Posted on 02/09/2009 12:36:11 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny
Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel? Survivalist in Training
I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations. Survivalist in the Neighborhood
The first hour of Coast to Coast is replaying and this time I caught what Eian had said earlier.
When obama was in Mexico, on the 16th, he went to the museum and was greeted by a man with a name that sounded like Solis.
Solis died the next day. [Evidently from the flu...]
EU: Attacking the media
Several stories from the past couple of weeks, all involving attacks on the media. The reasons are different every time, but the bottom line is the same. As FOX News reported last month, they needed a police escort to film in an immigrant neighborhood and were advised at some point to just stay in the car.
Netherlands, April 13
Between ten and fifteen Moroccan youth troubled a reporting team of the television program Netwerk Monday. The team was in the Utrecht neighborhood of Zuilen working on a report. When the youth saw the camera, they got annoyed. They pushed a couple of journalists and threw candy, confirmed a spokesperson for Netwerk and the police Tuesday. The police quickly ended the disturbance, after which the team could go on with filming. “Let’s not make this particularly bigger than it was,” says the editor, who was part of the reporting team. “Nobody was injured, no instrument was destroyed. I’ve been through a lot worse.”
The images were broadcast on the actuality program Wednesday. Netwerk decided on a film portrait of Zuilen due to a number of incidents in the neighborhood. Various people were badgered out due to their sexual leanings. The show will not lodge a complain against the disorderly youth.
Source: Telegraaf (Dutch). See also Netwerk: Onrust Zuilen
Belgium, April 19
A VTM camera team was attacked this afternoon in Schaarbeek (Brussels). The reporter and a cameraman got a few punches and the discette was taken out of the camera. The incident was not direcly connected to the shooting incident this evening, according to Eric Goens, spokesperson for VTM.
The camera team was in Schaarbeek at the place where the shooting incident occurred in order to shoot general images. A youth of immigrant origin riding a scooter wrongly thought that the team was filming traffic violations. The young man began to threaten the team. Soon a big group of immigrants gathered and a skirmish developed. The team received a few punches and the diskette was taken away. The camera stayed intact.
Source: HLN (Dutch)
See also: Brussels: Moroccan attacks agents, is killed by police
Sweden, April 24
Freelance photographer Jens C Hilner was beaten and robbed of his video camera in Rosengård tonight.
“I developed good contact with the youth there in recent months - and that’s what happens here,” he says dejectedly.
It continued not to be calm in Rosengård last night. For the fourth day in a row containers and tires were set aflame by the youth. The police and emergency services held back in order not to risk being subjected to stoning.
But photographer Jens C Hilner, often employed by the Kvällsposten, was there as usual in order to shoot the disturbances.
“I stood at midnight by the Shell truck at Ramels väg (Ramel Road) and both photographed and filmed the burning rented trailer,” he says. “Suddenly I saw someone running towards me shouting out loud. I thought that this guy just wanted to test me, but he hit me hard in the face and pushed me down to the ground.”
While Jens lay on the ground he was kicked in the side, while the attacker tried to grab his camera.
“I refused to let go of my system camera, so I desperately held on to it. Instead, this guy managed to grab my video camera and then run away.”
Jens went over to the gang of youth and asked them for his video camera back.
“I asked them to show me the respect that I showed them the past three months,” he says. And actually a guy went off into the street and got the camera back. Unfortunately it looks pretty damaged.
Jens C Hilner is both shaken and disappointed.
“I learned to know many of the youth in Rosengård and think that we developed a good relationship and good dialog with each other.” He says the youth know he’s not out to get them.
“Most are good guys and there was the idea that some of them would appear in an interview in the next few days. Now I don’t know what’s happening. Right now it feels that I’ll never want to go to Rosengård again. But after a night’s sleep I will certainly change my mind. It’s important to show what’s happening out there.”
Jens is sore in the face and a bit black-and-blue after the attack, but he survived the attack without serious injuries.
“Unfortunately I don’t think that I will be able to pick out the culprit. Everything went so fast,” he says.
Source: Kvällsposten (Swedish)
—
Posted By Esther to Islam in Europe at 4/26/2009 01:03:00 AM
__._,_.___
Islam In Europe
News and Opinions about the Muslim
and Islamic Community in Europe and the West
http://islamineurope.blogspot.com
http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/blog/home-remedies-for-flu/
Flu is a viral infection in which body parts like nose, ear, eyes, throat and lungs gets affected. The scientific term for flu is influenza. There are a number of viruses which can cause flu and these different types of viruses affect different body parts.
The symptoms of flu are somewhat like that of common cold and cough. You may feel fatigue, body ache, headache, fever, lack of appetite, vomiting etc. The only difference is that the symptoms of cold get disappeared within two weeks while the symptoms of flu may go longer than that period.
Unfortunately, no drug or medication is yet known for curing the flu successfully. However, home remedies and herbal remedies are very helpful in treatment of flu. The vaccine for flu are given but as the number of viruses causing flu is considerably high and they have a high mutation rate, the vaccine is not really successful in curing this disease. Hence, the safest way is to go for some home remedies.
It has been found that most of the medications available in the market just stamp down the symptoms and disturb our immune system which makes the flu more difficult to cure. Hence, it may be dangerous to take over the counter drugs in case of flu.
There are a number of home remedies for flu which can cure it in a safe way without a fear of side effect or other health complications. Increase the in take of garlic in your diet or you can take raw garlic while rising in the morning. In case you feel mild fever and body ache, taking gelsemium may help.
Consumption of fruits containing vitamin C also helps in fighting against the virus causing flu. In fact vitamin C strengthens our power to fight against the viruses and diseases.
