With all due respect, could you please elaborate on your comment let's be careful here?

For cryin' out sakes, I'm not ostracizing "Mexicans" for their nationality. It's about not letting the virus spread through the States. If this outbreak would have originatd in Needles, California, I would be saying let's get the National Guard out there to quarantine the residents of Needles to assure the safety and health of the rest of U.S. citizens.

It's truly sad that we have become so wrapped up and preoccupied with making sure that we are politically correct that we fail to see the big picture.

Unfortunately, it's too late for that now. It was too late the minute it crossed our border. The only thing we can hope for now is that people take care of themselves properly, get it treated and hope it burns out quickly.

That poor child is only the first of many, I fear.

Never mind... Keep washing your hands!

I'm glad you clarified that. It did sound at first as if Mexicans in general were being slammed. That is what I meant by the let's be careful.

I guess the real problem is, that by the time we learned of this virus, people had already visited there and were back??

golly gee willikers - what a great idea

Maybe a month-ish ago. Maybe just slightly longer. Not sure.

u may have a point, europe is now trying to ban all flights both ways and the uk has already done so. we have another 3 cases and now have quarantined a school. WHO are at phase 4 pandemic warning so only 2 away from full alert.

Actually, that's very good advice. The germ is spread the same as any other cold and flu virus. Most people get sick because they've touched something "germy", with their hands, then touched their eyes, nose or mouth. If more people washed their hands more often, or used that hand sanitizer more often, there would be far fewer cases of any virus.

And, let's face it, if you're sick, stay home. But our country makes it nearly impossible as most companies do not offer any kind of paid sick time and in many cases if they do, it's only for the employee but doesn't extend to the employee taking care of their sick children. I don't know about you, but I cannot afford to lose a day's pay, much less any more than that.

Don't panic, wash your hands, carry anti-bacterial wipes with you, use hand sanitizer. You'll greatly cut not only your risk but the spread of any virus.

I don't know, I think shutting down the borders just might be a good idea for now. Being that the biggest outbreak is in Mexico, and they aren't doing a very good job at containing it, it will at least cut down on those that are infected there from coming over here and spreading it more then what is already done.

Ok...the child died in a Houston hospital but the family is from Mexico. They brought her here from Mexico for treatment.

I think, in theory, that's probably not a bad idea; however, the flu is already out there and many thousands have already been exposed, more than likely. They in turn will expose thousands of others. If it can be contained further, great, but I wonder if it's already too late? Also, let's face it, our government's not exactly very good at policing the borders. I can't imagine they can get it together to in time for it to be effective.

See, Mexico doesn't have the resources to treat this flu, so they are coming to the U.S. for help.

I feel bad for those people, but come on, why do we have to sacrifice the health of our loved ones because of it?

Boy now that is a sticky one. I don't know. I'd say if my kid were that ill, I'd take it where ever I had to to try to save it's life, especially if people were dying from it there and not here; makes the parent feel like they have a chance if they got her here in time.

I agree, you don't exactly look at the big picture when your child is that ill. And, I wonder too, did they KNOW it was the swine flu when they brought her here? Or did they find out after?

I don't know that answer. I have CNN on and that is all they said. That the family brought her here for treatment.


Now, they are saying they have closed an Elementary School in Chicago for possible presence of Swine Flu. ugggg

Top Swine Flu Myths Debunked

Separating fact from fiction.
Posted by Moira Bugler at Health on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 10:13 AM
Swine flu coverage is everywhere—on the Web, TV, radio and even spreading like wildfire on social networks like Twitter. But across all of the media outlets, there’s potential for misinformation. And unfortunately, some of this information is causing unnecessary panic. Pediatricians' and doctors' offices are being overwhelmed by calls. Yankee fans in the Bronx are opting out of attending home games as a precautionary measure because of the outbreak in Queens - the largest in the United States.



Are these actions necessary or an overreaction to myths portrayed in the media? Here are some facts about swine flu to help give peace of mind and help you set a plan of action for you and your family.



Infection from the swine flu can only happen if you have direct contact with a pig.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), swine flu has in the past been spread between pigs and humans. This most likely occurs when people are in close proximity to pigs such as on farms and at fairs. However, with this outbreak, it appears human-to-human spread can also occur, because the virus can spread through liquid droplets that get airborne, such as through coughing and sneezing. Or you can contract it by touching something with the live virus on it and then touching your mouth, eyes, or nose.



