CenterInfo Infectious Disease Surveillance Center (IDSC) National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, TOKYO, 162-8640, JAPAN
(Personal take: Even if cases of this flu DO break here in Japan, this will only cause Japan to ramp up measures even further. The last thing you are going to here from Japanese health and government officials is something like 'well, it is already here, so border enforcement is ineffective so we will continue on a passive survellience mode'. There is no such political correctness in Japan, nor would any such national-suicidal insanity be be tolerated by at least 95% of the Japanese electorate.
Ping!
I have to admit Japan is doing things the right way unlike our emasculated government of elites, which are probably hunkered in bomb shelters under a famous Resort and Hotel.
Japanese love a good overreaction. Their prudence at the border is much better than Napolitano’s “meh, its already here”. But it is quite comical to watch the Japanese in the face of extremely unlikely disaster.
Good reaction overall, but why do I get the feeling NORTH American Flu is inevitably going to get shorted to AMERICAN Flu?
MEXICAN FLU!
MEXICAN FLU!
MEXICAN FLU!
Driving home last night and thinking that most folks are the ‘it's a no big deal’ mentality yet, I stopped at the drugstore to purchase a few items. All of the medical grade masks were sold-out. Repeat: all of the medical grade masks were sold out. Wandered over to their paint section and the painters dust masks were still available...a whole 5 of them.
This morning on the radio they were saying they have activated the Red Cross Disaster Response teams in Ohio and the National Guard is on Alert to begin receiving supplies. The Red Cross spokesperson talked about what their role and activities will be in the event of a full blown quarantine. They include vaccine and mask distribution and even food delivery for those house confined.
I am trying not to panic, but the poor response by our government to this obvious threat isn't helping matters at all. I have food for months, not just a week. I have charcoal respirator cartridge masks and asst. cartridges from particulate to chemicals. I have a small stockpile of toilet paper and some housebound cash. So if I find myself in a worst case scenario I'll be just fine.
But...all of that still doesn't or isn't calming my fears. I am scared, really borderline flippin’ out scared. I broke down in tears driving home last night from the drugstore. Prevailing thought that prompted those tears? All the masks being sold out over the weekend. I am 47 years old and have never been through anything like this, nor has most of our country. I left the EHS business 5 years ago so I understand a lot about contaminates and decon procedures. Been there done that from chemicals to radiation, but this situation is scaring the daylights out of me.
This situation has been developing since Feb. in Mexico. And our government took no precautions, but instead we were too busy playing American Idol with Barack. Sorry for this rambling post...I'll go try to calm down now.
Basically the Mexicans are doing something wrong. This 'pandemic' is anything but.
swine flu name change ping..
Now in Chicago IL
The city health commissioner, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools and police are expected at a Wednesday morning press conference discussing the closure of an elementary school in the Far North Side’s Rogers Park neighborhood because of the Swine Flu virus.
Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Monique Bond said early Wednesday that Kilmer Elementary School at the 6700 block of North Greenview Avenue is being closed because of swine flu.
“We do have a probable case [at Kilmer]...and we’re now going to send that specimen on to the CDC,” said Illinois Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold, who could not confirm if it was a student at the school who had become ill.
More details will be available at a 7 a.m. press conference at the school. The school’s Web site did not provide further details early Wednesday.
Barry on FOX now. CDT
Funny how Japan can see what Washington cannot. Since we won’t close our borders, it is our flu (North American or Mexican American flu)!!
good for them. this is how you handle these things.
Let’s call it, “Obama’s Katrina.”
Or let’s call it, “Chicago Flu.”
So much for Obama improving our image in the world.
Paradox of Xenophobia.
-—”(most said that while they were shocked or shook up a bit by seeing the dramatic difference between Japan and American border/immigration authorities once they landed and personnel came on board a/c immediately denied disembarkment, most accepted it as necessary and said that in essence it actually gave them some sense of relief) showing a real gap between how Japan is handling the crisis and how Washington is ordering their local health and immigration offices.”
I’m pro-Japan, but in all fairness to the USA, Japan has so few flights arriving from Mexico, so it’s relatively easy for them to monitor the few new arrivals each day, whereas in there are thousands of people entering/leaving the USA from/to Mexico.
Monitoring at the level the Japanese do would be a daunting task.
Ping (Thanks, DvdMom!)