Comments on: Swine Flu – Science, Pseudoscience, And Panic http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/ The official blog of the Skeptologists Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:44:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bob http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-7228 Bob Wed, 13 May 2009 03:06:50 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-7228 Well, my coworker finally returned from his trip to Cancun today. And... nothing happened. No one freaked out, no one even was nervous. I'm just glad that there was time to calm down from the anxiety people were initially having at the idea of having someone come back from Mexico into our office. Haha, everyone forgot about the swine flu idea when they saw his suntan! Well, my coworker finally returned from his trip to Cancun today. And… nothing happened. No one freaked out, no one even was nervous. I’m just glad that there was time to calm down from the anxiety people were initially having at the idea of having someone come back from Mexico into our office.

Haha, everyone forgot about the swine flu idea when they saw his suntan!

]]> By: Max http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6847 Max Sat, 09 May 2009 22:07:53 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6847 So far, out of the confirmed cases of swine flu, the hospitalization rate has been 5%, which is 4 to 16 times higher than for seasonal flu. But as I mentioned before, the confirmed cases are not a random sample, and they may be more severe than typical cases of swine flu. So far, out of the confirmed cases of swine flu, the hospitalization rate has been 5%, which is 4 to 16 times higher than for seasonal flu.
But as I mentioned before, the confirmed cases are not a random sample, and they may be more severe than typical cases of swine flu.

]]> By: tmac57 http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6802 tmac57 Sat, 09 May 2009 01:17:49 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6802 Max- What I have read suggests that the virulence may be about the same as seasonal flu so far, but experts say it is still too early to tell. This from the Washington Post May 2nd: "The early signs from the United States and a few European countries where the strain is spreading suggest it is not unusually dangerous, as there have been few deaths so far. If that continues to be true, then it may help explain the mysteriously high mortality in Mexico. It may be that Mexico already has had hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions, of cases -- all but the most serious hidden in the "noise" of background illness in a crowded population. The fact that most people infected in other countries had recently been to Mexico -- or were in direct contact with someone who had been -- is indirect evidence that the country may have been experiencing a silent epidemic for months. " It does appear to be fairly infectious though. Max- What I have read suggests that the virulence may be about the same as seasonal flu so far, but experts say it is still too early to tell. This from the Washington Post May 2nd:
“The early signs from the United States and a few European countries where the strain is spreading suggest it is not unusually dangerous, as there have been few deaths so far. If that continues to be true, then it may help explain the mysteriously high mortality in Mexico. It may be that Mexico already has had hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions, of cases — all but the most serious hidden in the “noise” of background illness in a crowded population.
The fact that most people infected in other countries had recently been to Mexico — or were in direct contact with someone who had been — is indirect evidence that the country may have been experiencing a silent epidemic for months. ”
It does appear to be fairly infectious though.

]]> By: Max http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6771 Max Fri, 08 May 2009 05:21:40 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6771 Are you suggesting that swine flu is less virulent than regular flu? Are you suggesting that swine flu is less virulent than regular flu?

]]> By: Max http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6770 Max Fri, 08 May 2009 05:16:53 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6770 [citation needed] http://virus.stanford.edu/uda "The name of Spanish Flu came from the early affliction and large mortalities in Spain (BMJ,10/19/1918) where it allegedly killed 8 million in May (BMJ, 7/13/1918). However, a first wave of influenza appeared early in the spring of 1918 in Kansas and in military camps throughout the US... There was virtually no response or acknowledgment to the epidemics in March and April in the military camps. It was unfortunate that no steps were taken to prepare for the usual recrudescence of the virulent influenza strain in the winter. The lack of action was later criticized when the epidemic could not be ignored in the winter of 1918 (BMJ, 1918). These first epidemics at training camps were a sign of what was coming in greater magnitude in the fall and winter of 1918 to the entire world." Sound familiar? [citation needed]

http://virus.stanford.edu/uda
“The name of Spanish Flu came from the early affliction and large mortalities in Spain (BMJ,10/19/1918) where it allegedly killed 8 million in May (BMJ, 7/13/1918). However, a first wave of influenza appeared early in the spring of 1918 in Kansas and in military camps throughout the US… There was virtually no response or acknowledgment to the epidemics in March and April in the military camps. It was unfortunate that no steps were taken to prepare for the usual recrudescence of the virulent influenza strain in the winter. The lack of action was later criticized when the epidemic could not be ignored in the winter of 1918 (BMJ, 1918). These first epidemics at training camps were a sign of what was coming in greater magnitude in the fall and winter of 1918 to the entire world.”

