Over-Reaction - State of Emergency in USA due to H1N1

[The Atheist]

Grist to the mill for Alex Jones, USA declaring a state of emergency over swine 'flu.

I'm assuming this is correct.

If so, it must rank as one of the worst declarations of a state of emergency of all time. I accept some different measures my be needed, but it's been adequately shown that swine 'flu is neither dangerous nor an emergency - for all but an incredibly tiny portion of people.

Declaring an emergency is fear-mongering of the worst kind.

PrisonPlanet must be going berserk!

 

[666]

Over-Reaction - State of Emergency in USA die to H1N1

Freudian slip?

 

[The Atheist]

Freudian slip?

Damn. Whoever put U next to I on the keyboard was a twat!

I've asked to get that fixed!

 

[hgc]

How is it an over-reaction? Are the steps being taken to react to the swine flu threat somehow causing worse problems than if the reaction had been something different?

 

[Dr Adequate]

If so, it must rank as one of the worst declarations of a state of emergency of all time. I accept some different measures my be needed ...

And, as the article points out, in order for those "different measures" to be even legal, you have to declare a state of emergency.

PrisonPlanet must be going berserk!

You mean, like they do every day?

 

[Newtons Bit]

If you need me, I'll be quaking in fear in my bathroom with all of my guns. Except when I need to make beer runs. I try to be realistic.

 

[aviolet4u]

Didn't they declare it a state of emergency months before?

Or are they going to actually send us all to fema camps this time? My bag of marshmallows have gotten stale from the wait. They have to make up their minds

If anything what Alex Jones and his cronies have to wait for is that big earthquake thats overdue. Now I can see that as being a real state of emergency.

 

[Safe-Keeper]

Far as I can tell, its purpose is to allow medical staff to distribute vaccinations faster by allowing them to override certain rules and regulations.

Sounds reasonable to me, even though I don't know the facts of the case.

 

[MattusMaximus]

The End Is Near^TM

 

[portlandatheist]

I don't think its and over reaction at all. It's anticipated that H1N1 is going to peak in the next few weeks and decline thereafter. Now is the time to be vigilant.

The impact that H1N1 has is not simply a matter of how many people get sick, but how many people are all sick at once. The measures that the government are enacting to prevent the spread of H1N1 seem reasonable to me. H1N1 will probably kill less people than hurricane Katrina but it does have the potential of doing so. A state of emergency? I would say so.

 

[The Atheist]

And, as the article points out, in order for those "different measures" to be even legal, you have to declare a state of emergency.

Yes, so maybe it's time to do a WHO and say, "these rules are a bit restrictive, let's change them."

Far as I can tell, its purpose is to allow medical staff to distribute vaccinations faster by allowing them to override certain rules and regulations.

Sounds reasonable to me, even though I don't know the facts of the case.

Is it necessary to override those rules for the disease?

The history of virus in the southern hemisphere suggests not. All indications so far in the northern hemisphere are the same. Remove the panic, reduce the numbers seeking medical help, it resolves itself.

I don't think its and over reaction at all. It's anticipated that H1N1 is going to peak in the next few weeks and decline thereafter. Now is the time to be vigilant.

I'd go along with vigilant - any less would be negligent, but I didn't realise it was necessary to declare a state of emergency to ensure vigilance.

The impact that H1N1 has is not simply a matter of how many people get sick, but how many people are all sick at once. The measures that the government are enacting to prevent the spread of H1N1 seem reasonable to me. H1N1 will probably kill less people than hurricane Katrina but it does have the potential of doing so. A state of emergency? I would say so.

Yeah, we've seen all that.

Measures instituted in NZ and Australia amounted to an ad campaign to wash your hands. There was some pressure on ICUs for a short period, but if you look at a cost/benefit analysis, I'm very confident "ignore it" will win by a huge margin.

When did USA become so germophobic? I would understand Japan; they've been germophobes for years, but are Yanks really so wussy they need to have the government baby-sitting them for a cold?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Grist to the mill for Alex Jones, USA declaring a state of emergency over swine 'flu.

I'm assuming this is correct.

If so, it must rank as one of the worst declarations of a state of emergency of all time. I accept some different measures my be needed, but it's been adequately shown that swine 'flu is neither dangerous nor an emergency - for all but an incredibly tiny portion of people.

Declaring an emergency is fear-mongering of the worst kind.

PrisonPlanet must be going berserk!

TA, you really are not aware of what is going on with the flu currently and with the reasons Obama made the declaration.

But I'll scan the rest of the thread before commenting further on this. Perhaps what I have to say has been addressed already.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Yep, people are aware of the situation, hgc, DR A, Safe-Keeper, and portlandatheist have covered it.

Why does declaring an emergency, which is a procedural issue, have to mean everyone should be afraid?

Right now medical resources are nearing the point of being over taxed. If you have a heart attack and show up in an ED full of people sick with the flu, you are affected. If the hospitals start running out of respirators and ECMO machines for critically ill patients people may die because we lack the resources to treat as many people as a pandemic creates that need treatment.

There are a lot of issues here. We don't need a highly lethal 1918 pandemic virus to create serious health care issues.

 

[GreNME]

Far as I can tell, its purpose is to allow medical staff to distribute vaccinations faster by allowing them to override certain rules and regulations.

Sounds reasonable to me, even though I don't know the facts of the case.

Is it necessary to override those rules for the disease?

The history of virus in the southern hemisphere suggests not. All indications so far in the northern hemisphere are the same. Remove the panic, reduce the numbers seeking medical help, it resolves itself.

