Military planning for possible H1N1 outbreak

[137th Gebirg]

This is kind of scary:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/07/28/military.swine.flu/

They're probably going to rent copies of "Outbreak" to get ideas. I'm sure a MOAB is probably not off the table, either.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

While swine flu has killed over 1000 people so far worldwide, it helps to keep that in perspective. The flu normally kills about 30,000 people in the US each year. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, but people concerned about some kind of apocalyptic scenario resembling 1918 are overblowing it a bit. I don't doubt that swine flu will cause additional deaths, but even if it causes twice as many as usual, that's still "only" 60,000.

Maybe it sounds heartless to put it in that kind of perspective--it's easy to talk about numbers until it happens to someone you know. But we're nowhere near a disaster scenario at this point, this is all just preparation in case it becomes one.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

This is kind of scary:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/07/28/military.swine.flu/

They're probably going to rent copies of "Outbreak" to get ideas. I'm sure a MOAB is probably not off the table, either.

OMG, FEMA too. Those guys are working with the Black Oil aliens, and they exert total control over the US, except for some major cities on the Gulf Coast that kind of slipped though the cracks. But other than that, they're everywhere.

 

[Trekker4747]

While swine flu has killed over 1000 people so far worldwide, it helps to keep that in perspective. The flu normally kills about 30,000 people in the US each year. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, but people concerned about some kind of apocalyptic scenario resembling 1918 are overblowing it a bit. I don't doubt that swine flu will cause additional deaths, but even if it causes twice as many as usual, that's still "only" 60,000.

Maybe it sounds heartless to put it in that kind of perspective--it's easy to talk about numbers until it happens to someone you know. But we're nowhere near a disaster scenario at this point, this is all just preparation in case it becomes one.

THIS.

 

[cultcross]

While swine flu has killed over 1000 people so far worldwide, it helps to keep that in perspective. The flu normally kills about 30,000 people in the US each year. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, but people concerned about some kind of apocalyptic scenario resembling 1918 are overblowing it a bit. I don't doubt that swine flu will cause additional deaths, but even if it causes twice as many as usual, that's still "only" 60,000.

Maybe it sounds heartless to put it in that kind of perspective--it's easy to talk about numbers until it happens to someone you know. But we're nowhere near a disaster scenario at this point, this is all just preparation in case it becomes one.

Exactly, well said.

H1N1 flu kills, this can't be denied. But all flu kills. So far, this one isn't even doing too well in the All Flu Bodycount Championships. The only reason this one is getting special treatment is because the media have ridiculously over-hyped it so people are scared shitless over it, and the fact that it targets younger than usual for flu because of partial immunity gained from being alive during previous flu outbreaks in the late 60s/70s.
The world is not going to end because of Swine Flu. Essential services are not going to come crashing to their knees. 100,000+ cases now in the UK, and I still have yet to see a detrimental effect on, well, anything.
And face it, you'd rather get this thing now, in summer, thna in winter when it will be much more effective at knocking you for 6.

 

[Geckothan]

People still care about swine flu?

 

[sidious618]

OMG, FEMA too. Those guys are working with the Black Oil aliens, and they exert total control over the US, except for some major cities on the Gulf Coast that kind of slipped though the cracks. But other than that, they're everywhere.

I like when Glenn Beck proposed that FEMA was evil and he ripped the idea right out of The X-Files film.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

OMG, FEMA too. Those guys are working with the Black Oil aliens, and they exert total control over the US, except for some major cities on the Gulf Coast that kind of slipped though the cracks. But other than that, they're everywhere.

I like when Glenn Beck proposed that FEMA was evil and he ripped the idea right out of The X-Files film.

 

[sidious618]

 

[iguana_tonante]

I think this whole swine flu thing has hyperboled the hyperbolic hyperbole.

 

[bigdaddy]

Maybe we should have cared before now? Just a crazy ass thought!

 

[All Seeing Eye]

All of this was foretold years ago by those in the know.

 

[Goliath]

All of this was foretold years ago by those in the know.

You mean, like Stephen King?

 

[ManOnTheWave]

I think this whole swine flu thing has hyperboled the hyperbolic hyperbole.

So you're saying we should panic?

 

[iguana_tonante]

I think this whole swine flu thing has hyperboled the hyperbolic hyperbole.

So you're saying we should panic?

Yes, because a society that falls for such stupid fake emergencies just can't survive in the face of a real one.