If you have flu symptoms, then you have swine flu.

This is unlikely. But if you have severe flu symptoms, such as shortness of breath, you should contact your health care provider right away.



Keep in mind that right now in the U.S. those being diagnosed with swine flu are showing mild symptoms. The seasonal flu is more likely to lead to hospitalization or even death, as it kills roughly 35,000 each year, though it's fatal more often in the very young and elderly and those who have a compromised immune system.



Eating pork products puts you at risk for swine flu infection.

Go ahead, eat your bacon. You cannot contract swine flu from eating pork. It's safe to eat properly handled pork if it's been cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F, which kills off most bacteria and viruses, including the virus that causes swine flu.



Your seasonal flu vaccination will protect you from this outbreak of swine flu.

According to the CDC, it may offer a small degree of protection. Note that this swine flu virus is a never-before-seen combination of swine, avian and human influenza, and therefore nobody is fully protected against it. The seasonal flu vaccine may offer some protection against the swine flu's human virus, but it doesn't give protection against its swine and avian components.



You should avoid public events and locations until the virus is contained.

Right now, the CDC is not recommending this. Again, the likelihood of being infected is slim. In the U.S., only 68 people are known to be infected at this time. If you are concerned about your exposure or have a weakened immune system, there is evidence that wearing a surgical mask tightly against your face offers extra protection. Although keep in mind that it’s impossible to contain this virus right now because outbreaks like this generally last for months. Frequent hand-washing is also advised.



Here's one recommendation you should follow, however: The CDC says that the public should avoid any unnecessary travel to Mexico until further notice.



Young, healthy adults are equally at risk as children and the elderly.

It turns out that age and immune-system strength may not be a factor with this virus. That’s because, just like the SARS and avian flu outbreaks, it's believed the problem is not so much the virus itself but how your body responds to it.



In past flu pandemics, young and healthy adults who were more likely to be affected than the very young or elderly. This is because their bodies showed an overreaction of their immune response, with respiratory-system inflammation that was ultimately deadly. A stronger immune system fighting those infections meant an overly strong response and greater odds of fatality.



But not to add to the hype, keep in mind that the cases reported so far in the United States have been mild. For those deaths in Mexico, it’s uncertain why young and healthy people are dying. One theory is the virus has already mutated into a stronger version; public health officials are investigating. It's also important to note that antiviral medications such as Tamiflu are showing to be effective in treating this swine flu; there were no such medications in the 1918 pandemic.



This is the first outbreak of swine flu in the U.S.

This is incorrect. There have been a few incidences of swine flu outbreak in the United States over the years. In 1988, a community in Wisconsin showed multiple human infections as well as antibodies in health care workers who had close contact with the patients. There was also an outbreak of swine flu among soldiers in Fort Dix, New Jersey, in 1976. Five were infected, and one of the soldiers died. But medical experts believe there were many factors that contributed to this outbreak, including the introduction of a virus into a stressed community living in close quarters during the winter months.



And because the swine flu has similar symptoms to the common flu, it’s possible there have already been other cases that have not been tested for. As they have reported in the outbreaks of swine flu, many health care workers caring for those with swine flu often have antibodies to the virus and have experienced mild symptoms.



The swine flu outbreak is worse than the other SARS pandemic of 2000–2003.

This is not true. The SARS pandemic of 2000–2003 had 774 deaths. That’s about 10 percent of those who were infected with the virus. Most of the cases were in China, with fewer than 10 in the United States.

this has so far been a pretty small flu outbreak

but they are taking no chances and jumping on it as soon as it appears

I wouln't go freaking out yet. Just avoid mexican food and music

You're right.

I'm sorry if I freaked out and offended anybody...!

I love Mexicans, and would be bummed out if I didn't make my annual summer pilgrimage to Tijuana... I just don't want to DIEEEEEEEEEEE!

hell i say close the borders and give anyone watching the borders the order to Shoot To Kill!.a bullet will kill quicker than the Swine Flu,right?just consider it a mercy shot

I can't speak for anyone else but I wasn't offended. I think you're reaction is going to be increasingly common, I know mine was. But, knowledge is power and the more we know, the more in control we can be. Hence the need not to panic. You'll be fine