Swine Flu, just in case

tflea

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Jun 11, 2006
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Nothing to get alarmed about in the DR so far, but just in case, the following is basic info from Wikipedia. Lots of info on CNN and other news sources lately. So far seems only Canada, US and particularly Mexico have had a few cases, but we get lots of visitors from those places:paranoid::

Swine flu in Humans
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the symptoms and transmission of the swine flu from human to human is much like seasonal flu, commonly fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.[15] It is believed to be spread between humans through coughing or sneezing of infected people and touching something with the virus on it and then touching their own nose or mouth.[16] The swine flu in humans is most contagious during the first five days of the illness although some people, most commonly children, can remain contagious for up to ten days. Diagnosis can be made by sending a specimen, collected during the first five days, to the CDC for analysis.[17]

The swine flu is susceptible to four drugs licensed in the United States, amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir, however, for the 2009 outbreak it is recommended it be treated with oseltamivir and zanamivir.[18] The vaccine for the human seasonal H1N1 flu does not protect against the swine H1N1 flu, even if the virus strains are the same specific variety, as they are antigenically very different.[19]

Wash hands often.
 

paddy

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Oct 4, 2003
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NOTHING TO BE ALARMED ABOUT?...in a matter of days it has spread all over this world...Mexicans are dropping like flies and nobody knows why they are the only ones dying so far. This is just the beginning...be careful.
 

pyratt

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Jan 14, 2007
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I covered PANDEMICS in the preparedness guide I published in 2006 (DR1 rules won't let me name the book or give out my website)

The best thing anyone can do is maintain good cleanliness practices. EZ to do for yourself at home...impossible to insure out in public. While it is not necessary to PANIC...people should be getting a few items in the house "just in case".

Think like you're preparing for a hurricane and add in hand sanitizers, and if you're so inclined, surgical masks and gloves (in case you're asked to help a family member or friend who comes down "sick". Use tissues (not cloth) and dispose of them immediately after use, don't leave them next to the bed etc. Make sure you have food and water in case the government shuts down public access. (It's happening in Mexico)

Having worked in the DR post TS Noel & Olga and knowing first hand how things are in some of the barrios and campos...I'd be concerned with those who feel it is important to go to work sick (than to stay home)....all it will take is one restaurant worker who is infected with H1N1 to start preparing foods for others and the contamination will be quick. The sooner precautions are met, the less impact H1N1 will have.
 

Fiesta Mama

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Jan 28, 2004
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Reportedy 103 dead in Mexico so far. Preparing is the best thing you can do. The only reason that there are cases in Canada is because tourists who were in Mexico picked it up while on vacation there. Customs officers at the Canadian airports are now meeting returning flights from Mexico with health officials and they have reportedly been screening all returning travellers so that those with symptoms can be treated and quarantined.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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My friend in Mexico City said they'd been vaccinated for influenza A & B and suggested that we do the same - but if it's not effective against this strain maybe they're only doing this to calm people down? She said they were staying indoors as much as possible anyway.
 

Thandie

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Nov 27, 2007
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My friend in Mexico City said they'd been vaccinated for influenza A & B and suggested that we do the same - but if it's not effective against this strain maybe they're only doing this to calm people down? She said they were staying indoors as much as possible anyway.

its not effective against this strain
 

RenatoSosua

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Nov 8, 2006
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groups.yahoo.com
TODAY in Sacandomelao
sacandomelao: Pasajeros que llegaron de Mexico "entraron como Pedro por su casa"

Aunque Salud Publica anunci? que se est? trabajando en los aeropuertos, la verdad es otra, los m?dicos del Aeropuerto Las Am?ricas dicen que no tienen ning?n conocimiento de la enfermedad, y mucho peor, no tienen ninguna notificaci?n de Salud P?blica para tomar medidas con los pasajeros.

Mientras que los pasajeros que llegaron hoy al pa?s procedentes de M?xico, entraron al aeropuerto "como Pedro por su casa" sin que ning?n m?dico ni personal le preguntara sobre su estado de salud, ni le hiciera un control sanitario.

For short nobody at the airport is checking travelers arriving from Mexico!!!
 

