.

Ya wonderworld it seems like things are getting alot tougher in the US and the swine flu is something thrown on top of it all