Originally posted by: crazySOB297
Originally posted by: DLeRium
So the question is how BAD is it to get this disease in the US compared to the regular flu? I mean is this like the uber flu or will I just feel the same? Is it harder to fight?
Same, as easy to fight. More than likely less easy to control. Seems like it spreads faster than most.
I wouldn't say it really spreads any faster. Simply, a lot of people get short-term immunity of the common influenza strains, so after flu season, when a lot of people might have come down with the flu, they might still have that immunity, so cases out of season are small. Also, unreported. The flu spreads fast. Ever had a friend have the flu, and next thing you know a lot of people that friend hangs around with, or lives with, or even you, get the flu pretty quick? Influenza as a virus, regardless of strain, spreads fast when you have a species like us that tend to always be in close proximity to others at some point.
The Swine Flu, however, no one has any immunity to. So it's probably going to continue to spread fast, especially as you can catch it, and potentially start passing it on to others, before you even realize you are sick.
The one good thing about this media sensationalism is that it's going to make everyone super aware - they are going to avoid anyone that looks like they might be sick, hell, sneezing is probably going to get people bitching at others. But also, it's going to make everyone start wondering, do I have it? even after the most mild of symptoms, like a scratchy throat or feeling blue. Which means, this bug might be equally as dangerous as the Spanish Flu, but how we react, governments and the population, might prevent this from reaching the same terrible levels.
The pessimist in me is doubting that though. This will probably get ugly.
And, in general, this will probably be like the flu, infection lasting the same, for most individuals.
However, with what has happened in Mexico City (healthy adults dieing), and what had happened with the Spanish Flu (also an Influenza A H1N1 strain), healthy adults were the most susceptible, if they had strong immune systems. For some reason the Spanish Flu caused the immune system to go into crazy overdrive. For those with strong immune systems, this meant the overactive immune system caused serious harm to the body, and could (and did, not in every case mind you) cause death. Those with weaker immune systems, the overdrive ended up still being in levels that the human body could withstand - for the most part... there are always those that don't fit the curve.