H1N1 do people go too far about it ?

[Mia001]

today i did part of Mom's errands in wich there was to pay home insurances....while i was at their office the lady ask for my name and phone number ....she said this is concerning the H1N1 ...in case of someone catch it, they would inform all their visitors

back home, i said so to DH who said....
hey, your phone number in not published , why would you give it to anyone....it's your private life and this company is going too far

i didn't see any problem with it first, but now i think that he is soooo right

what do you think ?

[Lynn49]

Personally....I'd probably do just what you did...think nothing of it, and tell her. In hindsight, I think it's none of her business and I wish that I would have told her so!! What on earth would make them think that they could possibly trace H1N1 to anyone who went to their office??!! They could contact it anywhere!! Good grief.

Otoh....I asked my doc today if that vaccine was safe and if I should get it and he said, yes, absolutely....he said I had a better chance of dying from H1N1 (I have asthma), than from any vaccine. I had been debating...but I guess I have my answer now....

[trucks12trucks]

i think everyone is just freaking out because there are so many people with the flu...i already know over a dozen people..and they know more people ..on and on.
and they all respond something along the lines of "OMG i dont wannt catch it" or w/e

the are just trying to make sure they will inform you ahead of time..no nasty surprises

[maddie2008]

I think there is too much hype about it. Every year some sort of new virus comes out and has different strengths. The H1N1 has been programmed into everyones head to be so bad if caught. I personally don't worry "too much" about it, but i am aware/alert of it.
Anyone with the flu should seek treatment no matter what. Take the advance precautions. Keep medicines and sanitizers on hand at all times. I always keep cold/flu meds in my home/car/truck, and even keep sample packs of cold meds in my purse. I have always carried sanitizers in my purse or coat pocket(for bout 9 years now)just a habit i got into while driving truck.
I consider myself to be a lucky person and to have a strong immune system, but I also think its because i prepare myself.

[VeeVee]

Every year about 8,000 Canadians die from the seasonal flu yet we never hear about it...a lot of people are becoming scared because every night on the news all they talk about is H1N1. If they talked about how many deaths there is with the reg flu people would be scared of that too.
We all have to take precautions, hand washing etc, at work I have hand sanitizer everywhere, I bought one for everyones desk and I make sure the kitchen is stocked with lysol wipes and antibacterial soaps etc. never touch your face...its a no no zone for me

[Natalka]

Mia, I haven't heard of such a thing...

VeeVee, where did you get your numbers from? I couldn't find any that high. Please leave a link if you remember where you read it.

[YesI'mcheap]

Natalk here is a link that says about 4-8000 die each year from the flu. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv...grippe-eng.php also here is a link from CDC http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/disease.htm. There numbers are of course higher. Here are also some older numbers comparaing the 70's to the 90's. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/168/6/761-a in 1997 it was a little over 8000.

[VeeVee]

Natalka, I read it here...I should have stated it the way they did 4000-8000, my brain went for the higher number haha
http://www.lung.ca/diseases-maladies...pe/index_e.php

[YesI'mcheap]

I would also go with the higher number VeeVee. Especial since in most nursing homes the deaths might not be report as flu deaths.

[Natalka]

Thx guys, I didn't realize the rates were that high. I had been looking for the formal StatsCan numbers, but they don't separate influenza/pneumonia... but the above links do.
I think though currently it may seem the mortality rate is similar with the H1N1 and seasonal, we have to realize we are at the very beginning of the flu season... the second wave isn't anywhere near cresting yet. More elderly people die from the seasonal flu, whereas with H1N1 it's hitting a much younger population.
This is all just tough to go through.

