Obama declares swine flu emergency

[dr emulator (madmax)]

original source here (http://news.uk.msn.com/world/article.aspx?cp-documentid=150434527)

http://estb.msn.com/i/5A/5A3DED324D8CCF78983243031CC4B.jpg
pa.press.net

US President Barack Obama has declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency and empowered his health secretary to suspend federal requirements and speed treatment for thousands of infected people.

The declaration authorises Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to bypass federal rules so health officials can respond more quickly to the outbreak, which has killed more than 1,000 people in the United States.

The goal is to remove bureaucratic roadblocks and make it easier for sick people to seek treatment and medical providers to provide it immediately.

That could mean fewer hurdles involving government-funded health insurance programs for the poor and elderly or health privacy regulations.

"As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic," Mr Obama wrote in the declaration.

He said the pandemic keeps evolving, the rates of illness are rising rapidly in many areas and there's a potential "to overburden health care resources".

Because of vaccine production delays, the government has backed off initial, optimistic estimates that as many as 120 million doses would be available by mid-October. As of Wednesday, only 11 million doses had been shipped to health departments, doctor's offices and other providers, according to the federal Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The government now hopes to have about 50 million doses of swine flu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_flu)vaccine out by mid-November and 150 million in December.

The flu virus has to be grown in chicken eggs, and the yield hasn't been as high as was initially hoped, officials explained.

Swine flu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_flu) is more widespread now than it's ever been. Health authorities say almost 100 children have died from the flu, known as H1N1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_A_virus_subtype_H1N1), and 46 states now have widespread flu activity


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[MRCL]

http://graphjam.wordpress.com/files/2009/04/song-chart-memes-people-killed.jpg
(u)

[FordGT90Concept]

It's H1N1, not "swine flu." H1N1 is a subtype of the seasonal Influenza A which can effect humans, birds (avian), and pigs (swine). It has slightly different symptoms from the seasonal flu but the most striking is that the fatalties seem to come mostly from the teen/early-twenties age group rather than the usual children/pregnent women/elderly group.

[Wile E]

It's not a damn emergency. Thousands die every year from the standard strains of flu. This is nothing more than a strain of flu. If you get the flu, it can kill you if left unchecked, regardless of the strain. This is all ridiculous, and blown entirely too far out of proportion.

[dr emulator (madmax)]

It's not a damn emergency. Thousands die every year from the standard strains of flu. This is nothing more than a strain of flu. If you get the flu, it can kill you if left unchecked, regardless of the strain. This is all ridiculous, and blown entirely too far out of proportion.

i agree It's not a emergency yet, but it is a problem for some people who have got other underlying ilnesses ,personaly myself i would have liked to have seen things like travel to and from mexico stopped and borders closed until it was under control, the fact it wasn't may have cost more lives than what would have been lost if it had ,but it was all about money ,they'd rather spend billions of tax payers dollars to blow people away in foreign countries than spend a few dollars dealing with a real problem that in my view could turn very nasty very quickly ,suicide bombers may be able to kill a few hundred people at a time "if they get a chance" ,but a virus could potentially kill millions if it changes into something more deadly

[Steevo]

Lets turn this into a black president bashing thread!!!!

W00T W00T!!!!!!


damn president is trying to get the masses scared, almost like the patriot act!!!!

[Wile E]

i agree It's not a emergency yet, but it is a problem for some people who have got other underlying ilnesses ,personaly myself i would have liked to have seen things like travel to and from mexico stopped and borders closed until it was under control, the fact it wasn't may have cost more lives than what would have been lost if it had ,but it was all about money ,they'd rather spend billions of tax payers dollars to blow people away in foreign countries than spend a few dollars dealing with a real problem that in my view could turn very nasty very quickly ,suicide bombers may be able to kill a few hundred people at a time "if they get a chance" ,but a virus could potentially kill millions if it changes into something more deadly

I don't think they needed to close the borders at all. I don't think they needed to do anything, tbh. It's just the flu, plain and simple. An emergency shouldn't have been called on it till it got to the point that you would call an emergency on the normal strains of flu.

People just hear swine flu or H1N1, and freak out for no good reason.

[Steevo]

I don't think they needed to close the borders at all. I don't think they needed to do anything, tbh. It's just the flu, plain and simple. An emergency shouldn't have been called on it till it got to the point that you would call an emergency on the normal strains of flu.

People just hear swine flu or H1N1, and freak out for no good reason.

Scare tactic agenda to scare the people and make them think this administration has done a far worse job than the previous. Simply put the republican party is putting its worse foot forward trying to give the president a kick in the ass. Really if anyone expects any different for the next few years they are blind, dumb, or stupid. Fox is on a rant tantrum, I though Bill o'Reilly (whiny crybaby blubbering vagina) was bad before, now it is just a constant stream of shit being spewed.


I don't get into politics as I hate the backstabbing and trash. But this has got to stop, the idiots who are being spoon fed the shit the news/media wants them to hear and they eat it up and gobble it down whole, believing every turd is the truth.

