We haven't heard much on the forum yet about these little blighters.
But I have been feeling a bit rough myself this last week. That's the reward you get for mixing with the Great Unwashed (er, the general public) ... best avoided, in my opinion. I probably "picked something up" (in addition to my Garibaldi biscuits, that is) during my last visit to ASDA. Or maybe it was that swine who coughed over my fish and chips as they were being dished up last week!
Anyway, I tried to capture a sample of the virus (you know, for my collection), but just ended up making a mess!
Has anyone here had any further experience of this low-life? Meanwhile, if you see anything like this lurking about, best give it a wide berth, I reckon.
H1N1 is rather mild but for those who have had chronic illnesses pertaining to the heart, kidney, lung (asthma; and those who have impaired immunity (undergoing chemotherapy), etc need to be mindly of what the virus can do to you.
Make the impossible POSSIBLE. I know we all can and it is the wisdom to distinguish one from the other.
We have been having a discussion regarding this virus and the decontamination of equipment exposed to it. Has anyone been advised of specific cleaning required for a product after it has potentially been exposed to this? Our understanding is that it is just the normal cleaning required, but has anyone been told differently? How happy would you be to play with a ventilator that had failed on a swine flu patient? Personally, I would probably clean the vent again even it had a decontamination certificate, but I'm a bit fussy like that! Any comments gratefully received as this is THE hot topic of the moment. Thanks Mark
Mark Radbourne I work for Löwenstein Medical in the UK
Isn't it a virus? Does it not get transmitted by a live host?
If I were you I would be more worried about staff coughing and sneezing all over you as they sign off your service report!
Not to mention the morons who think it's cool (or whatever) to spit in the street! I honestly believe there is more of a "threat" out there (on the street). If everyone was like me, and simply didn't tolerate such disgusting behaviour, perhaps that would be a good start! When people make the mistake of coughing (or worse yet, sneezing) in my face, they get a good cussing, believe me. I don't care who they are (I find that they're often "older" people, too, I might add).
But surely bacteria (Pseudomonas, for example) is more of a threat to you when you're servicing the kit? You must already use gloves (don't you)? So, if you're worried, wear a mask as well!
What is an influenza pandemic? A disease epidemic occurs when there are more cases of that disease than normal. A pandemic is a worldwide epidemic of a disease. An influenza pandemic may occur when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity. With the increase in global transport, as well as urbanization and overcrowded conditions in some areas, epidemics due to a new influenza virus are likely to take hold around the world, and become a pandemic faster than before. WHO has defined the phases of a pandemic to provide a global framework to aid countries in pandemic preparedness and response planning. Pandemics can be either mild or severe in the illness and death they cause, and the severity of a pandemic can change over the course of that pandemic.
I agree with you about the causes. As usual, Mankind is its own worst enemy. But sometimes it seems that "nature" knows best after all (of course), and (shall we say) reacts!
In the end, the "bugs" (or if you prefer, the low-life) must win.
In the meantime, a little perspective may not go amiss. It is a simple fact that so-called "winter 'flu" carries off more old folk (and it is generally the old folk who succumb) in such an "advanced" country as the UK every year than "swine 'flu" has accounted for, worldwide, to date. Do we hear about that? No.
So why all the fuss? If you're otherwise healthy, it's just another virus, one of zillions being "transmitted" (largely through ignorance, poor hygiene etc. as I have hinted at before). It's just another dose of the er, 'flu!
Anyone remember "bird 'flu" ... what ever became of that one? How about SARS? Have you heard about the latest fad amongst the "trendies" ... sending their kids along to "swine 'flu parties"!
But meanwhile, I won't start worrying too much myself until things start getting this bad!
In turkey they were worried what might happen if bird and swine flu combine. Bird flu is much more dangerous but not contagious person to person, swine flu is not as bad but much more contagious.
By the way, swine 'flu is not a new phenomenon. Apparently, the H1N1 virus dates back to the 1918 episode, at least (some see similarities to the influenza pandemics of 1847 and 1889). In fact, studies indicate that descendants of the 1918 virus still persist in pigs. Hence "swine 'flu".
H1N1 viruses, descended from the 1918 strain, along with H3N2 viruses (oh yes, more good news), have been co-circulating around the world for decades, showing little evidence of imminent extinction. For instance, there was a resurgence reported again in the mid-1970's.
Isn't this stuff interesting? In the overwhelming case of the 1918-1920 "Spanish 'flu" pandemic, those poor devils were basically killed by their own bodies as their immune systems over-reacted to the virus. This explains the unusual "age profile" of the victims. The strong immune systems of young adults ravaged the body, whereas the weaker immune systems of children and older adults caused fewer deaths. At the time, of course, some saw it as "God's punishment" being meted out to Mankind in retribution for the horrors of the First World War!
