Comments on: Much ado about swine flu http://www.jewelisms.com/2009/05/01/much-ado-about-swine-flu/ life, the universe, and whatever else strikes me Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:17:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: jewel http://www.jewelisms.com/2009/05/01/much-ado-about-swine-flu/comment-page-1/#comment-319 jewel Sat, 02 May 2009 23:24:13 +0000 http://www.jewelisms.com/?p=510#comment-319 Ok, fair enough. I had not thought of it that way. The food connection just never occurred to me at all. Influenza isn't generally passed that way, so it just sounded far fetched that it could be contracted that way. Edited to add: I did some checking on the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/qa.htm" rel="nofollow">CDC website</a> on avian flu being passed via food and it seems unlikely there, too. The process of cooking it kills the virus. Of course, you do need to exercise care and caution regarding food surfaces -- which should be the case anyway. Ok, fair enough. I had not thought of it that way. The food connection just never occurred to me at all. Influenza isn’t generally passed that way, so it just sounded far fetched that it could be contracted that way.

Edited to add: I did some checking on the CDC website on avian flu being passed via food and it seems unlikely there, too. The process of cooking it kills the virus. Of course, you do need to exercise care and caution regarding food surfaces — which should be the case anyway.

]]> By: The Chemist http://www.jewelisms.com/2009/05/01/much-ado-about-swine-flu/comment-page-1/#comment-318 The Chemist Sat, 02 May 2009 22:56:53 +0000 http://www.jewelisms.com/?p=510#comment-318 Well, it's not <i>that</i> ridiculous that people think they can get it from eating pork. Initial reports had me thinking the same thing until I found out that it had crossed the species barrier and is now in full on human-to-human mode. Part of the concerns surrounding avian flu was that you could get infected by eating poultry and this was reported accurately in the media. The confusion is at least somewhat understandable for people who don't understand the distinction between a mutated strain that has changed hosts and a virus that might do so in the future. Well, it’s not that ridiculous that people think they can get it from eating pork. Initial reports had me thinking the same thing until I found out that it had crossed the species barrier and is now in full on human-to-human mode. Part of the concerns surrounding avian flu was that you could get infected by eating poultry and this was reported accurately in the media. The confusion is at least somewhat understandable for people who don’t understand the distinction between a mutated strain that has changed hosts and a virus that might do so in the future.

]]> By: jewel http://www.jewelisms.com/2009/05/01/much-ado-about-swine-flu/comment-page-1/#comment-317 jewel Fri, 01 May 2009 23:59:25 +0000 http://www.jewelisms.com/?p=510#comment-317 Yep. I agree. I haven't had the flu in in about 9 or 10 years. Colds and other viruses, yes, but no flu. I'm pretty protective of my respiratory system (I have asthma), so I'm always mindful of flu viruses and whatnot. Even still this doesn't seem any worse than the seasonal flu viruses, so I pretty much take the usual precautions. Yep. I agree.

I haven’t had the flu in in about 9 or 10 years. Colds and other viruses, yes, but no flu. I’m pretty protective of my respiratory system (I have asthma), so I’m always mindful of flu viruses and whatnot. Even still this doesn’t seem any worse than the seasonal flu viruses, so I pretty much take the usual precautions.

]]> By: Brett McCoy http://www.jewelisms.com/2009/05/01/much-ado-about-swine-flu/comment-page-1/#comment-316 Brett McCoy Fri, 01 May 2009 23:47:46 +0000 http://www.jewelisms.com/?p=510#comment-316 From what I read about the swine flu (A(H1N1)) on the WHO and CDC sites, it's very contagious because it is a mutant strain... but compared to the regular seasonal flu, swine is not as severe and will run its course without antiviral medicine. I'm already trying to not get sick and wash my hands and all that, but people can over do it and not let their immune system get the practice it needs. From what I read about the swine flu (A(H1N1)) on the WHO and CDC sites, it’s very contagious because it is a mutant strain… but compared to the regular seasonal flu, swine is not as severe and will run its course without antiviral medicine.

I’m already trying to not get sick and wash my hands and all that, but people can over do it and not let their immune system get the practice it needs.

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