[JC316]

One thing is people's immune systems. Every time they get the sniffles, they run to the doctor. I haven't been to the doctor for a cold in 9 years. Guess what, I get a cold maybe once a year.

[Wile E]

Yeah. People don't realize that constantly taking antibiotics actually weakens your immune system, as you body becomes dependent on it to fight infections.

It's just as much the doctor's fault for prescribing them for everything tho.

[JC316]

Yeah. People don't realize that constantly taking antibiotics actually weakens your immune system, as you body becomes dependent on it to fight infections.

It's just as much the doctor's fault for prescribing them for everything tho.


I am of the opinion that doctors are pharmaceutical salesmen with a serious god complex. Unfortunately, I NEED them, but that doesn't change that I don't like them.

[Steevo]

Doctors get kickbacks too. Free samples and lots of meetings and training all paid for by the pharmaceutical companies.

[jmcslob]

http://graphjam.wordpress.com/files/2009/04/song-chart-memes-people-killed.jpg
(u)that's about the same % of americans that care about malaria over the swine flu
I'm not trying to be ignorant but any nation that can't afford bug nets for it's citizens is fucked anyways...I was in D.C. during the Bug net $ festival What a load of(poop)
if you don't want the Vaccine Don't get it...But isn't it nice to know that your GOVT is trying to be prepared Before Something, Rather than after the Fact**cough**cough**Katrina***cough***
Uhm more people have died in the U.S. than the usual amount at the end of the Flu season from this virus....This is a Good precaution...nothing wrong with Looking out for worst...stands t reason this will mostly be prevented but some idiots will think it's because the Virus was never that bad when in fact it will be the preventative measures that actually Stopped the damm thing But a Bunch of FUCKING STUPID ASSHOLES will still think it was no big Deal cause there DUMB ASSES are still ALIVE, Which is a Fucking Shame to the rest of us that took the Logical precautions ahead of time

[LittleLizard]

you north americans still have swine flu?

here it came and gone taking about 15-20 lifes. no more (luckiliy we only have 3.7m of people)

[DrPepper]

It's not a damn emergency. Thousands die every year from the standard strains of flu. This is nothing more than a strain of flu. If you get the flu, it can kill you if left unchecked, regardless of the strain. This is all ridiculous, and blown entirely too far out of proportion.

Completely agree with you there and how come hundreds die from gun crime, traffic accidents, cancer, stupidity and those are not emergencies.

[jmcslob]

Completely agree with you there and how come hundreds die from gun crime, traffic accidents, cancer, stupidity and those are not emergencies.
It is already considered an Emergency that's why most States now allow concealed weapons, and enforce Traffic Laws...And as Far as Cancer is concerned they have several treatments However we wont see a cure until Profit and Research are separate entities

[Wile E]

that's about the same % of americans that care about malaria over the swine flu
I'm not trying to be ignorant but any nation that can't afford bug nets for it's citizens is fucked anyways...I was in D.C. during the Bug net $ festival What a load of(poop)
if you don't want the Vaccine Don't get it...But isn't it nice to know that your GOVT is trying to be prepared Before Something, Rather than after the Fact**cough**cough**Katrina***cough***
Uhm more people have died in the U.S. than the usual amount at the end of the Flu season from this virus....This is a Good precaution...nothing wrong with Looking out for worst...stands t reason this will mostly be prevented but some idiots will think it's because the Virus was never that bad when in fact it will be the preventative measures that actually Stopped the damm thing But a Bunch of FUCKING STUPID ASSHOLES will still think it was no big Deal cause there DUMB ASSES are still ALIVE, Which is a Fucking Shame to the rest of us that took the Logical precautions ahead of timejm, I like you and all, but you seriously need to stop posting giant walls of text. People just aren't going to read that.

And regardless, there have not been nearly enough fatalities to consider something of this nature an emergency. It's not even gaining ground fast enough to be considered an outbreak, let alone an emergency.

If we were approaching outbreak levels, I might agree with the call, but we are not, so I do not.

Calling this an emergency is probably just getting him and a few other politicians a kick back from the pharmaceutical that's making the vaccine.

[jmcslob]

Gotcha Shorter answers..
It's still a good precaution, I really hope it just Blows over..None the less
(is that better)

[Wile E]

Gotcha Shorter answers..
It's still a good precaution, I really hope it just Blows over..None the less
(is that better)

Not shorter answers. Just break your answers up into logical sections. Makes it easier to read.

And I understand your standpoint, I just disagree that it's a good precaution. I think it causes panic for no good reason.

[jmcslob]

Oh you mean stop Rambling LOL...

And space it out.

[dr emulator (madmax)]

children play nice here or i'll get kung fu kitti out 265
or call uncle erocker :D

[jmcslob]

hE'S BEING NICE AND HELPFUL ACTUALLY

[A Cheese Danish]

I think it causes panic for no good reason.

Agreed. I don't see what the big fuss over the "swine" flu is. Sure some people died from it
but people due die from a lot illnesses.