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[GeordieMark]

might be a good time to get flu shots before there's a crazy rush.

[Bunny]

the flu jabs won't work, so no point getting one, if this swine virus starts mutating then any vaccines available now won't help

[GeordieMark]

thats not good then, just been reading this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/8018428.stm

I'm a specialist doctor in respiratory diseases and intensive care at the Mexican National Institute of Health. There is a severe emergency over the swine flu here. More and more patients are being admitted to the intensive care unit. Despite the heroic efforts of all staff (doctors, nurses, specialists, etc) patients continue to inevitably die. The truth is that anti-viral treatments and vaccines are not expected to have any effect, even at high doses. It is a great fear among the staff. The infection risk is very high among the doctors and health staff.

There is a sense of chaos in the other hospitals and we do not know what to do. Staff are starting to leave and many are opting to retire or apply for holidays. The truth is that mortality is even higher than what is being reported by the authorities, at least in the hospital where I work it. It is killing three to four patients daily, and it has been going on for more than three weeks. It is a shame and there is great fear here. Increasingly younger patients aged 20 to 30 years are dying before our helpless eyes and there is great sadness among health professionals here.
Antonio Chavez, Mexico City
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sounds like there making up figures in mexico to stop panic, sounds like its more out of control.

[*debbie*]

I had mine in october, do they last for a year!? i get them about the same time every year and (touchwood) havent had flu since i started having them

[Girlzmum]

I'm definately getting one this year - I had no problem with flu until I started nursing but 2 years in a row I have been floored with it.

[Rainbowwitch]

Is this another panic like with the Bird Flu ????

[GeordieMark]

I think you might wanna put sky news on, its a mix of (Bird/Pig/Human) flu

bird flu on its own never changed, but this new swine flu has changed so now it can pass from person to person very very easily, just like Normal Flu.

people so far have only died in mexico (officials say over 100), dr's have said over 2,000 no one really knows..it sounds pretty bad, so far people that have returned only got sick and recovered maybe the drugs worked ?

The amount of people that are heading home from holidays from mexico all seem to be infected (well a huge %) so infection rate over there seems pretty high.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Wor...Die_From_Virus

hopefully our government should be able to step on any new cases when they come here, but there warning people to prepare for it, if you know anyone that's been on holiday in mexico or around that area stay away from them.

(cobra) is meeting now in downing street, hopefully to take some steps to protect it coming here.

[Patti odoors]

It is very scary - my brother in law lives in El Paso which is just the other side of the Mexican/American border. My niece was planning on flying out soon to visit him but with a 2 year old and a month old baby, they are delaying their visit for the time being.

[Girlzmum]

This was on BBC news this morning and they were saying that along with France the UK is one of the best prepared countries for anything like this. The WHO won't decide if its a pandemic until tomorrow though.

Part of me always wonders how much of it is psychosomatic though - people who come back from Mexico and hear of this flu, cough and suddenly they're in A&E. Every time I fly I catch something! They're sealed germ vessels.

[GeordieMark]

could be a good idea to keep eye on news in next 24hrs

if the World Health Organization declare this as a pandemic (they currently have it on 3 - 6 is pandemic) they meet on Tuesday to announce,

also today at 4pm our health minister will announce plans to combat, and what to look out for etc,

it will take 3 - 4 months to develop a vaccine, so maybe start to think about making plans to stockpile water and food, won't hurt a few more ltrs' of water once they announce a pandemic the shelves will most probably empty in less than a few hrs.