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We have swine flu (unconfirmed) at work.

Beat that  :)

by Sassafras on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 11:52:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Apparently they aren't testing for it anymore? Too expensive with the number of cases now.

Is anyone oinking?

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 11:59:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I got that impression about the testing. Stay at home and call us if you're dying seems to be the order of the day for any flu-type symptoms.

Schools aren't closing any more-there's no point.  But we're sending home our sore throats and headaches fairly smartly.  None of the usual "Have a drink of water, dear, and tell me how you feel after playtime."

by Sassafras on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:09:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
But we're sending home our sore throats and headaches fairly smartly.

We did that for a couple of weeks until everyone came to terms with the fact that it was also allergy season and you just can't keep an entire office home for an extended period of time out of sheer paranoia.

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:11:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
People are being told not to go to swine flu parties.
Are there any of those round your way?

Ad astra per aspera
by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:14:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Haven't heard of any.

I think at least one parent at my son's school has had it, though.

by Sassafras on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:20:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
damn, hope the person who had it wasn't the person sneezing near me in the Bus station next to the shopping centre yesterday.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:30:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Yes, if we sent home every child with a sniffle, we'd have an empty school.
by Sassafras on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:19:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Sorry, that was a facetious remark.  Current advice is that anyone with flu type symptoms should stay at home and call their doctor or NHS Direct for advice. On no account should they go to their doctor's surgery.
by Sassafras on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:14:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
There was an article about swine flu procedures in Helsingin Sanomat today. The doctor interviewed was saying that he hoped that employers would no longer ask everyone who gets sick to get a note from the doctor. If everyone has to go to their health center before being able to take any sick leave, the flu will spread even faster.

(Normally you need a note either right away or after 3 days of illness, depending on your employment contract.)

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--

by tzt (tztmail at gmail dot com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 02:02:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
We had some suspected cases here (meaning they'd not tested positive for known strains of flu but were not tested for swine flu).  My friend got sick & went to the doctor.  She was told the only people being tested for swine flu now are patients who are so ill they require immediate hospitalization.  Which means the reported numbers of confirmed cases are actually being kept artificially low.

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
by poemless on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 12:09:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
This is good news because the number of deaths is still low.

I've seen a serious CDC estimate of a million cases total in the US. Since deaths are still barely into three figures, this makes swine flu very much less lethal than ordinary flu.

Also, the demographic peak is around 20-25. Kids get it, teens get it, young adults get it. Older people are much less likely to get it. Anyway over 50 is almost guaranteed not to get it.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 02:23:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"artificially low" makes it sound like a conspiracy - it's now being treated as a normal flu - hospitalise and treat the really ill -  because there's bugger all else they can do.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 02:31:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Uhg.  I didn't say there was a conspiracy.  

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
by poemless on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 02:42:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
We have the President of the United State fly by our windows at the office when he leaves or arrives in DC.

Beat that.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 05:51:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
We had swine flu cases across the street from our office.

The President of the United States lives down the street from our office.  When he's not living in DC.  Or Hawaii.  Sometimes we pass each other coming and going.

We had hazmat people close our office for moon-suited inspections after anthrax was found in the Congressional mail-room. (We get lots of books from LoC.)

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 06:04:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Hmm, okay, fine.  You win.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 06:05:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Oh.  And we gave the world Milton Friedman.

Beat That!  Swine flu, Shmine flue...

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 06:12:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
My city's former mayor is famous for getting caught smoking crack on camera during a drug bust with an ex-girlfriend and then saying, "Bitch set me up."

He was then reelected when he got out.

Win.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 07:37:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Side note: I still say "Bitch set me up" should've replaced the DC motto when they put out the DC quarter.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Wed Jul 8th, 2009 at 07:38:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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