WHO Expects More Swine Flu Cases

Here's today's swine flu news: The World Health Organization expects an "explosion" of swine flu cases this fall. According to the WHO's Western Pacific director, Shin Young-soo, many countries will see the number of cases double every few days for several months—"It is certain there will be more cases and more deaths"—but the countries at greatest risk are the developing nations which are under-equipped to respond. Also, the Chilean health ministry says that swine flu was found in turkeys: "Authorities ordered a complete quarantine Friday and alerted the World Health Organization. Some illness was suspected at the farms owned by the Sopraval company after egg production dropped this month." (However, Chile's deputy health minister says turkeys are still safe to eat.) And in America, the CDC is recommending that businesses and employers develop plans on how to deal with swine flu, including suggestions like keep sick employees home and don't require doctor's notes.

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By Jen Chung in News on August 21, 2009 12:10 PM

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felixthecat2

In 1976, Ford offered indemnity to the vaccine manufacturers. But according to reports, President George W. Bush decided in 2002 not to administer a nationwide smallpox vaccination program — despite Vice President Dick Cheney's belief that doing so was a prudent counterterrorism step — because it could have resulted in dozens of deaths (the smallpox vaccine kills between 1 and 2 people per million people inoculated).

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1894129,00.html

babyhitler

so right now, we just have to pray to stay alive long enough til we get the vaccine?

Dead Himmler

I just bought 20,000 masks. This fall when people are dying and going crazy I will make a killing.

grizzzly

Reading through some of those links was very helpful, the most important tidbit of which:

Standard hand sanitizer (at 40% Isopropyl Alcohol) is as ineffective as tap water at killing viruses! You need much higher concentrations to effectively sanitize hands or anything else. dump the gel, get yourself a bottle of 100% rubbing alcohol.