Thread: Swine Flu

I was talking to a friend who is in NHS management in London last night and he was casting doubt over the number of genuine cases of swine flu that there have been. There seem to be very strong suspicions that there have actually been relatively few real cases but that a lot of people have self-diagnosed and reported themselves as sick in order to get a buckshee week off work. Thinking about this, I only know one person who has even claimed to have had it, and that was way back in June. About six weeks ago, I seem to remember hearing on the radio that Swine Flu had now reached pandemic proportions, with an infection rate predicted to be 100,000 new cases every day. Nevertheless, life seems to be going on much as usual.

So the question is, another media-led panic which has cost the taxpayer billions, or just something that's faded from the headlines because it's so commonplace?

Sir Liam Donaldson's desire for a good quote bears much of the responsibilty,
"At least 50,000 deaths" plus the 100,000 who were going to die from SARS, plus the millions who wer going to die from AIDS, plus the 100's of thousands due to snuff with Avian flu.

To be honest it is a wonder that there's anybody left to bury the dead, experts always overclaim especially when it might mean extra funding, not that there's any connection.

All part of the Master plan.

I was talking to a friends wife who works quite high up in the NHS, and she was saying they predicted higher numbers in case it does go t1ts up and the popultion drop like flies.

I had a fairly nasty flu back in May, and it left me really fatigued (to the point where I couldn't walk 500m without having to rest). I thought it was just flu, cos I hadn't been in contact with Mexicans, even at third-hand. I had a medical the other week and the doc said it sounded like swine flu. I'd be very interested to know why my GP didn't think of this at the time...

We get a large number of cases here in the AE I work at which are nothnig more than sniffles and colds. I think the greatest danger we face here in the NHS is media incited hysteria. We often get jammed up on a weekday night here to the extent it looks like a saturday kicking out time, all of them people whinging they cant stop sneezing. Saying that, its a generic diagnosis when we're stuck for an answer so it does have its uses!

Swine Flu, Bird Flu are just flu.
The big fear is that they could 'Mutate' and give the world something to match the outbreak of the Spanish Flu that slew more than WW I.
It's all about it transmitting from one 'Breed' to a different "Breed".
If the governments overreact then they can claim to have been on top of the situation.
john

On a morbid note, the world is terribly overpopulated and we are due, and indeed need, a good culling.

Only problem is it always seems to fall on Africa. I think the four horsemen need to visit France, Belgium and Italy. I think that would bring us down to a more manageable and sustainable population whilst at the same time getting rid of ungrateful surrender monkeys (France - we liberate them twice in 20 years and they can't even be bothered to vote for us in the Eurovision Song Contest), half-time flippers (lets play downhill with the Allies in the 2nd half) and the most pointless nation in the world (Belgium - WHY????)

Well, someone had to save Roche from going bankrupt.

As they say: We innovate healthcare ... if only in boosting prices.

Originally Posted by Chef

Sir Liam Donaldson's desire for a good quote bears much of the responsibilty,
"At least 50,000 deaths" plus the 100,000 who were going to die from SARS, plus the millions who wer going to die from AIDS, plus the 100's of thousands due to snuff with Avian flu.

To be honest it is a wonder that there's anybody left to bury the dead, experts always overclaim especially when it might mean extra funding, not that there's any connection.

My bold - of course, when milions of people don't die or get really ill, the "experts" claim it was because of their timely intervention. It's the same with roadworks now - you see a sign saying that the Highways Agency will be working on a road until June next year, the job gets done by the May and everyone thinks "great, it was done quicker than we thought" when in fact it should have been completed by the March and they were in fact hugely late. Well, that's what my theory is anyway!

Have already got stuff in place in London .


When someone dials 999 and complains of a headache, flulike symptoms , breathing problems

They are asked questions under AMPDS which has a set of questions specifically for pandemics. This will either treat the call as a "real emergency" or it can get referrred to telephone advice or NHS direct if its a low priority "green call" . This cardset that is for pandemics has 3 levels , currently in the London ambulance service it is at Level 1 , and is more to highlight to the attending crew to take infection control precautions i.e. mask, apron , gloves
If it goes to level 2 then if the caller has two or more symptoms of swine flu they will be told they are NOT getting an ambulance ! as to take them to hospital will could infect many more people - for it to get raised to level 2 though it would mean around 40% of the ambulance crews in London are off sick with swine flu themselves

If it goes to level 3 ..well might as well shut down the London ambulance service ....and make sure there is a lot of body bags available ....

If you ask me, just a few body bags for the politicians who massively exaggerate this 'every year flu epidemic' would absolutely do.

You will hardly find a year with less deaths till mids of September than this one ...

so it's obvious, this has to be a pandemic !!

I hope you get swine flu (or do you call it 'schwein flu'?) you irritating bitch.

The fun will start when all those who have had colds but been prescribed Tamiflu, actually GET swine flu over the winter and are told..."oh NO Sir, you've HAD your Tamiflu so you can't POSSIBLY have swine flu this time round!" Those who got it 'just in case' will be laughing the other side of their faces then!!

Originally Posted by johnboyzzz

I was talking to a friends wife who works quite high up in the NHS, and she was saying they predicted higher numbers in case it does go t1ts up and the popultion drop like flies.

here in Gig Cymru(NHS Wales you heathens) the growed ups are factoring in the loss of up to 50% of staff for at least two weeks over the winter
i'm planning mine for november and am thinking of taking the wife & kids to cyprus :D