Naaaaah. Not this time, not next time, not even the time after that.
"The first influenza pandemic was recorded in 1580 and since then influenza pandemics occurred every 10 to 30 years." says Wiki. So if they happen every 10 to 30 years and we're not all dead yet, it's probably not worth panicking.
All the news programmes keep talking about the 1918 flu pandemic that killed millions of people all over the world. But yer gotta remember we got antibiotics and shit now.
How the flu virus works
Influenza pandemics and how they work
1918 flu pandemic
Officials say don't panic (includes video of thermal scanner in action)
Australia still clear of new virus
"The areas with the most number of possible cases are South-East Sydney and the Illawarra with 20 and Northern Sydney and the Central Coast with 13. There are 12 each in Sydney's West and the Hunter and New England."
Notice that's possible cases not actual cases. Possible cases includes people with a bit of a sniffle, people with yer bog standard annual flu and man flu.
"Dr Grant encouraged anyone with symptoms such as fever, coughing and a runny nose whic began within 7 days of returning from an overseas holiday to contact their GP, local public health unit or to go to an emergency department, especially if they had been in the USA, Canada or Mexico."
Full article at SMH
Swine flu: a beat-up or a real fear?
The lighter side of swine flu
Masks
The word is to get the "fitted respirator masks known as P2 masks" and make sure they fit tight. No gaps to allow the germs to wiggle in through.
Full article at SMH
Wash yer bloody hands
That's what all the medical types are saying will help slow it down heaps. That and don't bloody well cough on people. Tissues were invented for a reason.
The shipping news
Codock II AKA the Cockatoo ferry
Wooden ferry fans, Bets of Central Coast Ferries says "The SARATOGA is getting a spruce up and a bit of engine maintenance this week so the trusty old CODOCK II is purring along on the run."
Timetable info
Local wildlife
Snakes on a beach
4 comments:
How many people dead? A small handfull? What is the total population of those countries so-call 'affected'? About 100 million people?
Gawd... I hope people use common sense and keep it in perspective?
OK, so now I know. Shite, it's not so bad. thought with the remoteness y'all wouldn't have much issue. course in the US we are prone to panicking... or at least our politicians are. Scuse me while I cough on someone...
Mal, give us a small not-actually-a-pandemic and we run round screaming but when there's a big bushfire or a war we go all stoic. People are the weirdest things on this planet.
Mysterious Dr. L, not so much the remoteness as the border control you can exercise with few only a handful of international airports and thermal imaging.
Yers, your pollies do tend to hit the panic button. Maybe they should get free prozac instead of a pay rise.
my great grandmother died during the 1918 flu. She left orphaned a baby and a horde (they bred like blazes in those days) of kids. I don't have a horde, but I do have a stock of Tamiflu for my family (just in case!) Why would I trust any government to have enough when the time comes?
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