[Patty Smyth]

Every year about 8,000 Canadians die from the seasonal flu yet we never hear about it...a lot of people are becoming scared because every night on the news all they talk about is H1N1. If they talked about how many deaths there is with the reg flu people would be scared of that too.
We all have to take precautions, hand washing etc, at work I have hand sanitizer everywhere, I bought one for everyones desk and I make sure the kitchen is stocked with lysol wipes and antibacterial soaps etc. never touch your face...its a no no zone for me

I'm glad you brought this up. I am not saying to take the H1N1 lightly but it seems that the seasonal flue does not get this much attention.

A few years back in Quebec they were reporting every teenage death from Meningitis. They ended up vaccinating the whole teenage population. In the end there were no more deaths than usual for that year yet the media set off a panic by reporting every death for some reason. The vaccination was a precaution but all the deaths occured before the vaccination incubation period was over so did it really protect anyone. Probably not.

Has anyone heard how many weeks it takes for the vaccination to become effective? Some are about 4-6 weeks. They are predicting the H1N1 will be most likely to strike between now an the holidays. I am curious if anyone knows.


Maybe Koala would know.

I wonder, Mia, if they are even legally allowed to ask you for this kind of information?

[mdutka]

my husband just heard on the news of a completely healthy 12 year old boy that died of h1n1 this weekend in less than 48 hours in the next city from us. his dad was on the radio crying, saying that his son played a hockey game on saturday and died monday morning. i dont know what to do. i am not worried for myself but for my 3 year old and 1 year old. i am scared of the vaccine and the illness.

[pac182]

[quote=Patty Smyth;1408096]
Has anyone heard how many weeks it takes for the vaccination to become effective? Some are about 4-6 weeks. They are predicting the H1N1 will be most likely to strike between now an the holidays. I am curious if anyone knows.


I looked it up and The Public Health Agency of Canada says

How long will it take after I receive the vaccine to have immunity against the virus?
After receiving the H1N1 flu vaccine, most people will start to develop immunity within 10 days with just one dose.

[Tripsplanner]

I think there is too much hype about it. Every year some sort of new virus comes out and has different strengths. The H1N1 has been programmed into everyones head to be so bad if caught. I personally don't worry "too much" about it, but i am aware/alert of it.

The difference is that seasonal flu kills those who are predisposed wtih weaker immune system - the older and younger populations. The deaths are from complications arising from those viral infections.

The difference with H1N1 is that
(1) the infections are in the receptors in the lungs as opposed to those in the upper respiratory tract (for seasonal flu) - that's why even the healthiest are hit hard. The stats is something like 80% of H1N1 patients ended up with some sort of breathing assistance (ventillator, CPAP or low flow O2).

(2) H1N1 also attacks the guts - thus the gastro-intestinal symptoms, which differentiates it from the common flu symtoms.

(3) Since this is a completely new variant of the virus (which has since mutated as well), nobody except those who have had H1N1 has immunity.

At the end of the day, it is your own personal choice....

[lekate]

I was reading in the citizen yesterday that doctors have been working on finding a link between those that do die of H1N1, apparently shortness of breath is the only one:

"Experts have been struggling to understand why what is an uncomplicated illness for most people can be severe or fatal in others, and whether there is any way of predicting who is at risk of becoming critically sick with human swine flu.

Now they believe they have a sign.

Canadian doctors consulted by the World Health Organization say shortness of breath is emerging as a hallmark of H1N1 infection.

"Influenza does a lot of things to a lot of people, but the one thing it should never do to anybody, pretty much, is make you short of breath," said Dr. Anand Kumar, with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, who specializes in the care of critically ill patients."

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/...542/story.html

I think it's interesting to note, and could be very important, especially so that those who are sick and do not have shortness of breath, could potentially stay home, and away from hospitals where they could spread the virus. And the doctors and nurses would not be so swamped so that they could properly care for those who do have shortness of breath. Anyways, this is all speculation, and I'm no health care professional that has any idea of what I'm talking about.

Also, I'm not getting the vaccine, I really don't care, I should, but I'm too apathetic, I haven't been seriously sick in 1.5 years since I had a nervous breakdown and my body more or less just shut down.