More swine flu

[feuervogel]

First, some links:

The CDC updates its official page every day, adding to confirmed US cases every morning (around 11 am EDT). For international cases, visit WHO.

Virology blog has a daily update, featuring all the news up through yesterday.

Revere explains how Tamiflu works (also how influenza virus infects cells and its lifecycle).

Revere also takes a look at influenza pandemics and explains the adage "if you've seen one flu pandemic, you've seen ... one flu pandemic."

In a similar vein, Virology blog looks at seasonality of the flu and discusses 1918 a bit.

Sandra Porter looks at whether the California swine flu came from Ohio (which had an outbreak after a county fair in 2007) via their genetic sequences.

Tara rounds up a bunch of links.

Media got you paranoid? Global Health Report has a bunch of facts, and links to websites you can trust for calm, informed information. (Including several of the sites I've linked to.)

The virus is spreading beyond travelers, says the CDC (via CIDRAP). The latest onset of symptoms in confirmed cases was April 24, but that does not rule out transmission after that date. And, of course, if you're sick, stay home (unless you're going to the doctor, of course.)

Voluntary isolation is the current recommendation, and it's a damn good way to prevent spread. You can't transmit virus to coworkers, people at the store, etc, if you're not out in public.

You CANNOT get swine flu by eating pork.

And, as always, DON'T PANIC. You can be concerned -- I think it would be foolish not to be; there are a lot of unknowns involved -- and you ought to remain informed and be prepared. But it's not to the point of bar your doors and stock up on ammo.

Comments

[tiercel]

But it's not to the point of bar your doors and stock up on ammo.

Well, /now/ you tell me. What I am gonna do with all these rocket launchers?

[feuervogel]

Take 'em to the con and target girls with yaoi paddles?

[tiercel]

I'm sorry, yaoi /what/ now?

[feuervogel]

Paddles. They're repurposed frat paddles, apparently. Big wooden things shaped like oars. They've got YAOI burned in on one side. Vile, vile things.

[tiercel]

This, /this/ is why I don't go to cons anymore. Or it would be if I'd known about them. Or something. Aieeee.

[donaithnen.livejournal.com]

OMG, you haven't run into those yet? I must have pictures around somewhere from some con or another...

[tiercel]

Please no. *whimper*

[donaithnen.livejournal.com]

So what _is_ the point where we should start panicking? ;)

Personally i'm not gonna worry much until at _least_ 1000 new people have been diagnosed in the US in a single day and at _least_ 10 people in the 20-40 year old range have died within the same time period.

[feuervogel]

Avoid panicking at all! That only makes it worse. When the pandemic alert level is raised to 5 or 6, that's time for concern (and staying home! Regardless of being sick, because you just know there are people who are going to go out regardless.)

[donaithnen.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, i know :) I was just joking off of the fact that _now_ is not the time to bar our doors and stock up on ammo. Which sorta implies that there _is_ a time to panic. (And hence the wink at the end =)

I'm not really putting much faith in the alert level things at the moment though. I realize they're technical definitions, but they don't seem to have much relation to what _i_ feel is significant. They're trying to figure out what actions they should take for the future, i'm concerned with what the situation actually is at that particular moment, and like i said, i don't think the particular moment is even worth being concerned about until the number of infections per day hits four digits and the number of deaths per day hits two digits. (Or until i personally get sick through some weird fluke of course.)