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knucklesplitter · 2009-04-30, 02:59 PM

What I know (or think I know) about Swine Flu :

Swine Flu is more dangerous than regular flu because unlike the normal yearly flu, humans have no built-up immunity to Swine Flu at all. It started in pigs, mutated, then jumped to humans, and now it has mutated some more and it jumps from humans to humans. It is *potentially* very dangerous because when (not if) it mutates in the future it could become very deadly for humans. It kills young healthy people because the body's immunity freaks out and over-attacks it. The body's immune system basically drowns the person in there own fluids in reaction to a flu of this caliber. Younger adults with nice robust healthy immune systems are at higher risk because their body is better able to drown itself. The Spanish Flu (Swine's ancestor/cousin) pandemic of 1918 killed 25-50 million people worldwide. Most were young and otherwise healthy. That flu also hit during the summer and fall which is unusual. The US and most other countries are much better prepared for a flu pandemic now, both in organization and technology. The wildcard today is how virulent the virus becomes as it mutates while propagating rapidly across the globe.

Best case scenario: People get it in its mild state with relatively few deaths (a normal amount for flu), and the population builds some immunity to it.

Worst case scenario (far fetched): Something equivalent to the Black Death of medieval times on a global scale along with total global economic collapse.

It is much more likely to end up like the former than the latter, but it warrants our attention and diligence. It does not warrant panic or even some of the overreaction happening already. For instance, you cannot get Swine Flu from eating pork, even raw pork (not advised for other reasons).

2009-04-30, 02:59 PM	#22
knucklesplitter EJ205 Real Name: Matt Taylor Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cousin-Fck, Carolina Posts: 1,475 Wish in one hand and sht in the other...	What I know (or think I know) about Swine Flu : Swine Flu is more dangerous than regular flu because unlike the normal yearly flu, humans have no built-up immunity to Swine Flu at all. It started in pigs, mutated, then jumped to humans, and now it has mutated some more and it jumps from humans to humans. It is potentially very dangerous because when (not if) it mutates in the future it could become very deadly for humans. It kills young healthy people because the body's immunity freaks out and over-attacks it. The body's immune system basically drowns the person in there own fluids in reaction to a flu of this caliber. Younger adults with nice robust healthy immune systems are at higher risk because their body is better able to drown itself. The Spanish Flu (Swine's ancestor/cousin) pandemic of 1918 killed 25-50 million people worldwide. Most were young and otherwise healthy. That flu also hit during the summer and fall which is unusual. The US and most other countries are much better prepared for a flu pandemic now, both in organization and technology. The wildcard today is how virulent the virus becomes as it mutates while propagating rapidly across the globe. Best case scenario: People get it in its mild state with relatively few deaths (a normal amount for flu), and the population builds some immunity to it. Worst case scenario (far fetched): Something equivalent to the Black Death of medieval times on a global scale along with total global economic collapse. It is much more likely to end up like the former than the latter, but it warrants our attention and diligence. It does not warrant panic or even some of the overreaction happening already. For instance, you cannot get Swine Flu from eating pork, even raw pork (not advised for other reasons). Last edited by knucklesplitter; 2009-04-30 at 03:05 PM. Reason: Should have noted that the worst case scenario is pretty far fetched.