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News & ArtsWednesday, May 6, 2009
Panic / Snoutbreak The Fact That You're Not Freaking Out About Swine Flu Anymore...
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, May 6, 2009 at 8:01 PM
...is now the #1 reason to freak out about swine flu.
1
I'm washing my hands like I normally do. Fuck this shit and your fucking masks and shit. It's the motherfucking flu.
2
As long as the CDC itself isn't getting blase, and someone is working on a vaccine, there's no point in me freaking out. I'm just going to remember to wash my hands regularly.
4
It is not flu sleezon yet. Wait until horrible Seattle winter, or just stand out in the rain with the smokers.
6
"You're not panicking enough! PANIC!!!"
Yeah go to hell. The only thing that I've been told that I can do is wash my hands and be careful about coughing. Done that. Fuckin' NEXT!
Yeah go to hell. The only thing that I've been told that I can do is wash my hands and be careful about coughing. Done that. Fuckin' NEXT!
7
So what's really going on that the media is screaming "hey, look over here!!11!! by ginning up another phony panic?
Is it time for TARP II?
Is it time for TARP II?
8
I was actually hoping I'd catch it this go 'round so that when it comes back even stronger and scarier in the fall I'd have some immunity. I shouldn't have read that book about the 1918 pandemic. . .
12
Well, this virus will be included in the seasonal flu vaccines they distribute later this year, so if most people get that and take other precautions THEY SHOULD ALREADY BE DOING (washing hands, staying home when sick if possible, etc.) then where exactly is the reason to be freaked out?
14
If it takes Swine Flu to get more men to wash their hands, I say 'bring it on!'
Story: girlfriend in LA working for well-known animation studio with moys (AKA man boys). Her cube was right between the mens washroom door and the kitchen that was stocked with open containers of chips and pretzels and all sorts of fun food. One day she noticed what she perceived as a pattern. Watched for a few days to see if the pattern was real.
Yup. Most of the guys who went into the bathroom, came out without her hearing the telltale audio of running water from a tap (the pipes ran in the wall on one side of her cube) and went right by the kitchen and shoved their pee and/or poo-encrusted hands into the bowls to grab stuff.
So she discretely emailed all the females on the floor and there was a lot more snack foods left for the guys since no woman would eat anything from the open bowls again.
So, yeah. Washing hands... what a new concept for some people.
Story: girlfriend in LA working for well-known animation studio with moys (AKA man boys). Her cube was right between the mens washroom door and the kitchen that was stocked with open containers of chips and pretzels and all sorts of fun food. One day she noticed what she perceived as a pattern. Watched for a few days to see if the pattern was real.
Yup. Most of the guys who went into the bathroom, came out without her hearing the telltale audio of running water from a tap (the pipes ran in the wall on one side of her cube) and went right by the kitchen and shoved their pee and/or poo-encrusted hands into the bowls to grab stuff.
So she discretely emailed all the females on the floor and there was a lot more snack foods left for the guys since no woman would eat anything from the open bowls again.
So, yeah. Washing hands... what a new concept for some people.
15
@12 I don't think that the World Health Organization has, as yet, decided to go ahead with mass producing an H1N1 vaccine. This article says they could be deciding tomorrow, then it would be four-six months out to get it made. Even then, there are significant issues, for example, that the vaccine made may not match whatever H1N1 mutates into by fall.
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/2…
The headline for that article is deceiving-- by H1N1 vaccine for "all" it is meant, if all goes well, they could potentially make 1-2 billion doses. That's not everyone.
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/2…
The headline for that article is deceiving-- by H1N1 vaccine for "all" it is meant, if all goes well, they could potentially make 1-2 billion doses. That's not everyone.
17
Um.
No.
Now would you stop trying to freak people out when all signs are that this is at most just another typical flu with a death toll LOWER than most?
Seriously, wash your hands with hot water and non-antibiotic soap and just don't sneeze in people's faces and you'll be fine.
No.
Now would you stop trying to freak people out when all signs are that this is at most just another typical flu with a death toll LOWER than most?
Seriously, wash your hands with hot water and non-antibiotic soap and just don't sneeze in people's faces and you'll be fine.
18
What does the CDC have to say about the few thousand people who've probably died of the regular flu since the panic started? Compared to two -- neither in the scary categories -- for H1N1. I mean really -- we're talking bee stings and lightning strikes here. You're more likely to die crashing into a red car than by getting this flu.
19
I dropped a couple warm pudding pops in the can last week. I'm good. Kancamagus in the Fall, baby.
20
I blame the bird flu, H5N1, which never manifested and cost us a bundle for a bunch of never-used short-shelf-life vaccine. (Thanks, Bush.) I used up my virus freak-out quota for the entire decade back then.
If you guys can delay the swine flu until next year, I should have a fresh allotment of virus grade freak-out, and I'll re-watch Outbreak, catch up on virus doomsday precautions and rechannel my OCD tendencies to washing up all. the. time.
Someone might want to consider convincing all the companies that hire service folk by the hour to actually pay for sick leave. That, or don't eat out at restaurants for the next couple of years; in my early twenties, I once had to choose: work as a cashier and cough all over the customers, or don't pay rent and get evicted. And that was just regular old influenza.
If you guys can delay the swine flu until next year, I should have a fresh allotment of virus grade freak-out, and I'll re-watch Outbreak, catch up on virus doomsday precautions and rechannel my OCD tendencies to washing up all. the. time.
Someone might want to consider convincing all the companies that hire service folk by the hour to actually pay for sick leave. That, or don't eat out at restaurants for the next couple of years; in my early twenties, I once had to choose: work as a cashier and cough all over the customers, or don't pay rent and get evicted. And that was just regular old influenza.
21
@18: Fnarf, OF COURSE seasonal flu and its complications kill thousands of people every year. Everyone should get vaccinated against seasonal flu, every year (remember all the bravado on Slog last winter about not getting vaccinated, hoping to catch it, etc?). Even though YOU may not have an underlying condition likely to kill you if you get flu, those you transmit it to might.
The herd will kindly thank you to just get the damn shot! (and yes, I am aware that it sometimes misses the mark)
The herd will kindly thank you to just get the damn shot! (and yes, I am aware that it sometimes misses the mark)
22
Is it wrong that whenever I see people actually wearing those stoopid maskes I cant seem to stop myself from throwing a massive coughing fit in their genral direction... Yeah... Honestly the masks aren't going to save you, not even close, have you seen Fight Club, its like that, the masks are just something to make you feel like you have control, which you dont. Sorry to break it to you. Wash your hands, eventually we are all gonna die of something, have a nice day.
23
I'm done freaking out about SARS, AIDS, swine flu, Y2K etc until it personally affects me. Because so far it's all been wasted energy.
25
More people will die from bee stings .... have we declared war on bees?
Let's all relax and stop talking on our cell phones while our cars are in motion, shall we?
Let's all relax and stop talking on our cell phones while our cars are in motion, shall we?
26
@25: If people did that, then who would we nominate for the Darwin Awards?
I shudder every time I see someone texting and driving. Those people have just gotta stop.
Actually, now that I think about it they usually do stop - once they run into someone or something.
I shudder every time I see someone texting and driving. Those people have just gotta stop.
Actually, now that I think about it they usually do stop - once they run into someone or something.
28
I always thought about picking up a military surplus gas mask. Those filters are small enough to block microbes.
Would I be disturbing the peace for wearing one in public?
Would I be disturbing the peace for wearing one in public?
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