It's over here!

[chinadog]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/index.html

[Reincarnated]

Birdie (what an apt name) What is there to help us halt the spread and cure the ill if this pandemic does reach our shores?

[Reincarnated]

Maybe birdie,but does this all down to prep? Because we NEED to be prepared for anything that the world throws at us (well almost anything) it all boils down to that saying."its better to have it and not need it,then to need it and not have it!" And with the medicine/vaccine etc....there will be folk worrying themselves into sleepless nights through this,but i reckon these are generally the people that start worrying about wars,the bse crisis etc....basically what the media portrays without really doing any real research themeselves! Anyways im off to bed and ill catch you on this or another thread in the future! night!

[Totterdown]

Well, a spokesman from the Government says that they are more than prepared if there is an outbreak here and there is more than enough vaccine to treat everyone. I hope that for once they are correct and telling the whole truth. SoD whether we are going down the financial pan, lets make sure they really get their priorities right by putting the general public's interests first on this (might be) situation.

[jake-the-peg]

There are anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza.

And the Government has been quietly stockpiling them for quite a long time.

There is enough for about half of the population which should be easilly enough to treat about half the population.

That should be enough to go in hard in any area that is affected and stop it.

(I do wonder if all those who wouldn't let their kids get the MMR will be queuing up for this)

BUT - these drugs are quite new and we don't know exactly how effective they'll be for sure. But most people in Mexico that have been treated have survived.

One more thing, if it's like Bird Flu Younger people are at higher risk as they have a more active imune system and it is the over-reaction of the immune system that does the damage in that

[cassa333]

"Well, a spokesman from the Government says that they are more than prepared if there is an outbreak here and there is more than enough vaccine to treat everyone."

HA ha ha ha ha ha ha ha no no don't make me laugh ha ha ha ha.


Sorry {wipes laughter tear away} is that the same government that said we were well placed to wheather the economic down turn??

[rov1200]

Tamiflu et al does not cure or prevent this global epidemic. Instead you may die in a happier frame of mind. The only solution is to barricade yourself in your home until it passes, warn all relatives not to come, and order your food from Tesco home deliveries.

[kinell]

with no decent wars for the past 60 years this is maybe natures way of thinning things out,

the tree huggers should be rejoicing with potentially millions less carbon footprints stomping over the earth,

[sqad617]

Well...the antigenic structure of this mutated H1N1 virus has yet to be worked out..............i.e no vaccine.

Yes the Government has stock piled vaccine, but not for this virus.

To work out the structure would take less than a week, but to provide enough vaccine for the population would take 6months.

Let's hope nature can provide the answer here and contain the virus naturally....if not we are in BIG trouble.

[jake-the-peg]

Shall we try to keep this in perspective?

Twenty people are known to have died (and a possible 48 more) in Mexico so far out of a total of 1,324

Tamiflu has been very effective so far

So with a 5% mortality this is very serious but talk of thinning out the world's population is a bit premature!

[sp1814]

I've started my stopwatch.

Waiting for the first post to make a correlation between the spread of this disease and asylum seekers/immigration.

C'mon dailymailers - you know you want to.

Go for it!

[asmodeus]

it's already too late!
ǝʇɐן ooʇ ʎpɐǝɹןɐ s,ʇı
it's already too late!

[Kromovaracun]

Another factor to bear in mind is that most of the Mexican deaths didn't seek treatment until they were very seriously ill (according to the Economist, who I think were referencing the WHO).

As Jake points out, anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu seem to be effective, and the illness also seems treatable when in it's early stages. Vigilance is key - and governments seem relatively well-prepared.

[Kromovaracun]

warn all relatives not to come, and order your food from Tesco home deliveries.

And take the delivery in a biohazard suit.

I've always wanted to do that.

[jake-the-peg]

At 33 million doses the UK is quite well covered, 50% of population

Australia has about 33% of population,
US 16% of population

Ironically the Bird flu and SARS concerns that some people on here are always deriding as a storm in a teacup that never happened have probably meant that all governments around the world are better prepared for this that they otherwise would be

[sqad617]

Jake....don't get too excited.......reports suggest that the H1N1 virus is becoming resistant to Tamiflu.............then what?

[jake-the-peg]

Then Glaxo makes a fortune with Relenza

[Leo-Ireland]

We're all doomed. Doomed, I tell you...

[sqad617]

Jake...let's hope it stays that way....???/

Viruses are very clever at changing their antigenic structure and hence resistance to antiviral agents.