What is causing the fear/panic over swine flu?

**imagine** · 09-29-2009, 04:22 PM

My middle school son was absent from school yesterday ( today no fever day)
We sent him to doctors today because he was chest cough and has asmtha ( thought it was part of allergic reaction to mold sure seemed like it to me). He hadn't been very sick at all acting normal just coughing. They masked him and because of the fever and they tested him for the type A flu ( which he tested positive) Doc said that if you test postive for type A flu but aren't overly sick like you would be with type A flu then it is the swine flu.

Then I find out that more than 25% of his school was out sick yesterday and his class only had 5 today.

So is the "fear" because so many get it because it sure doesn't seem to be bad when you get it. He was sicker when he had the regular flu a few weeks before.

**justpeachy92** · 09-29-2009, 05:08 PM

Your son could have had a mild case of it. From what I understand from our doctor those that have a mild case will not build become immune to it and will be able to get it again. This virus has slowly been working its way through my family this month. I had a mild case, and because I am diabetic it is recommended that I still get the vaccine when it is available. I think the reason more people fear this flu is because of the deaths that have happened in perfectly health young people. It is understandable with illnesses such as the flu, to cause complications that can lead to death in elderly, people with already compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions; but I think we have a hard time grasping how a virus could cause an otherwise healthy person to die. For others it is just the fear of the unknown, and of course like with everthing else you have to consider how the media plays it up.

**imagine** · 09-29-2009, 05:27 PM

Thanks I was really getting quite confused by our experience and those in our community and what others (news etc) were saying.

**imagine** · 09-29-2009, 06:06 PM

Research on the net seems to say that recent cases have been mild in many places. That seems to be more inline with our local experience. Maybe all the hype was fear of the unknown.

Maybe?

**lisaflex** · 09-29-2009, 06:33 PM

hope he feels better.

i think all of us moms and kids and proably dads too are going to get at least a touch of it this year.

**Monner 1** · 09-29-2009, 07:08 PM

I haven't decided if I am going to get the H1N1 flu shot I will get the normal flu shot as I do every year. I have my check up next week and I will have to talk to the doctor. My husband called his specialist today because he has a late in life form of muscular dystrophy and the dr. told him to get the regular flu shot but not the H1N1. I am so confused as what to do.

Monner

**savvy_sniper** · 09-29-2009, 07:15 PM

IN MOST CASES the swine flu is mild and not life threatening. BUT they are worried about it mutating and becoming stronger, spreading, sick people getting it, etc. A healthy 14 year old girl here in Texas (Ft. Worth I think) was diagnosed on Friday with swine flu and died Sunday.

The Huntsville ISD here in Texas closed down for 2 days due to 14% of the students out due to flu and 10% of the teachers. They disinfected the school and it is scheduled to reopen tomorrow.

Part of the problem is that kids and adults are not staying home when they get sick. I went to Ace Hardware to mail a letter today and the girl behind the counter said her son is sick and she is getting sick. She wasn't coughing or sneezing, but I stayed as far away from her as possible and used my hand sanitizer when I got in the truck.

**KatieInLa2** · 09-29-2009, 09:19 PM

I went to wal-mart last week. After I put all my stuff (alot) on the counter to check out I looked up and the cashier looked so sick. What got my attention was her blowing her nose and not using hand sanitizer or anything and then start grabbing all my groceries to scan them. Ewww!

So I went home and mixed up lysol and wiped everything down with a cloth and sent my son to shower and change clothing. So far we are both well so maybe the lysol worked. She looked like death warmed over. Sure wish everyone that sick would stay home.

**imagine** · 09-29-2009, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by savvy_sniper

IN MOST CASES the swine flu is mild and not life threatening. BUT they are worried about it mutating and becoming stronger, spreading, sick people getting it, etc. A healthy 14 year old girl here in Texas (Ft. Worth I think) was diagnosed on Friday with swine flu and died Sunday.

That is what my son is afraid of that he is going to die. He is thinking the 1900s swine flu.This was from the boy that told the doc he was feeling fine before the doc said he had/has Swine flu.

I had a hard time convincing him tonight that he had been fever free for over 24 hours and that the doc (and us) wouldn't have said he could go back to school tomorrow if he was still sick.

Poor boy is so scared now.

Side note: 25% of the kids at his school were out on Monday. When he asked for make up work the teachers didn't have much. His math class only had 5 students today so the teacher skipped the assignment. It appears the children in his school are sick for about two days and one day better.

**2ndGenGranola** · 09-30-2009, 08:51 AM

I believe the media has planted the paranoia in fertile soil. I wouldn't assume that everyone out there coughing, sneezing and looking bad is out to contaminate the world with swine flu. Ragweed season is in full force here. There is a bunch of coughing, sneezing and looking bad that is in no way related to the flu and is not helped in full by medication. Life must go on because this will last until the first freeze. IMO the paranoia has reached an insane level. We were at a public outing a few days ago when someone walked by with some strong, bad perfume. One in the group sneezed. You would have thought someone had yelled "man with a gun". More damage is going to come from the panic than the flu itself IMO.

**Contrary Housewife** · 09-30-2009, 01:10 PM

People are afraid of what they don't understand. Despite it being in the news nearly a year most people are still uninformed about what H1N1 is and is not. Even the nurses at my doctors office yesterday were confused about the vaccine. A lot of people don't know what a virus is, or does. And there are always going to be people who feel they are too important to stay home from work, or "not really that sick", or who can't afford to miss even a few hours of minimum wage pay.

**savvy_sniper** · 09-30-2009, 02:52 PM

Ragweed is HIGH here also AND Elm tree pollen. In spite of taking medication, I felt SO bad when I got to the grocery store I cut my shopping short and came back home. Just getting out and driving to the store stirred up my sinuses and allergies SO bad!

Originally Posted by 2ndGenGranola

Ragweed season is in full force here. There is a bunch of coughing, sneezing and looking bad that is in no way related to the flu and is not helped in full by medication.

**Missourimom** · 09-30-2009, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by savvy_sniper

Ragweed is HIGH here also AND Elm tree pollen. In spite of taking medication, I felt SO bad when I got to the grocery store I cut my shopping short and came back home. Just getting out and driving to the store stirred up my sinuses and allergies SO bad!

Oh, that's my problem too. I wonder how many people think I have the flu? lol. Seasonal allergies are just a part of life for me and I'm sure, many others.

**lisaflex** · 09-30-2009, 07:40 PM

got the allergies too ladies!

dd and i both have a headache. not sure what that is...

the media has made swine flu a total hype. its a flu!!! for goodness sake, a virus is a virus...it has to run its course. unless, of course, you keep getting worse or dont get better in a few days.

just wash your hands, eat healthy, get rest and drink lots of water and fluids. so maybe if you do get the h1n1, it wont be so bad.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 09-30-2009, 10:34 PM

We had it here the first time it was around. It wasn't all that bad. We went to the doctor and were given medication for the flu, but it wasn't as overblown as it is in the US.

People just need to learn to stop overreacting, use their brains and realize that they can do things to prevent getting sick:

1) Wash your hands.
2) Cough/sneeze into the crook of your arm.
3) Take your vitamins.
4) Drink plenty of fluids.
5) Stay at home when you're sick.
6) Clean your house every day and disinfect all of the more commonly used areas of the house.

A lack of common sense is no excuse for people freaking out over something that hasn't killed more people than the regular flu.