Well, they're not actually overriding any rules. They're taking steps to broaden the availability of care without dealing with insurance and other middle-men for the time being. Were the government to allow such a thing in a non-emergency setting, people would scream bloody murder. As it stands, circumstances warrant taking some of the pain out of hospital visits (oh, the irony is intentional).

I'd go along with vigilant - any less would be negligent, but I didn't realise it was necessary to declare a state of emergency to ensure vigilance.

Well, it's not, but it's better than flying over an affected area and doing jack squat for five days.

Measures instituted in NZ and Australia amounted to an ad campaign to wash your hands. There was some pressure on ICUs for a short period, but if you look at a cost/benefit analysis, I'm very confident "ignore it" will win by a huge margin.

When did USA become so germophobic? I would understand Japan; they've been germophobes for years, but are Yanks really so wussy they need to have the government baby-sitting them for a cold?

Can I hang on to this part of your post until next March?

Mind you, it's nowhere near "oh my god batten down the hatches" level, but people at many facilities are getting over-worked and the hospitals seem to want to genuinely help those who are getting sick (for a change ). Considering I've heard the calls to declare emergency as far back as last month, I'd say Obama is being pretty balanced with his caution.

 

[The Atheist]

TA, you really are not aware of what is going on with the flu currently and with the reasons Obama made the declaration.

Yes I am.

Yep, people are aware of the situation, hgc, DR A, Safe-Keeper, and portlandatheist have covered it.

Why does declaring an emergency, which is a procedural issue, have to mean everyone should be afraid?

Jeez, I wonder.

Could it be that states of emergency are issued for disasters? Hurricanes, floods, fire & tempest? This time, it's an extremely mild virus.

The story of the boy who cried wolf has been mentioned in this context previously.

Still fits.

Right now medical resources are nearing the point of being over taxed. If you have a heart attack and show up in an ED full of people sick with the flu, you are affected. If the hospitals start running out of respirators and ECMO machines for critically ill patients people may die because we lack the resources to treat as many people as a pandemic creates that need treatment.

There are a lot of issues here. We don't need a highly lethal 1918 pandemic virus to create serious health care issues.

Ain't going to happen.

I'll take bets on it. You can pay me out in March.

Well, they're not actually overriding any rules. They're taking steps to broaden the availability of care without dealing with insurance and other middle-men for the time being. Were the government to allow such a thing in a non-emergency setting, people would scream bloody murder. As it stands, circumstances warrant taking some of the pain out of hospital visits (oh, the irony is intentional).

I repeat the earlier statement - as WHO realised that their inflexible rules didn't cover H1N1 adequately, they changed them.

If a slothful, over-blown organisation like the UN can do that, it should be a snap for a federal government.

State of emergency, it ain't.

Well, it's not, but it's better than flying over an affected area and doing jack squat for five days.

That's the entire problem - I think they should be flying over and doing squat.

Can I hang on to this part of your post until next March?

Please do!

I look forward to talking statistics at the end of the outbreak. Ours and Australia's are a good guide, and as above, I'll put money on the outcome.

Mind you, it's nowhere near "oh my god batten down the hatches" level, but people at many facilities are getting over-worked and the hospitals seem to want to genuinely help those who are getting sick (for a change ). Considering I've heard the calls to declare emergency as far back as last month, I'd say Obama is being pretty balanced with his caution.

And if you check, the same thing happens every winter - a lot of people get sick with 'flu and respiratory viruses and clog hospitals.

Luckily this time around, we have the weakest pandemic in recorded history and the results will show that in the fullness of time.

I look forward to the cost/benefit analysis next year.

 

[Leif Roar]

Could it be that states of emergency are issued for disasters? Hurricanes, floods, fire & tempest? This time, it's an extremely mild virus.

I don't think it's accurate to describe it as "an extremely mild virus." Yes, as flu goes, for most people affected H1N1 is not a particularly rough one. However, it is less resisted in the population than the seasonal flu, which means more people will be sick at the same time. More worrisome, some of the people who die from it are young, otherwise healthy people who normally shouldn't have died from a flu.

Even as is H1N1 might over-tax a hospital or region's available heart-and-lung machines and if it were to mutate into a strain with higher mortality the situation might go from worrisome to dangerous very quickly. It probably won't do that, but that's no reason to take our eyes off the ball.

ETA: I believe a lot of why bird flu and now swine flu has been over-talked, at least in the general media if not within the healthcare community, is that the ability to detect and track the arrival and spread of a new strain of virus is quite new and nobody, neither the health care professionals and organisatios nor journalists and politicians nor the general public, quite know how to deal with it yet. There is a bit of flailing about while people get adjusted to it.

 

[MattusMaximus]

I'm stocking my basement & loading my guns now...

C'mon, TA, this is nothing more than a reasonable measure at this point. Personally, I won't start to get worried until the National Guard is called out to deal with the situation.

 

[DavidJames]

I'll take bets on it. You can pay me out in March.

Not quite fair...The implications of you or them being wrong are a bit different no?

The fact is we live in a politically driven environment. I wouldn't be surprised if Obama is seeing this as his Katrina. The risk and impact of over reacting is much less then insufficient action.

 

[lionking]

Why does declaring an emergency, which is a procedural issue, have to mean everyone should be afraid?

Declaring a state of emergency does not have the potential to unnecessarily panic people?

H1N1 passed through our winter with barely a ripple. There was no need for a state of emergency, nor for people to be alarmed. Why is there such a need in the US?

 

[Leif Roar]

H1N1 passed through our winter with barely a ripple. There was no need for a state of emergency, nor for people to be alarmed. Why is there such a need in the US?

If I'm going to guess (and I am) I'd hazard that it has to do with the differences in health systems and in particular the organisational and legal impedance between the federal and state levels in the US.