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Bird flu and swine flu has nothing to do with each other.
Swine flu is the normal flu of pigs, just like human flu for humans.
But sometimes because of mutations (that are part of nature) people close to pigs get infected. For example, people that deal with pig everyday gets this virus (if the pigs actually have the virus) but don't get sick. But this constant contact could lead on a mutation to jump his normal host (pig) to another (human).
It's not true that bird and swine flu have nothing to do with each other. This new strain is a mix of swine, bird and human flues.
Birds have viruses. Pigs have viruses. Humans have viruses. Humans can catch pig and bird viruses directly, but it's rare for a human to then pass it along to another human. When that does happen, there is a risk of a pandemic. The key to the mixing of the pig and bird virus is the pig. The pig uniquely can catch viruses from humans and birds. That's how this new strain is part pig, part bird, and part human virus.
Vaccines, if we had them against the new strain of influenza, which we don't, are completely ineffective AFTER exposure. They prevent influenza, they neither treat it nor cure it.
This is true for most vaccines, but not all.
Some vaccine are effective AFTER exposure.
Like Varicella for example giving 3 to 5 days after exposure have almost a 90% prevention.
Please, let's not continue to post misinformation about this - leave it to the experts.
It's not true that bird and swine flu have nothing to do with each other. This new strain is a mix of swine, bird and human flues.
Birds have viruses. Pigs have viruses. Humans have viruses. Humans can catch pig and bird viruses directly, but it's rare for a human to then pass it along to another human. When that does happen, there is a risk of a pandemic. The key to the mixing of the pig and bird virus is the pig. The pig uniquely can catch viruses from humans and birds. That's how this new strain is part pig, part bird, and part human virus.
If it is I haven't heard of it...
From what I understand on the news is just swine flu and not mixed.
Do you even know that Federal officials today declared a public health emergency involving human swine flu, warning Americans to prepare for widespread outbreaks now or in the future, yet urging them not to panic.
Just because the administration has decided to do nothing at all to stop it from coming into the country (only 20 cases so far) doesn't mean it doesn't see this as a public health emergency.
So the Obama administration is being alarmists and using terms like "public health emergency" casually you think?
I love how in one sentence you state that "Federal officials today declared a public health emergency" and then your next sentence claims that "the administration has decided to do nothing at all." Contradictory much?
Since you obviously lack the understanding of exactly what a public health emergency is, I'll clue you in:
Quote:
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the declaration was a precautionary measure, and did not mean that the threat posed by the outbreak was worsening.
...
a public health emergency] sounds more severe than it really is. This is standard operating procedure, and allows us to free up federal, state and local agencies and their resources for prevention and mitigation. It allows us to use medication and diagnostic tests that we might not otherwise be able to use, and it releases funds for the acquisition of additional antivirals
No one (with any actual knowledge and/or authority on the matter) has "warned Americans to prepare for widespread outbreaks now or in the future," as you claim. Where'd you hear that? Fox News?
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