The symptoms of H1N1 are:
Those seem awfully familiar. That's becuase those are the exact symptoms of the regular seasonal flu. And the treatment for the swine flu? When I researched this, it stated that most people will get over the swine flu with no treatment at all. The only time anyone would have to worry is if they have other complications that will affect their chances against fighting the flu. So I wonder, why are we making such a big deal out of the swine flu? Yes, it's a pandemic, but the more we freak out, the more society freaks out. Everyone is talking about the swine flu. Everybody knows about it. And we are more scared about getting H1N1 then we are the regular flu. And the regular flu makes us just as sick. Do you think we play up the swine flu a bit much?And if we do, do we have reason for it? Should we really be scared about the consequences of H1N1? And what about the vaccine? The government is releasing a vaccine this fall for the H1N1 virus. This vaccine is different from the seasonal flu vaccine but is expected to be given out around the same time. Is it risky to be taking both vaccines? Especially us, who are living in close dorm rooms, should we recieve the vaccine?
And one more issue that has caused lots of rumors. What will Merrimack do when the swine flu breaks out? Will those people be sent home? Will H1N1 hit us like a bomb? There are so many "what ifs" and so many questions. And most of them won't be answered until something actually happens. But we all worry. Everyone is concerned about getting sick. But there is not much we can do right now other than washing our hands and stay away from those who are sick. What do you think about this issue? What should Merrimack do?
I have to agree that swine flu has many what ifs. My roommates and I discussed this exact topic the other day. My mother texted me yesterday concerned after hearing a college student from a local town going to school in Ohio died. I think that the H1N1 flu has been made a big deal because no one saw it coming. In my opinion the symptoms of it seem almost exactly the same as any other flu. Personally, like anyone else on this campus I don't want to get sick. I don't think anyone here has time to fall behind. Does the regular flu shot really prevent you from getting sick? I'm not so convinced. I asked myself whether or not getting a shot will make a difference. Maybe, maybe not. Guess we'll all be stuck waiting for the H1N1 "bomb" to hit.
ReplyDeleteHow scary is that!? The H1N1 "bomb." I believe that we all have a right to be frightened by the Swine Flu. It is a virus that is extremely fatal and that can destroy at any moment. If doctors believed that receiving both vaccines at the same time was dangerous than they would not be allowing people to receive both. I don't live on campus, and have had an awful cough for three weeks now. I did not immediately get worried and think it was Swine Flu, I just think it's my allergies. I don't think that everyone is making a big deal out of this, but at the same time, they have a right to. This is a dangerous virus that is killing many innocent people. We need to protect each other here at Merrimack by washing our hands when necessary, and being cautious of others and covering our mouths when we cough. If Merrimack gets hit with the "bomb," then we have no idea as students what they will decide to do, but I'm sure that they have it all planned out. Overall, I'm not worried about the Swine Flu, but I find it okay for others to be.
ReplyDeleteSwine Flu will eventually hit Merrimack, but should we be afraid? A girl in my home town was diagnosed with swine flu back in june and the only thing that happened was that she got sick and got better while the school was shut down for seven days. No one else contracted the disease and she did not die. I was not afraid then, but now that I live in a dorm I'm a little bit afraid. I'm crazy with the anti bacterial, take more vitamin c and I am already signed up for the flu shot but thats the only thing we can do now. Now we just have to wait and see, if we get it. Theres nothing else we can do. I am nervous about what teachers are going to do about students work. I would hate to do bad in a class, just because I get really sick. But, I guess we will see. I feel like the teachers will be understanding
ReplyDeleteI believe that people definitely play up the swine flu. Even though it is just like the regular flu, people are scared of it because of its new name. This gives people something new to be scared of and even though it is the same as the other flu, people automatically associate it as much worse than the regular flu. I don’t think anything will happen with this flu. People die from the regular flu at the same rate that they die from the swine flu. I believe that this is just another excuse for the government to get America scared. I believe that eventually the swine flu scare will all blow over.
ReplyDeleteIt’s called the ‘snowball’ effect. Once one person says something about the swine flu, someone else may say something even ‘bigger and better and more frightening’! (Also known as gossip!) I think people around the United States have definitely exaggerated the ‘swine flu epidemic’. Speaking as someone who just went to the doctor’s office today for a common cold, I think it’s crazy! We as a society have made such a big deal about this swine flu that it’s preventing us from going about our daily activities. I know I do not have swine flu, but that doesn’t stop people in my dorm from not letting me into their rooms because they think I’ll infect them! Every time I sneeze, people look at me like I have three heads and someone will eventually yell out “SWINE FLU!”. Way to make me feel uncomfortable! My point is, for every little ache and pain we may have, someone will always take it to the next level, joking or not, and relate it back to the swine flu!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I am going to get both vaccines; mainly because that’s what my mother wants me to do and what mommy says goes. I’m not too concerned about swine flu because if it were a big issue each time I caught a little cold, my Doctor would tell me it’s a big deal! The Doctor wasn’t concerned today when I went to see her for my cold, therefore, I’m going to sleep easy tonight! Good blog topic!
The other day when I called home my dad specifically told me"You should get a flu shot". Now this might not sound like a very radical request. However, there are two reasons why this struck me as abnormal. 1) I'm terrified of needles. 2) I've gone through 18 flu seasons without getting a flu shot because of this fear of needles. But then again, even before I talked to my dad, I thought to my self about how much I would need a flu shot this season.
ReplyDeleteI totally believe that people are freaking out about this though. However, with the swine flu going on- thats just another virus out there that I don't want to catch. Merrimack shouldn't send everyone home- people just have to be smart and not contaminate others if they are sick.
How much should we really freak out?
