|
Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2009 23:52:21 GMT
Well, the WHO said they were going to stop counting cases in the already contaminated country, since there are more than 100,000 now. It is very strange that France only has had about 500 cases so far when the UK has so many. However, it appears that the summer camps for children are starting to spread it faster.
And have you heard about 'swine flu parties'? Apparently people are getting together with sick people on purpose so they can get the flu now and be done with it for the autumn when everybody else will get sick. Medical authorities say that THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2009 23:54:16 GMT
No, no ~~ it's an excellent idea. Let's thin the herd now of people who'd think that kind of "logic" was a good idea.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2009 1:29:12 GMT
I recall that when I was younger when one child got the chicken pox or mumps the parents would put all the siblings together to let them all get it and be done with it. Same principle?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2009 5:59:35 GMT
That's the idea behind it, but with a totally new disease whose possible long term effects are not even known, it seems unwise for lay people to experiment. What if they are the ones who happen to be there when H1N1 combines with the avian flu virus, which has proven to be 50% fatal to people who catch it but not very contagious.
What if we get a combination of this new ultra-contagious flu with another flu that is 50% fatal? World population problems solved.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 19, 2009 9:33:24 GMT
I'm one of those who are at highest risk since I have a history of lung problems. I have a fatalistic attitude. If it's my time to die then so be it! I am trying to get hold of a medical mask so that I can wear it when I fly. My son has asked me not to risk being in London where the chances of contamination are so much higher. And I'm wearing a large scarf when I go out so that I can whip it over my nose and mouth if people sneeze near me when I'm in supermarkets. I can't think what else to do but hope for the best.
|
|
|
Post by tillystar on Jul 19, 2009 10:53:57 GMT
I am a bit worried as when we picked Little star up from nursery on Friday they have 6 cases in the nursery. She only goes on Monday and Frdays and I am asing my Mum to have her on Monday as she is off work for the summer now. I don't want to risk it. I know it can be very mild but worried about all the reasons K mentioned,
It seems to be everywhere around here. My god daughter has it and a neighbour we give a lift to the station had it and so did his girlfrend and child.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 19, 2009 11:52:52 GMT
And are they very ill with it?
|
|
|
Post by tillystar on Jul 19, 2009 12:08:28 GMT
My goddaughter who is 14 has been OK, apparently not as ill as with seasonal flu, more a bad cold. It certainly hasn't made her ill enough to keep off facebook updating her friends! Apparently the tamiflu has made her feel worse than the actual flu itself. Its a worry as her Mum (my friend) has MS and any illness knocks her out for weeks and even months, but so far she seems unaffected and the symptoms appeared on Monday.
Our neighbour said he was OK and again just like a bad cold but his girlfriend and son (who is 5) were very very ill and couldn't move for days.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jul 19, 2009 13:25:51 GMT
I am shocked. I had no idea it was so prevalent in England. Is it the whole country or most the big metropolitan areas? Also, is it more prevalent, or they're just doing a better job of diagnosis there? What is tamiflu?
|
|
|
Post by tillystar on Jul 19, 2009 13:55:57 GMT
From what I gather, there are a high amount of cases here compared to other places. In the last week it has spread pretty rapidly in the UK, particularly in under 14s - about 1500 new cases a day in that age group and 1000 schools have reported cases. UK schools closed this week for the six week summer break so hopefully that may slow things down a little? It is spread accross the country but London has much more higher cases per 100,000 of the population. They are currently predicting 30% of the population will have had it by September I have to admit I have not really been concerned until now but I am starting to worry as there have been 2 deaths of otherwise healthy children - but then the press is doing a great job of scaremongering so who knows Tamiflu is an anti-viral drug that is prescribed for the flu; I think it treats the symptoms and can shorten the period of illness.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jul 19, 2009 14:03:07 GMT
Oh, that is frightening. I wonder how much worse it would be if school weren't out for the summer. I can definitely see why you want to keep Little Star out of the nursery for the duration.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2009 18:26:06 GMT
France has ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine (for a population of 60 million). And the government had the nerve to crow about it -- "we were able to pressure the suppliers so that we will have more than most other countries!"
I am appalled.
|
|
|
Post by ruby on Jul 20, 2009 1:31:09 GMT
You are likely aware that the H1N1 virus (swine flu) has now moved to the parts of the world in winter, so, those of us in summer during July might think the danger is over. However, flu viruses generally go from east to west, so, we will likely see cases of this flu again in the fall. Flu vaccine has been studied and 'perfected' over time--the last time this particular virus was very active (a virus similar to H1N1) was during the Great Flu Epidemic in the early 1900s. The vaccine will be offered in the US and western countries early in the fall--I, for one, will not hesitate to obtain it.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2009 2:55:42 GMT
Thanks ruby. (love your sig line)
|
|
|
Post by happytraveller on Jul 20, 2009 7:30:25 GMT
They reckon it will hit Switzerland by september/october badly, they expect 2 million sick (out of a population of about 7.5 million) spindrift, I haven't heard of anyone having to go to quarantine so far.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 21, 2009 20:43:17 GMT
I am happy to tell you all that a friend, who is a doctor, has given me a prescription for Tamiflu as I'm a high risk case. It goes without saying that I won't take it unless I'm struck down.
