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A woman sat today in an empty church in Mexico City wearing a surgical mask for fear of the deadly swine flu that has struck in that country, and in other places around the world, including the United States. It is possible we are facing a pandemic, 
and a certain caution is appropriate. However, we should not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed with fear, for such a state of mind in itself may effect a negative outcome. There is no question, though, but what flu pandemics have in the past ravaged our world. BBC reports on three:
FLU PANDEMICS1918: The Spanish flu pandemic remains the most devastating outbreak of modern times – infecting up to 40% of the world’s population and killing more than 50m people, with young adults particularly badly affected1957: Asian flu killed two million people. Caused by a human form of the virus, H2N2, combining with a mutated strain found in wild ducks. The elderly were particularly vulnerable1968: An outbreak first detected in Hong Kong, and caused by a strain known as H3N2, killed up to one million people globally, with those over 65 most likely to dieSource: BBCImage: Drudge
In his inaugural address FDR spoke these immortal words:
“We have nothing to fear, except fear itself.”
While we all understand that at times there are conditions and situations, other than fear, of which we must be wary, I believe President Roosevelt’s remarks are timely for today. Let us not be engulfed in fear, but look to the Lord, and take sensible precautions to guard against this and other diseases.
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Be well.
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Upon returning home from a youth missionary trip in 1996 to Hong Kong/Philippines/China I became very ill quickly, and it seemed much worse than any other flu symptoms that I had ever had in the past. My mother took me to the doctor after being home 2 days, and it turned out to be the “Hong Kong Flu”, doctor Berenstein called it. It was very terrible. I was glad to know that I could only get it again by going to Hong Kong again… that was a slim chance.
To be honest, one of the reasons I’m glad to not live in San Diego anymore, being so close to the border has it’s negative factors.
Good morning, Aisha. I recall when our country was racked by the Hong Kong flu, although I don’t believe anyone in our immediate family came down with it. I understand as you point out that it was terrible.
Stay well. Keep those babies and hubby healthy.
Wash your hands often, cough into a napkin, stay home from work if you are sick. Thats the advice from cdc. Works for me.
Such a simple thing as washing our hands frequently is often overlooked, huh.
Can you get Swine flu by eating like a pig??? if so I am doomed.
Don’t chance it!
Kris-
NO, you cannot get it from eating pork. If prok translates to anything, I have become a piece of bacon….a really really thick cut, mind you!
We should have a contest: who is the porkiest?
As for the whole swine flu scare….you’ll notice none of the American cases have been serious enough to be a risk to life. I was listening to a program last night where the guy speaking spoke about part of one’s ability to contract or fight off such infections are partially tied to a blood type subset of some form, that maybe mexicans (having been pretty disproportionately hit with the mortality rate in realtion to this flu) possess the certain subset that make them more susceptible to this particular flu strain.
And then of course, later on in the show I heard that it could be man-made virus given its combination of swine, avian, and human forms of the virus, and was either accidentally or purposefully leaked out into the general population…but thats up to the conspiracy crowd to decide.
Another thing I have heard is the huge number of Americans who die every year from the “ordinary” seasonal flu. Can’t remember the figure–at least in the hundreds, although I believe it is in the thousands.
The figure of deaths from flu each year in the USA is 36,000 according to CDC. Here’s the link: http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r030107.htm So maybe a hundred or two in Mexico in a month is normal.
Thank you, Peter
Bro Loammi Diaz posted this on Facebook…”they said that we would get a Black President when pigs fly….well, Obamas in the White House and swine flu….”
Ok its pretty corny I know…..
Porkey in Safford is { Squealling}
Pandemic simply refers to the broadspread locations of cases, not to the actual numbers of cases. Epidemic refers to broadspread illness regardless of how many locations. You can have a pandemic without an epidemic, or an epidemic without a pandemic. At this point, when the WHO or the CDC calls the swine flu a pandemic, it does so because it is in so many countries, NOT because there are a lot of cases. It will be interesting to see if the pandemic becomes epidemic when flu season rolls around. In the meantime, you can never underestimate the power of keeping those hands clean and keeping your hands away from your face!