Fiesta Mama

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Jan 28, 2004
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TODAY in Sacandomelao
sacandomelao: Pasajeros que llegaron de Mexico "entraron como Pedro por su casa"

Aunque Salud Publica anunci? que se est? trabajando en los aeropuertos, la verdad es otra, los m?dicos del Aeropuerto Las Am?ricas dicen que no tienen ning?n conocimiento de la enfermedad, y mucho peor, no tienen ninguna notificaci?n de Salud P?blica para tomar medidas con los pasajeros.

Mientras que los pasajeros que llegaron hoy al pa?s procedentes de M?xico, entraron al aeropuerto "como Pedro por su casa" sin que ning?n m?dico ni personal le preguntara sobre su estado de salud, ni le hiciera un control sanitario.

For short nobody at the airport is checking travelers arriving from Mexico!!!


From today's issue of the Toronto Star (www.thestar.com):

"Passengers returning from Mexico to Toronto's Pearson airport yesterday wore masks during their flights. Canadian border guards who greeted them wore masks and latex gloves."

It was on the news last night that they were checking people's temperature at the airport.
 

donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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Hankies

nobody at the airport is checking travelers arriving from Mexico!!!
Yes, but the health minister asked his fellow countrymen to use handkerchiefs when sneezing.
Now, would that not change the Dominican culture altogether?
Hope it helps though.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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If any of yesterday's passengers brought it in, it's here. If not, I am pretty sure that they will be more closely inspected after today's papers sh!t all over the minister and his mouthpiece for saying that they were inspecting and the doctors at the airports doing an Alfred E. Newman==> WHO, ME???...Nothing was done according to Diario Libre to any of the pax from MX...

CNN says, don't cough in public, sneeze into the crook of your arm, use hand cleansers, wash your hands a lot... stay away from lots of people...



With fingers crossed.

HB
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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If any of yesterday's passengers brought it in, it's here.

Actually if any of last week's passengers brought it in, or the week before that, or the week....first fatality in Mexico appears to have been around April 12th. which means virus was present long before:

washingtonpost.com

CDC briefing here:

Live Video - CBS News Video

Still no need to panic though. It's counter productive.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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its not effective against this strain
Yes, she just wrote again and said that she'd looked into it and realised it probably hadn't done any good.

after I wrote yesterday I looked more into the whole vaccination thing and I just wanted to take back what I said about the flu shots... I ran into this website that looks more carefully about the pros and cons and I was quite concerned about what I read...I've always been quite skeptical about them to begin with and avoided taking any till now but with the situation here I gave in Friday at the insistence of [daughter's] doctors who assured me that the cases here had shown that the fatalities only occurred in cases where people had not had taken flu vaccines, none in those who had...
Of course you get contradictory reports, some from the US saying it has no effect at all, others from Europe saying it can be effective on the a particular strain, etc.
 

Conchman

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Jul 3, 2002
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this part scares me, from Cnn.com:

"The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic (which killed about 50,000,000 people) began with a fairly mild wave of infections in the spring, but the virus returned a few months later in a far more virulent form. That could happen with the current swine flu as well. "It's quite possible for this virus to evolve," said Fukuda. "When viruses evolve, clearly they can become more dangerous to people."
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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I think the media are being sensationalist. Take this selection of UK newspaper headlines, as summarised by the BBC:


Swine flu fears dominate papers

The outbreak of swine flu is the lead in most of the papers - and there are some grave predictions about what could turn into a global pandemic.

The leading flu expert at the Health Protection Agency tells the Independent that between 15% and 50% of the UK population might catch the illness.

The Daily Express says that the global death toll could reach 120 million.

The Daily Mail poses the question that everyone in the UK wants answering: "Is swine flu already here?"

BBC NEWS | UK | Swine flu fears dominate papers
 

heldengebroed

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Mar 9, 2005
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A pandemic is overdue
So the question isn't will it come but when.
Nowadays with international travel so expanded the pase of infection is far greater than the 1918 pandemic (which was also helped by the millions of soldiers returning from war)

Today, a few days after the first anouncement, there are suspected cases in Mexico, Argentina, USA, UK, Spain, Hon kong and Belgium

So prepare your body by eating healthy and staying fit.

ANd when flu simptoms apear visit a doctor

Greetings


Johan
 

2dlight

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Jun 3, 2004
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Does anyone know how the port and airport personnel are going to comply with the Public Health Minister's mandate to "evaluate all passengers from countries where cases of swine flu have been reported"? Good opportunity for digital thermometer sales rep....and masks, latex gloves,handkerchiefs, hazmat suits etc.