Is it time to panic?

Lowaicue

英語在香港
Some of the comments here during the last couple of days about swine flu suggest an incredible level of stupidity.
Let me tell you what the real situation is based upon my own experience and that of HK during the SARS crisis.
1. There is potential danger to you and your family. If you make light of it you are more likely, not less likely, to fall victim.
2. The danger, at present, is slight. In fact statistically it hardly shows. So panic is unnecessary.
3. Masks make their manufacturers money but are totally useless as a protective measure. If you find yourself in a 'dangerous' situation you need a cartridge type mask. Even the molded type of mask only protects down to particles of 4 microns. The swine flu virus will be measured in Angstroms.
4. Viruses of this type are spread by water droplets (coughing, sneezing, etc.) therefore ALL surfaces should be treated with care. You MUST wash your hands often during the day and certainly if you have touched railings, door handles etc in public areas.
5. Don't use cake soap. Use the liquid variety. Keep a bottle by your bathroom basin and your kitchen sink. Keep a bottle in your office and in every classroom at school.
6. Take your kids temperatures every morning and when they come home in the afternoon. Keep a written record. Schools should take temperatures of every child as they enter the premises. (Yes, they can)
7. Keep away from crowds. ALL crowds - even crowds of people you know well.
8. Flu vaccines usually are pointless. They are manufactured from existing flu viruses (that is viruses that have been around for a while). New viruses are usually immune. So forget about Tamuflu (or whatever it is called). This is where politics enter. Your politicians want you to believe that they know what to do. They don't!

If you want to diss this as a left wing rant or non American or anti American rubbish please be my guest. It's entirely up to you.
 
I'm going to wait a bit for more to happen before bunkering down. As it is now, there's no reason to worry much around my area, although that could, of course, change rapidly. It's important to see that there is a threat while not giving into fearmongering. There are still a bunch of things out there much more likely to kill you. You need to put things in perspective.
 
I'm going to wait a bit for more to happen before bunkering down. As it is now, there's no reason to worry much around my area, although that could, of course, change rapidly. It's important to see that there is a threat while not giving into fearmongering. There are still a bunch of things out there much more likely to kill you. You need to put things in perspective.

Ohh I don't know 150 dead our of 20 million or so in Mexico city.
Run screaming into safety of your home. Duct tape around doors and windows.
 
Ohh I don't know 150 dead our of 20 million or so in Mexico city.
Run screaming into safety of your home. Duct tape around doors and windows.

150 dead in a couple of weeks is pretty significant. Moreso considering the fact that the death toll will be exponential over time.
 
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