You guys, every year, the flu kills people. Mostly, the young, the old, and the immunocompromised. It's just nature's way.
So far, the only deaths I've heard about (at least, here in this country) are the young, the old, and the immunocompromised. I haven't heard
anything about it killing millions of strong, healthy people like it did back in 1918. If that starts to happen, THEN we can worry. But for right
now, it's just the flu.
It is strange that it's happening OUT of flu season, but for now, it doesn't seem to be killing healthy people, so everyone can just take a deep
breath and relax.
Here's something else that might put your mind at ease: I'm a hospital pharmacist in a small community hospital, and so far, we have not had even
ONE case of flu admitted to the hospital. A few months ago, when this swine flu scare started getting a lot of attention, all the area hospitals got
shipments of anti-viral medications delivered to us in case of a big pandemic. Well, we have not had to dispense even one prescription. We haven't
gotten ANY cases of flu admitted to the hospital yet. Seriously...not one.
Also, let me tell you something: getting a mild case of the flu is actually nothing to be scared about. Sure, it's not pleasant, but the human body
NEEDS to have occasional viruses to fight off to keep our immune system healthy and strong. Vaccinating us or avoiding all illnesses at all costs only
weakens our immune system over-all, and makes us weaker. Not only weaker as individuals, but weaker as a species, too.
Little flu epidemics are like little forest fires. Small annual forest fires keeps the forests, as a whole, healthy and stronger. If you put out all
the little forest fires, the underbrush gets too thick, and then one day, a huge fire comes along and wipes out the entire forest. Not good. That's
why it's good to let nature take it's course, and let the small forest fires burn every year.
Same thing with flu epidemics. They are NEEDED. Think of mild flu epidemics as small, annual forest fires, making the forest stronger. There is a
reason for EVERYTHING in nature, even viruses. The viruses keep our immune system healthy and strong. When we start screwing with nature, then that's
when things get out of wack. I never used to think this, but now, after being a pharmacist for so many years, I truly believe this.
WE are the problem....WE are causing all these rising problems of chronic illness and drug-resistant strains of bacteria and viruses. Nature is not
creating chronic illness and drug-resistant super-bugs...WE are, because of our actions.
So really, as far as this flu epidemic goes, I think someone is trying to cause a panic. I just don't know why. Maybe to push mass vaccinations,
which is scary, because I refuse to get vaccinated ever again. I know too much about the dangers of vaccination....but that's another story.
In any case, if I hear of any sudden spikes in the flu here in Arizona, I'll let you know. But for now, it seems that this flu is no different than
any other flu, except for the timing of it, in the middle of summer. But it's not killing a lot of people. If we start hearing about LOTS of healthy,
young, strong people dying from it.....then you can start to worry.
As to why the flu season seems to be not "in season" this year, I have a theory.....years ago when scientists first started noticing that our
climate was starting to change, they said that as the earth gets warmer, more epidemics would happen. Well, we might just be seeing a natural shift in
the flu season, as a result of climate change. That is entirely possible. It's just a theory of mine, but I could be way off.
I don't believe global warming is due to human activity ( I think it's due to natural cycles of the earth and the sun cycles) but it's obvious
earth's climate has shifted somewhat.
Maybe as the climate changes, and our seasons change... the cold and flu seaons also change??? Will this mean they also get stronger? I don't know.
But I guess time will tell.
[edit on 2-7-2009 by nikiano]