Sound familiar?

]]> By: Jeff http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6720 Jeff Thu, 07 May 2009 17:15:16 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6720 There is another element of this that cause the over-concern of swine flu and that is that Mexico's healthcare is really lousy compared to that of the United States. The lethality of the initial reports of the disease were overestimated. Second, just juxtapose deaths from swine flu and regular flu and you will get an understanding of the difference between frequency and proportion. There is another element of this that cause the over-concern of swine flu and that is that Mexico’s healthcare is really lousy compared to that of the United States. The lethality of the initial reports of the disease were overestimated.

Second, just juxtapose deaths from swine flu and regular flu and you will get an understanding of the difference between frequency and proportion.

]]> By: Skepticus Maximus http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6606 Skepticus Maximus Thu, 07 May 2009 02:08:48 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6606 The first sentence of this article contains a blooper. The name of the Spanish flu does not come from the "the country of origin of the first identified case". According to Wikipedia and other sources, 'the 1918 Flu received its nickname "Spanish Flu" because Spain, a neutral country in WWI, had no special censorship for news against the disease and its consequences. Hence the most reliable news came from Spain, giving the false impression that Spain was the most—if not the only—affected zone'. In this day and age I expect any skeptic to instinctively do internet searches of the things presented as facts in web articles. Doubly so for authors publishing articles for skeptics. The fact that nobody noticed it in the comments yet is proof that people let their guard down when reading this site. There is room for improvement, just use the right-click of you mouse. The first sentence of this article contains a blooper. The name of the Spanish flu does not come from the “the country of origin of the first identified case”.
According to Wikipedia and other sources, ‘the 1918 Flu received its nickname “Spanish Flu” because Spain, a neutral country in WWI, had no special censorship for news against the disease and its consequences. Hence the most reliable news came from Spain, giving the false impression that Spain was the most—if not the only—affected zone’.
In this day and age I expect any skeptic to instinctively do internet searches of the things presented as facts in web articles. Doubly so for authors publishing articles for skeptics.
The fact that nobody noticed it in the comments yet is proof that people let their guard down when reading this site. There is room for improvement, just use the right-click of you mouse.

]]> By: Manda http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6518 Manda Wed, 06 May 2009 21:12:49 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6518 ok I can't help but comment. I'm a chemist. so something I noticed about their first product, their "Kangan water"? they say it's both "alkaline waters" and "super acidic water". so it's basic and acidic at the same time, is it? so it's just plain ol' water? ok. gotcha. good to know. ;) ok I can’t help but comment. I’m a chemist. so something I noticed about their first product, their “Kangan water”? they say it’s both “alkaline waters” and “super acidic water”. so it’s basic and acidic at the same time, is it? so it’s just plain ol’ water? ok. gotcha. good to know. ;)

]]> By: tmac57 http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6511 tmac57 Wed, 06 May 2009 20:53:08 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6511 One flu over the coo-coo sty? One flu over the coo-coo sty?

]]> By: Donna Gore http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/05/04/swine-flu-science-pseudoscience-and-panic/#comment-6468 Donna Gore Wed, 06 May 2009 19:07:26 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=2329#comment-6468 I Emailed this letter to the Atlanta Journal, but of course they didn't have the nads to print it: We don’t have to worry about the swine flu down here in the Bible belt. Disease management is based on principles of biology, including genetics and evolution. And we don’t believe in that sort of nonsense around here. Who needs the CDC?? We have God on our side! The only thing we need to do is PRAY. I’ll wait for Gov. Perdue to call me down to the capitol steps. I Emailed this letter to the Atlanta Journal, but of course they didn’t have the nads to print it:

We don’t have to worry about the swine flu down here in the Bible belt. Disease management is based on principles of biology, including genetics and evolution. And we don’t believe in that sort of nonsense around here. Who needs the CDC?? We have God on our side! The only thing we need to do is PRAY. I’ll wait for Gov. Perdue to call me down to the capitol steps.

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