It's nice to think I'll have it to hand in the cupboard (if Boots the Chemist have it in stock) instead of hanging on the Emergency Phone line for several hours vainly waiting for the phone to be answered......
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 22, 2009 14:00:18 GMT
I'm sorry to say that Boots would not give me the drugs nor even a medical facemask. The pharmacist couldn't say definitely whether they would order facemasks for me or not. So dilatory and a reflection of how Britain is run.
|
|
|
Post by gringalais on Jul 22, 2009 15:34:27 GMT
Things seem to have calmed down here a bit, at least we are hearing about it less. Still it seems to be one of the worst cold/flu seasons in a while and there is another respiratory virus that mostly affects babies and small kids that is being spread around. At my husband's work the other day, a couple came in with a really young infant. There had been various clients coughing and sneezing in the office all day, and only one of them really needed to be there, so he said why doesn't one of them take the baby home and the other can stay and finish talking to him. He went into another room to get a file, when he came back, the woman was gone, but the husband was there with the baby
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2009 17:19:18 GMT
I'm sorry to say that Boots would not give me the drugs nor even a medical facemask. The pharmacist couldn't say definitely whether they would order facemasks for me or not. So dilatory and a reflection of how Britain is run. In France, the drugs were only available to hospitals, but now I think that ordinary doctors are allowed to prescribe them -- but only to people who have really caught the disease. I think that anybody can buy masks. You can always buy a painter's mask if you really want one.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jul 22, 2009 18:36:17 GMT
... when he came back, the woman was gone, but the husband was there with the baby Huh? They don't sound like the brightest kids in their age group. In France, the drugs were only available to hospitals, but now I think that ordinary doctors are allowed to prescribe them -- but only to people who have really caught the disease. Is the drug for flu prevention or to cure/curtail it once it's hit?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2009 19:15:42 GMT
Yes, it is for treatment, not prevention.
The vaccine won't be available until September.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jul 22, 2009 19:17:42 GMT
Was there a "flu shot" this year? I am in the camp of people who don't go get the flu shot.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2009 19:26:12 GMT
There's a flu shot every year, but I think there will be two different ones this year. I know these things because I have to inform the nursing home people if I will allow it to be done to my mother.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 22, 2009 20:02:58 GMT
A painter's face mask is nothing like a medical face mask which is correctly made with special lining over the nose and face area to completely eliminate the transference of germs. Of course one can buy flimsy face masks from farm suppliers such as those used when spraying chemicals....but they're not good enough.
I will, however, obtain a supply of correct masks....I am a determined person. I will also have a supply of Tamiflu at home just in case I need it. I am a top priority person on the Risk Assessment scale. I know for a fact that if one gets Swine flu then Tamiflu MUST be taken within 48 hours otherwise it's useless. It would take that long to get an answer to an NHS Flu telephone line.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 23, 2009 17:22:12 GMT
Now I have two masks (30pence each)...and I'm working on getting the drugs.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2009 17:39:59 GMT
100,000 new cases in the UK this week. 500,000 next week?
France still claims to have only 793 cases, but perhaps they will be plugging the Eurotunnel next week.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 23, 2009 17:52:41 GMT
I hope so, for your sake
|
|
|
Post by tillystar on Jul 24, 2009 8:09:51 GMT
Although I am not encouraging you do this Spindrift but if you were so inclined I think it would be quite easy to get Tamiflu by calling the NHS helpline and then answering the questions telling them you have the key symptoms and you will then be told where a “flu friend” can collect a voucher for Tamiflu which they can then redeem at a chemist.
This is how the people I know who have had the flu have been treated as they are too busy to see everyone. A definite LARGE loophole for people who want to stock up on drugs and/or gain time off work. But I guess they have to weigh up the pros and cons of system abuse v ensuring ill people are treated…
Where did you find your masks?
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 24, 2009 9:36:08 GMT
Tilly, thanks for your suggestion re Tamiflu. I'll wait and see if my prior contact works out.
I more or less forced the pharmacy counter at Boots to order some masks for me. They made a big deal out of it. I finally collected them yesterday. They let me have two at 30pence each. Now I've opened them I see that they are flimsy ones. They are pale blue with a white edging and white ties for behind the ears. They are certainly not the ones I had in mind. Proper medical masks are not flimsy and have special linings over the nose and mouth. I shall still seek to obtain these for when I have to fly. I'll post a pic of the ones I've got!
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Jul 24, 2009 9:48:38 GMT
This facemask is better than nothing. Tilly - ask if it's possible to buy smaller masks for young children..... let us know.
|
|