Swine Flu...the new terror, or overblown?

In one sense I think that we are over reacting and you are right, it is the flu. That the regular flu has killed people too. I think that the Swine flu gives us a reason to be concerned for sure. To be more careful and perform better hygiene that normal perhaps, just to be extra safe. Personally, in my own opinion, I strongly believe that the Swine flu is a form of bio terrorism and I will cease to say who I think let it loose to the population. Lets us recall that the first signs showed in Mexico and can anyone recall what was going on in Mexico in that week? I say no more. Just wash your hands, lots. I do during normal flu season. I also heard that a pig farm in Calgary, Alberta Canada has recently been quarantined. This is not good news. I feel for the pigs as I heard elsewhere, I think in the U.K., that many pigs were put down and didn't even have the Swine flu. What is so wrong with this picture? I can see a couple things.

At first, when I heard all the hype, I thought "Oh my God! This sounds terrifying." I was nervous and listened to all the news I could just to see if there were any new developments. Now, a week later, I have not heard anything about it. I think our government tries to control a lot of that kind of stuff anyhow. In the last 8 years I have learned that the government is not above deceiving us. In the future I am going to be more cautious when I hear about this kind of thing. Not because I fear the illness or flu or whatever is "going around". But cautious because I will wonder what the government is up to now.

I think it's overblown for a reason. Like you said, it's the flu, for heaven's sake. No one gets excited over it until/unless they're told to. I have my suspicions about this and other things happening. Someone is trying to force an economic breakdown and this (and finding it in pigs - that's where it came from, hello? - so they could kill them) is part of it. "They" keep saying we're overdue for a pandemic, so everything that comes along will seem like a reason for panic. It was hundreds of years between other pandemics like the bubonic plague and 1918. Why are we due for one in less than a hundred years now? Doesn't make sense to me.

When the swine flu first hit the scene, I was pretty concerned about it. But honestly, as time went on, I found myself becoming less and less concerned about it. Like you said, THOUSANDS of people die YEARLY from the regular flu. And that's just in the United States alone from what I read (I think on the CDC website?). And then it seems to be fairly easily treatable. The last I checked, around only five people had to be hospitalized here in the US. Even then everyone except sadly for one person has recovered completely. I mean, I don't think anyone should just pass it off, but I don't think it's the end of the world either. I think some people are overreacting/overblowing this a little too much though.

I watched on a news program one of the first days this was hitting the news the scientist/doctor said, This is not new, that the swine flu has been around for years, It is mutating and will with each case, To me these are the fear factors used to get people to buy into it and spend spend spend on more medical whateversssss..... The flu has many different varities as with the common cold. So tell me is there a killer cold out there too? lol sorry being sarcastic here. People die everyday from ............. so why you think the bring out something like this.. think.. what else is going on that should be in the news instead of the FLU... Something to think about.

This morning on the local news here they stated that the CDC is now saying the swine flu is not as bad as they first believed! What are we suppose to believe anymore? They get everyone's panties in a bunch and then say --Oh it's not so bad. When something really awful happens are we going to disregard it or jump again? I think that the flu is the flu it just comes with different names.

I think it's good for us to be aware of new diseases and what to do to prevent or cure it. I think the constant coverage of it is kind of extreme, but at the same time it tells us how fast it's spreading. I think that's what scares people the most...it's a new disease. But, like everyone has been saying, it's another type of flu. We're aware of it now, and just be careful like you would during flu season. I think another thing that scares people is how fast it kills. It's sad to hear that it killed a toddler. I remember getting the flu every winter and I knew how to get through it, even as a child. Maybe this is another reminder of how unhealthy we've become, especially with all the processed foods. Yes, they say they have the vitamins in them, but there are so many other chemicals in the foods that they wipe out the nutrients. Many don't know that, and they believe that they're doing fine. Even our produce is being genetically grown, and that's a great thing for technology, but not so much for the vitamins that produce is suppose to have when naturally grown. In fact, most of the produce that's not naturally grown, won't have any vitamins. Even the seeds that we buy at the store. If they're not organic, they won't have natural nutrients. The vitamins--yes, when they start making the vitamins, there really is Calcium(example) in them, but after processing there is little to no calcium in the pills. That's an example of one vitamin, but it's the same with all of them. most of the time, vitamins are not vitamins and are just a waste of money. Is it any wonder that we're not as healthy as our ancestors 100 years ago? We need to focus on being healthier. There's so much emphasis on a green earth and being eco-friendly....what about our bodies? In order to have a green earth, we have to be around long enough to take care of it. If we take care of our bodies we will be taking care of the earth because we won't be using as much processed foods, which are run by factories, which pollute the air, etc. but see, the food companies don't want you to stop eating their food, because they'll lose money. I see alot of diets to make people thin....how about a lifestyle to make us healthy? If we can get more people to lead a healthier life, we will be helping the world in fighting diseases. Many may not agree, but I truly believe that Swine flu or any other disease wouldn't have a chance among people who are healthy. I'm including myself on that, too.

no one really seems to know. it could be the next big pandemic, but even the experts seem to be scratching their heads. i head two things yesterday. one that it is way over blown and that we really dont need to worry about it and two that as you mentioned, its a new strain...i think though, the media is blowing it way out of porportion though.

I'd rather the world's health authorities and governments overreact on the side of caution than to treat the swine flu situation likely, passing it off as just another form of common flu. The fact is that swine flu has claimed many lives and the possibility of passing this from person-to-person and from person-to-animal and vice versa, and so there's cause for serious concern. The scary thing with this flu is that the H1N1 viruses mutate into new strains of flu viruses that render the normal flu vaccines useless, so authorities have to cope with a situation where the "enemy" is not very known. It's like they are fighting in the dark without effective weapons, yet they have to win the battle. I feel in such a situation, it is justified for authorities to over-react a little in order to contain this unknown "enemy", in order that their people can be kept out of harm's way.

I think this is a flu that is it that is all and people are completely over reacting, It started in mexicao look t the living conditions there and the crappy health care they have. I tink people should just calm down it's just anoter flu virus

In China, all the passengages who took the same flight with the 25-year-old Mexican with the deadly flu were isolated. This isolation did bring back my memories of SARS. I think, Swine flu is the next big event that we are confronted with, since the breakout of SARS several years ago. Maybe it's kind of some revenge from the nature. People do seem to be more miserable in recent years,with SARS and Swine Flu, earthquake, etc...In my opinion, we should pay more attention to preserving the nature. Nevertheless, I have faith in human's ability to conquer this disaster.

So overblown i feel bad for all of the pigs that are being killed all over the world just because the might get the flu.

Overflown, because it's just one of those things that people see as a threat or something, so every one starts panicking like crazy over the threat, until it gets on the news, etc My points is, eventually something about this swine flu is going to be exposed, eventually, and everyone will most likely forget about it within a few years or so.