Half of America will be infected with swine flu and nearly 100,000 Americans (mostly kids and young adults) will die as a result, according to a harrowing new “plausible scenario” released Tuesday by U.S. President Barack Obama’s top scientific advisors.
The “scenario” says that the swine flue epidemic will peak around mid-October, which just so happens to be the anticipated due date for a vaccine.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Obama’s scientists stressed the severe strain that such a “scenario” would place on the nation’s health care system, which their boss is currently struggling to socialize. Interesting timing, huh?
Meanwhile, half of Hong Kong health care workers surveyed recently said they would refuse a swine flu shot – which officials say could be a barometer of things to come in the United States.
Seriously, people … can you blame them? Shots hurt! And don’t they cause autism or something?
Anyway, don’t let your kiddies kiss the piggies and you should be just fine.
By Mike August 26, 2009 at 3:33 am
Pleeeeease don’t automatically buy the hype on the H1N1 “pandemic.” Prepping for this newest threat to the world as we know it has become a cottage industry for government regulators, national health officials, and state/local goober emergency preparedness bureaucrats for a year now. They’ve been hiring new researchers (mainly statisticians) and planning for anarchy ever since the hysteria began.
No time here, but do just the tiniest bit of research into this thing and you’ll see it’s a paper tiger. Depending upon which report you choose to believe (because even the CDC admits it can’t produce a definitive number), between 25,000 and 75,000 people die in the US each year from the plain ol’ flu virus (250-500k worldwide, by the way). Most of the fatalities (about 90%) are over the age of 65, many of whom suffered from underlying pre-existing conditions which rendered them susceptible to death.
Could it happen at the scale they predict? Sure, maybe. I ask only that you think about the annual gloom and doom hurricane forecasts which get announced on page 1 every summer, only to be “revised downward” on page 10 about August/September most years. Global warming? Ditto.
The irony is that if in the slim chance this thing lives up to their hype, they’ll be credited with pure, heroic genius. If it flops (which it most likely will), they’ll get a pass on page 10, right next to the article explaining away the lack of killer storms this year. Cry “wolf!” long enough, and eventually you’ll be right…
By Whatever... August 26, 2009 at 8:01 am
Just like Y2K. All along they knew it BS but it sure helped the economy. I refuse to buy into the this crap. Just hope they don’t cause a pandemic to prove themselves right.
By Toyota Kawaski August 26, 2009 at 8:24 am
Should I stop eating at Carolina BBQ in Ellenton,SC?
By Think About It August 26, 2009 at 9:54 am
The scientists who devote their lives to studying disease outbreaks are concerned that H1N1 is far more dangerous than the regular seasonal flu strains. On the other hand, Mike and Whatever disagree.
By Sloan August 26, 2009 at 10:50 am
Toyota,
Absolutely! You should give Hudson’s in Lexington a try (if you haven’t already). ;)
By Mike August 26, 2009 at 11:09 am
As always, there is disagreement among scientists and doctors i regardto H1N1. There are many doctors who believe the hype is dangerous in that it will desensitize the public to future, more dangerous threats.
As an aside, how do Whatever and I disagree?
By Cooter Brown August 26, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Nutin’ new unda da sun! See dis, y’all…
Swine Flu Propaganda frum 1976:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASibLqwVbsk
Dis is hawgwarsh– pun intended!!!
By Sloan August 26, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Mike–I believe that ThinkAboutIt was pouring on the snark in pointing out that you and Whatever disagree with the vaunted “scientists who devote their lives to studying disease outbreaks.”
By Mike August 26, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Sloan- You’re right. That’s what I get for checking these things after being up all night…
Think About It- Too much trust in authority figures is a dangerous thing. Everyone has an agenda.
By Tim leahy August 26, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Safe, Natural, FDA Noted Flu Virus Killer – Without Dangerous Vaccination!
Should You Get Vaccinated – Just To Be Safe?
See: http://www.orato.com/health-science/safe-natural-swine-flu-protection
Do not worry about you & your family getting sick with the Flu, because there is now a safe, natural, inexpensive, FDA accepted food supplement which kills ALL flu viruses that it comes into contact within a few hours. It is called SILVACIN.
For more info see: http://healingzone.info/silver or email: flu@healingzone.info
By fitsnews August 26, 2009 at 3:31 pm
yo yo
Pingback: Swine Flu For Real « Code Name: Jumper
By Dudley August 26, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I do believe that this strain of flu has killed less folks than the regular old everyday flu does each year.
Now that the fear of imminent terror attacks on U.S. soil has subsided, we can all hyperventilate about this flu bug. Next, we will be getting screened for it at the airport between taking off our shoes and emptying out our shampoo bottles.