According to the Guardian, “The World Health Organisation told its member states today that swine flu has become the first pandemic in 41 years, after calling a meeting of experts to discuss the threat posed by the H1N1 virus.”
Most people reading that will shrug and say, Eh, who cares?
My guess is that in September or October, H1N1 will tear through North America (and Europe, and other northern territories) during flu season. The odds are that it will remain mild. Nonetheless, by September, I hope to have stocked up on oseltamivir/Tamiflu, and zanimivir/Relenza (there’s some indication that Tamiflu may eventually prove ineffective–butt I probably can’t take Relenza because it can trigger the same response as sulfa drugs, which I don’t tolerate), and possibly celecoxib/Celebrex, a COX-2 inhibitor that looks like the best bet to tackle the super-immune response which ends up doing most of the killing in this kind of pandemic.
Do I expect the world to grind to halt and for legions to die? No. Nor do I expect disaster in everday life–yet before I cross a road I look left, then right, then left again; when I get in the car, I fasten my seatbelt; every six months, we check the smoke alarms and kitchen fire extinguisher. I prepare, and then I forget about it. It’s just a habit–a minor hassle for, so far, zero return. But the one time I need it, wow, it will pay for every single moment of inconvenience. And if I never need any of these precautions then, hey, it’s a *minor* inconvenience.
So take a minute, think about it. What minor inconvenience will you undertake today that might save your life tomorrow?
Nicola Griffith 
Have you had the pneumoccocal vaccine? You should ask next time you're at a doc.
I keep saying Hanta virus will rise again!
IIRC, Celebrex is also not recommended for those with sulfa sensitivity. I avoid it myself for that reason.
We have a whopping lot of emergency supplies, and have done quite a bit of prep. We live in a 'quake zone, after all, and some of us remember the St. Helens eruption and know that it's also a volcano zone. (Local authorities tell us not to expect any assistance for 30 days, should catastrophe strike, btw.)
I'd just feel really silly if we were totally unprepared, since we *know* the potential dangers. Emergency prep is cheap insurance!
–P.
Madagascar has closed its borders! AAAAGH! Now we'll never win.
(It'll make sense after you play the game.)
I've already stocked up on sambucol in the event that someone in my inner circle get the swine flu. Other than that I'll probably collect wild cherry bark in the fall and make cough medicine.
One thing about the fire extinguishers: That's what I buy as wedding gifts. Based on my own experience, the first thing a newlywed does is start a kitchen fire.
Damn those Australians, they're right across the ditch! But seriously, guess you can't worry about it too much. I also live right on a quake fault,minor tremors all the time, and they keep telling you that The Big One could strike at any time. Take precautions, and the rest is up to the universe. A lot of vitamin C and buckets of garlic. Works for me every time.
gwenda, nope, haven't had that. Will ponder, thanks.
–p, for some reason, I'm still in denial about the whole earthquake thing. It's just so very…unEnglish. And Celebrex…damn.
stacey, “from this screen you have access to all that you will need to kill all of mankind…” Woo hoo!
jennifer from p, :)
Is the swine flu any more dangerous than the regular flu that we're used to?
It's dangerous to a different demographic: younger people. And flus have a way of morphing during the offseason. It could come back 10 times as deadly, or even milder than before. No way to tell. Visit the CDC website for more.
Swine flu’s symptoms are just similar to common colds so it would be better if we have flu, cough, fever, we better go directly see a doctor. That’s way better because it still can be cured rather than think that it’s just nothing and then realize that you have it already.
This is reminiscent of the advice Aud gave to her class in Always. A part of you in her / vice versa.