Swine Flu: A pandemic?

[Feared_1]

The swine flu started in Mexico and has begun spreading to America and other countries around the world. The swine flu has been given a "Phase 5" alert, which means a pandemic is more than a possibility.

In response to an intensifying outbreak in the United States and internationally caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 5 on April 29, 2009.
...

From:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Discussion Questions:
Should we be worried? If not, WHEN should we start being worried? What are some things we can do to prevent it from spreading? What should you do if you get it? What factors tell whether Swine Flu is deadly to a person or not?

Swine Flu FAQ from CNN.

[lastmsg]

phase 6 is isolation, all borders are closed, if that's what you mean by your question and it is a pandemic already

[Feared_1]

It is not yet a pandemic from what I'm aware of.

[lastmsg]

I thought a pandemic is when it spreads to 2 country's and at least 2 people in one of the regions inside the each of the country's.

[sabrebattletank]

http://www.crazymonkeygames.com/Pandemic-2.html

It'll never get Madagascar though, so we're safe.

[Nielk1]

GOOD GOD!

This thing has a lower kill % than the common flu.

[lastmsg]

GOOD GOD!

This thing has a lower kill % than the common flu.

Its like 5x worse in Mexico then it is anywhere else. I think the colder it is, the less it will effect that area and the infection will be minor

[Purplehaze]

Look, I have to agree with nielk, This thing is harmless, So you get the flu, just because we wern't ready for it doesn't mean crap, And mexico has bad healthcare in some areas, People die all the time from that area, Im not to worried unless it mutates and starts to kill, I am not even worried about it.

[TheJamsh]

it already HAS killed PH...

[Warfreak]

Yes, many Mexicans in areas with poor health conditions to START with (Speaking of Mexico City), and a 24 or so month old with a family living on a farm in Texas.

Besides, if your area has good health AND you are near a hospital (A 30min drive at the least), you should be fine... just head to hospital like you normally would if you come down with the flu.

[Nielk1]

it already HAS killed PH...

1% of infected

[AHadley]

The vast majority of people it's killed so far already had something else - pneumonia, for example.

[bigbadbogie]

No, it gives them Pneumonia.

[Purplehaze]

What i ment was if it started to kill those in areas with good healthcare.

[Nielk1]

No, it gives them Pneumonia.

In Mexico, you go to a hospital to die more than to be treated, so they would get Pneumonia from lack of treatment. They could get it from the common cold even.