There are things you can plan for to lower the risk of problems
like the following:
1. How to manage obese people who have a higher risk of problems
with the swine flu
2. If you have a choice, should the young and strong person be
the breadwinner?
In the Obesity emerges as new risk factor for severe flu
article. Scientists sees a special risk to obese people who are
healthy may develop severe complications/death from the H1N1 swine
flu germ.
Many news articles say that young people are the most likely ones
to catch the H1N1 germ. This is much like the infamous germ in 1918
that killed 50 to 100 million people worldwide.
Already there might be a reassortment in Indonesia. In the
article Tangerang, Banten: Vet’s family infected by
A/H1N1 virus. It seems like a family of four in Kecamatan
Curug; Kabupaten Tangerang has caught the H1N1 flu. Hold on to your
chairs because this might be the BIG one.
This is a case where a health service person went to a farm to
check on some sick birds and he returned with symptoms of the H5N1
bird flu. At first, they thought it was the bird flu because of the
symptoms and he was in contact with sick birds. They gave him
Tamiflu, which did not help. They also gave him a flu test that came
back as the H1N1 flu. Three of his family also caught the virus.
It is possible that the H1N1 germ and the H5N1 germ mixed but
only the H1N1 virus showed when tested. This is the most important
story to follow and find out the outcome!
Virtually, all the experts are worried about what could happen to
the H1N1 virus or the deadly H5N1 virus if reassortment occurs. They
could pick up traits from each other that would make either one of
them very dangerous. The H5N1 germ, which does not spread easily, is
very lethal killing half of the people who get it. And, I do expect
that rate to drop if it does mutate into a pandemic strain. It could
learn how to spread much more easily. Or the H1N1 germ could learn
how to kill a larger percentage of people that it infects.
The problem is it is only a matter of time before this will
happen. That is why we all need to prepare before it happens.