I recently watched a segment on the news about swine flu. A local masachusetts woman said, "well we've cancelled our family vacation."
"Where's that?" the reporter asked.
"New Hampshire" she replied.
My opinion? Not that much.
I also think that the outburst of concern about the swine flu is a little over the top. Like said before what’s so different about the swine flu then the regular flu. I have never once gotten a flu shot and I have never once gotten the flu. Personally I think I have a great immune system but I also take care of myself during flu season. I always wash my hands, use hand sanitizer and try and eat healthy. I am a little more concerned this year though because of the close quarters I am living in while in the dorms. I am going to have to take extra precautions this year to make sure I stay healthy. Hopefully the outbreak this year isn’t as bad as they are predicting. This season, if people take the correct precautions and keep healthy hopefully the swine flu will stay under control.
ReplyDeleteWhat I can share in this entry is the experience I’ve lived in Argentina. In my country many people also died, not because they were not instructed, but for other reasons that we should taken into consideration.
ReplyDelete1-If we play up the swine flu a bit much or not, we should not care. What we should care are doctors’ recommendations. We need to take precautions.
2-We should remember that one of the first countries affected was Mexico and, like Argentina, they did not have any vaccine or medicine for the virus.
3-If there is a vaccine, well… do not hesitate to get your organism protected. If doctors allow you to inject both, well… trust them. For sure they are more informed than we are.
4-In Argentina many people died because they did not go to the doctor on time. Sometimes it tends to happen, we think that it is a simple flu and we go to the doctor when everything is too complicated. Go to the doctor if you have any of the symptoms listed above.
5-Calm down!
Like you and many other people who have posted on this blog, I also believe that swine flu has been extremely played up in our country. One of the only reasons that we fear swine flu so much is because it's unknown, and it's a completely new virus to worry about. Does anybody remember the panic about the bird flu? I do. And did anything happen? No. We were so afraid when that virus came into existence because we didn't know the effect that it would have since it became contagious to human beings.
ReplyDeleteI believe the fear of this disease also came about because of the amount of people that it killed in Mexico. But here in the United States, we have a much more advanced medical system. No one should worry about the swine flu unless they already have a condition that makes it unsafe to get any type of flu.
Like Looking 4 Accuracy, I believe that we should be aware of the symptoms and be ready to go to the doctor if we have any concerns. But for now, we all need to calm down.
Everyone that has posted on this blog has hit one basic point-our country is playing up the swine flu a bit too much. The regular flu kills so many people yearly, and how often do we hear about those deaths on the news? The country is in a panic because of the swine flu, and our nations officials and medical professionals are working to prevent the H1N1 from becoming an out-of-control pandemic.
ReplyDeleteWhile I believe that all the 'hype' about swine is a bit too much, I do believe that it is a threat to our nation and the world that we must keep a close eye on. My uncle is a doctor, and when the swine pandemic first broke out we had a long conversation about it and the effects he thought it would have on our nation. He said that it really was just a regular flu, and if people who were sick didn't hold off on getting medical attention, it shouldn't be much of a problem. But at the same time, the medical world is most afraid of how little we know about the H1N1 virus. Viruses can change drastically with no warning at all, and strains of the virus can become resistant to drugs and medicines designed to help or prevent against the virus. With so little information available about the H1N1 virus, doctors across the country were rushing to study and learn more about the virus before it began to hit hard. They wanted to stop it in it's tracks before it got out of control. When the medical world gets alarmed, the media plays it up, and the public goes into a panic. Why the medical professionals were really worried, in my opinion, was that they felt unprepared to fight it should a huge pandemic of H1N1 break out.
So is the H1N1 virus really as dangerous as they make it? Is 'swine '09' really going to be as much of an issue as the media predicts it will be? We can only hope that it won't be, and the only way to keep it under control is to be cautious, wash your hands constantly, and not to go too close to others if you are feeling sick. If we all listen to what our doctors tell us and try to stay healthy, 'swine '09' can be a lot better than the media is making it out to be.
I think that swine flu isn’t as bad as most people think as well. I read a recent study that professors did and they came to the conclusion that about as many people will die from the swine flu as the seasonal flu. The symptoms of swine are very similar to that of the seasonal flu which I could see striking fear in people because they might read the symptoms and automatically assume they have swine flu, when in fact, it could just be a common cold or the seasonal flu. As far as Merrimack goes, I was just given a letter a few days ago because I am from New Jersey. I had to put down if I have any relatives/friends that I would go home with if I became ill. So, Merrimack is taking the initiative if I do become sick that I won’t spread it to everyone in the school.
ReplyDeleteMy high school had a class trip to Mexico last spring. We were on our way home and going through customs and everybody had facemasks on and were asking us if we felt sick at all. Even more bizaree, they wouldnt tell us why. So we all got home at about four in the morning only to find the next day that there was a possible epidemic occurring.
ReplyDeleteWhen we got back to school we were treated like criminals. We had to sit secluded in the back of the classrooms because it was possible that we could infect everyone else. Parents petitioned to have us removed from school so that their children would be out of harms way. The funny part was, none of us were sick and come to find out, it was just a new strain of the common flu.
So if you're asking my opinion, are people overreacting? Then yes, they've been overreacting for quite some time now.
I think people are definitely overreacting. At my high school they were freaking out and everyone was so worried because just four people had swine. I feel like it's not that big of a deal and it seems like it is just like any other flu. I think people are so worried because there is no way to help people get better if they get swine. If doctors can find a way to help patients with swine, everyone will feel more comforted and relaxed. With swine being so unknown and mysterious is what makes people freak out about it. Merrimack is doing a good job with making sure students have somewhere to stay if they become ill, so I don't think it will be a big problem here.
ReplyDelete