WHO Says Swine Flu May Have Peaked In the US 138
Hugh Pickens writes "The World Health Organization says that there were 'early signs of a peak' in swine flu activity in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including the US. The American College Health Association, which surveys more than 250 colleges with more than three million students, said new flu cases had dropped 27 percent in the week ending on November 13th from the week before, the first drop since school resumed in the fall. Nonetheless, Dr. Anne Schuchat, the director of vaccination and respiratory disease at the CDC, chose her words carefully. 'We are in better shape today than we were a couple of weeks ago,' she says. 'I wish I knew if we had hit the peak. Even if a peak has occurred, half the people who are going to get sick haven't gotten sick yet.' Privately, federal health officials say they fear that if they concede the flu has peaked, Americans will become complacent and lose interest in getting vaccinated, increasing the chances of another wave. However, Dr. Lone Simonsen, a former CDC epidemiologist, says she expects a third wave in December or January, possibly beginning in the South again. Based on death rates in New York City and in Scandinavia, Simonsen argues that both 1918 and 1957 had mild spring waves followed by two stronger waves, one in fall and one in midwinter, adding that in the pandemic of 1889, the bulk of the deaths occurred in the third wave. 'If people think it's going away, they can think again.'"
"Pandemics" are the new "terrorists". (Score:1, Interesting)
Apparently the "terrorist" threat is getting old and worn out, so now the media and politicians have to trumpet the "pandemic" threat.
I wonder what next week's threat will be. Maybe it'll come back to "communists" again.
Comment removed (Score:3, Interesting)
That would be nice! (Score:3, Interesting)
Is there supposed to be only one peak ? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:BS (Score:3, Interesting)
You can't be CERTAIN until after the fact, that's why the use of words and phrases like "hopeful", "may have", and even "I wish I knew".
For example, if you have observed both the leading and trailing walls of a hurricane pass you have reason to hope it's over. It COULD come back around or trigger a secondary storm, so you can't be sure but you have ample reason for hope (just don't bet your life on it).
At the same time it's intresting to see media sources desperately clinging to the "OMG! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!" line in spite of strong evidence to the contrary. Anyone remember a year ago when the bird flu was going to kill us all? Where'd that go? IIRC, before that it was West Nile. That one kinda fizzled because there was no good vaccine to urge everyone to panic over.
I note that nobody's reminding people that a great way to avoid exposure to either flu is to avoid crowded shopping malls and "doorbuster" sales.
I suppose next year, after the stats are all in the panic will be the seasonal flu which is MORE DEADLY THAN SWINE FLU!!!!! Only they'll refer to it as H?N? so it sounds more mysterious.
Seasonal flu wave yet to come (Score:3, Interesting)
I wonder how bad the seasonal flu wave will be this year. With all the excitement about swine flu, seasonal flu vaccinations seem to be forgotten.
I've been undergoing cancer treatment for the past five years and usually get the shot to reduce the chance of getting the flu while I'm busy fighting something else. But this year my oncologist's office ran out of the vaccine between my monthly checkups. My backup plan is to get the shot at work or a drugstore, but I haven't seen any information about those clinics this year.
I won't be surprised if many people get the swine flu vaccine (or try to get it and fail), then figure they've taken care of the biggest threat and forget to prepare for seasonal flu.