The World Health Organization today declared the swine flu outbreak was a pandemic, the first in more than 40 years.
The long-awaited announcement to its member countries was scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe.
It will trigger drug companies to speed up production of a vaccine and prompt governments to devote more money to containing the virus.
Last month several countries urged WHO not to declare a pandemic, its highest alert level and essentially raising the outbreak’s status to a worldwide epidemic, fearing it would spark mass panic.
(Moshe Altusky – YWN)
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8 Responses
ok, now this is getting to be too much already. Why is something new so frightening for us to deal with? I admit that I wouldn’t want this flu in my house but I also don’t want stomach flu, chicken pox, pneumonia etc either but lets keep it in perspective. Most of the deaths have involved people with pre-existing medical conditions. Most of the cases have been mild. I worry about the panic that will ensue. If only we would stop being so afraid of getting a little sick. Maybe we should be concentrating on finding out why meds aren’t working so well and viruses are becoming more and more resilient resulting in mutated viruses. Perhaps we are harming ourselves more by not letting our bodies deal naturally through our immune system and fighting off these illnesses rather than coddling ourselves by giving chemicals (read: medicines) at the first sign of a sniffle. Keep it up and we’ll have a lot more to worry about.
what is the big deal if its a pandemic????? its not dangerous so who cares??i personally know ppl who had it and thier fine!!!
Yes, WHO will speed up the production of drugs and vaccines to protect the public from the swine flu. However, government run healthcare will slow down any R&D if not stop it entirely.
By the way, swine flu is serious. My son has a friend in kollel here in Flatbush who is now on a respirator as a result of first getting the flu which caused his fever to spike to 107 and then turned into pneumonia. Swine flu I am seeing is no joke.
Reply to Flatbush Bubby – If that is the same person I know of the name to daven for is Chaim Dovid ben Leah who is in much worse condition last I heard. They now are injecting oxygen directly into his blood stream because his lungs aren’t working. Hashem Yerachem
It was going around my city and a lot of people, including most of my friends, had it, it was not dangerous at all.
Yes, the powers that be who are behind this have been pushing for this flu to take hold. They were almost a little upset when there was a lull in concern.
Anyone who unfortunately has the swine flu, may they have a refuah shelayma.
I HAD swine flu and it feels much worse than any other flu. I b”h had a very mild case, but some people are in hospitals in little cubicles that no one can go into.
Mazal Tov! Its official!