It's worrying that words like 'pandemic' and 'killer virus' are being spoken rather recklessly when it appears the world health authorities have no idea how many people have actually caught the virus or even how many have sadly died from it.
Whether it is based on counter terrorism intelligence or WHO fact gathering, it appears that governments and the media are all anxious to stir up alarm and fear amongst the population before the real dangers are known and before the potential consequences can be correctly estimated. Of course we should be advised that there is a problem but we should be given clear instructions on how best to avoid it and be given regularly updated information. Numbers drawn out of a hat, rumour and sensationalism do nothing to help matters and can be counter-productive.
As I type the one suspected case in England has been given the all-clear and we await the test results of the couple in Scotland.
Should you wish to follow the progress of swine flu throughout the world this site offers good advice about sites which are useful.
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23 comments:
Call me cynical, but any opportunity to divert attention from Jonah McBroon & Co.! ;-)
I'm glad you said that TP because I was rather tempted to say it in the post.
Anything to put more fear into the people and think themselves lucky we have such crap people leading us.
Call me happy, but maybe, just maybe, this killer flue might penetrate Westmonster.
All we would need is a landfill site.
Falkirk perchance?
I love it! Two people in Scotland, the "ill-health capital of Europe" get a bit flu-ey, and Gordon Brown calls a COBRA meeting and the media clamour over the 'potential' massacre at hand? How to try and make youself look important, eh Gordon?
This is Bird Flu, SARS, calling a snap-election and a date I went on last week...
much ado about nothing.
The press love to whip up scare stories - remember the "disease that eats people"? Necrotizing fasciitis still occurs but the press gave the impression it was spreading.
I listened to the WHO teleconference, in full, yesterday, led by Dr Margaret Chan, the Director General, and the truth is, at the moment there are no hard facts to support the pandemic theory. All they know is that crossover cases have been reported and that they are examining the data. The emergency conference is part of a contingency plan that extends right to your doorstep.
(Source WHO)
"WHO uses a series of six phases of pandemic alert to inform the world of the seriousness of the threat of a pandemic and the need to launch progressively more intense preparedness activities. The world is now in phase 3: a new influenza virus subtype (A(H5N1)) is causing severe disease in human beings, but is not yet spreading efficiently and sustainably among them."
Every hospital in Scotland will now be fully alert to admissions with "flu like symptoms" and have a very clear operating procedure in place.
The time to worry is not just yet.
Yeah, well the threat from terrorists is beginning to wear a bit thin with the public, so I suppose Brown is rubbing his hands together and wondering how he can play SuperBrown again and save the world from this scourge, thereby having yet another bounce.
If it's swine flu, does that mean it affects pigs? If so, I think they had better quarentine Westminster, specially the dirty little git Purnell.
i agree, subs. this is just scaremongering, like the "bird flu" pandemic that never materialised. i just think people should keep a sense of proportion about this pig flu, and not pay attention to all the rolling news channel bile.
It is all a bit ridiculous, really. And we mustn't let Brown try to exploit this in his desperation.
So no-one get ill. Right?
I think might have cought swine flu, i ate one of my flat mates sweets and he called me a swine.
Oh Billy, have you heard the saying 'I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy'? Yer an awfy man.
PD got to keep the people down. Then of course there's the financial cost of stockpiling vaccines - that'll cover the MPs expenses for a month or so.
Thank you for that WW, good of you to put some flesh on the bones.
This is the headlines everywhere today, partly to cover the fact that the president of Pakistan has cancelled a news conference with Gordon Brown.
Auch I'm just an old cynic I know.
Oh Tris the more I see that photo of that sink, I want to shout 'You putrid pig you'.
Like I said to WW, I'm sure they're using it to cover for Gordon Brown too.
Right denver! I shall take my usual medicinal precaution, a small amount of something sippable every 24 hours.
Denver that's my favourite film. I haunted me the first time I saw it and it's been the one which gave me food for thought for a long time. Still a great film today.
SR,
Another opportunity to make a BIG DISTRACTION over here - being all brave and machismo strutting aroon wi his chest puffed oot.
While OVER THERE the country crumbles, he needs to call a feckin election and let us get on with our lives and rebuilding Scotland.
Reeks of Incompetence - the new fragrance by new Liebore
CD
Spook, what are you doing reading this? Get on with yer studying, nose to the grind and all that. Students were never like this in my day.
CD I'm going to do a post about his posturing once I calm down a wee bit.
OB I think most folk agree it's hyped. Never mind, like me I'm sure you have a home-made cure ;)
Don't give me your Judaeo-Christian turn-the-other-cheek-stuff!
Get your retaliation in first.
I've got mine Billy and have been treating myself medicinally for the past hour. However the news in the past few minutes has made me look at my herbal cupboard and a wee visit to the health shop is on the cards for tomorrow.
See Ampers Rant blog and the excellent link. Time I stocked up on stuff and to think I allowed myself to run out of green tea. Shame on me!
Anyone overlain the trips of mad mental McBroon and the spread of porcine flu?
Incompetence and Incontinencened
ps I have already siged the petition for Broon to stay
My monkers, in no fixed order
Mrs Tricoteuse
Billy Goat Gruff
Faux Cough
Mrs Brown
Swiss Tax Dodger
Some of them have been sussed
Great Sport eh?
Ahtchoo!
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