Take ginger tea during flu is also helpful. In order to reduce the aches and fatigue, you can take cold tablets.
http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/blog/simple-cures-using-mint/
Simple Cures Using Mint
November 19, 2008
Mint is an aromatic, perennial herb. The leaves are used for culinary uses. They have a fresh, cool and refreshing flavour and a cool after taste. They are used in beverages, teas, jellies and syrups. They can also be used in salads, soups and desserts.
Chutneys made from mint are excellent in the summer. They combine the goodness of mint with other ingredients like lemon and corriander which help cool the body.
Mint is good in the cure of dyspepsia, gases, nausea, body aches and pains, nervous insomnia, fatigue, tension and headaches. It helps keep the elements of air, fire and water in control.
Mint helps in curing flu, fever, poor digestion, hiccups, ear aches, flatulence and sinus ailments. It also find good use as a diuretic. The antiseptic property of mint makes it a good cure for insect bites. The strong flavour and scent of mint makes it a good remedy for congestions and colds.
Mint can help cure stomach aches. Put some dried mint leaves in water and boil. Once cool, drink this to cool the stomach down.
Mint not only helps give instant fresh breath but also helps whiten the teeth. It helps keep mosquitos away. Mint is a natural insecticide due to its ability to kill harmless pests like the wasp, hornet, ants and cockroaches.
Tea made from mint is quite popular. It makes a refreshing beverage in the summers. The additional benefit it provides is keeping the three humours, air, water and fire in check.
Fresh mint is clearly the best form to use. Although mint can be easily dried and stored for later use, the fresh mint cannot be replaced either in flavour or potency.
It is important to ensure that the leaves look fresh and green. Ensure that you wash the leaves thoroughly since small leaves can be store houses for several harmful bacteria.
http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/homeremedies-cough.htm
Remedies for cough
Cough is a sudden, often repetitive, spasmodic contraction of the thoracic cavity, resulting in violent release of air from the lungs, and usually accompanied by a distinctive sound. Coughing is an action performed by the body to throw out or to get rid of substances that are irritating the air passages in their way. A cough is usually initiated to clear the phlegm that is been caught in the trachea or its neighboring areas. Coughing is also triggered when a bolus of food goes down the trachea instead of the esophagus because of the failure of the epiglottis, how ever this may result in choking rather. Frequent or continuous chronic coughing usually is seen when there is some presence of a disease. If the patient is a non-smoker and has a normal chest X-ray, the cause of chronic cough in most of all the patients is due to asthma, reflux ( heartburn) or post-nasal drip.(almost about 93%). Some other causes that contribute to chronic cough include chronic bronchitis and medications like as ACE inhibitors. Coughing occurs both voluntarily as well as involuntarily.
We can say that cough is a forceful release of air from the lungs that can be heard. Coughing is one of the ways of protecting the respiratory system by clearing it of irritants and secretions. Coughs are of two types either dry or productive. Dry cough usually does not bring up a mixture of mucus, irritants, and other substances from the lungs ( sputum), while a productive cough brings up all. If the cough is due to infection caused by bacteria then it may be grey, greenish or brown due to the presence of sputum in it. In the case of an allergy or viral infection the cough produced appears white. In the extremely serious conditions, it may happen that the sputum contains blood (cancer condition).
Environmental pollutants, such as cigarette smoke, dust, or smog, are also assumed to trigger of cough. In the case of cigarette smokers, the nicotine present in the smoke is proved to paralyze the hairs of the nose (cilia) that perform the activity of regularly flushing of the mucus from the respiratory system. Since the mucus now gets builds up, it forces the body for its removal by coughing or some other way (mostly it is coughing or sometimes with vomiting).
Post-nasal drip, or the irritating trickle of mucus from the nasal passages into the throat which is caused by allergies or sinusitis, can also be one of the contributing factors for generating cough.
Some of the common chronic disease like, as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cystic fibrosis, are mostly characterized in part by a cough. A condition in which stomach acid backs up into the esophagus (gastro esophageal reflux) can cause coughing, especially when a person is lying down, this should not be mistaken as cough caused by disease. Sometimes cough can also be a side-effect of medications that are administered via an inhaler. Many a times drugs used for treating high blood pressure can also cause side effects of cough, like the beta blockers and some ACE inhibitors
It is important to identify and treat the origin of the cough, along with the disease that resulted to it. Avoid smoking and coming in direct contact with people who smoke or who suffer from cold or flu symptoms. Wash hands at frequent times and especially during episodes of upper-respiratory illnesses.
Home Remedies for Cough
The following are some traditionally prescribed remedies for cough.
Take one tea spoon of pure honey and to it add a pinch of grounded white pepper. Regular usage of this 2-3 times a day for about 4-5 days will cure your cough. This is one of the important home remedies for cough.
Honey when taken with black pepper will loosen the mucous and make you spit the mucus. This will be helpful in throwing the irritating substances of the trachea and help you in treating cough. This is one of the effective cough home remedies.
Another effective natural remedy for cough is that if you have cough due to cold then just drink tea made of ginger 3-4 times a day or just eat raw ginger, this will subside your cough.
Drinking red raspberry, honey suckle, or liquor ice tea with honey is helpful in treating cough in 2-3 days. This is one of the effective cough treatment.
Take 2 tablespoons of honey and mix it in one cup of orange juice and drink it. This is a good cough remedy.
Prepare a cough syrup from baked onion juice, comfrey tea, and honey. Drink it daily and your cough will subside.
Another effective cough treatment is to before going to bed just take a spoonful of honey with few drops of vodka or brandy in it.
Mix 1-2 tsp of pure home made turmeric powder in warm milk and drink it twice a day for coughs of a bacterial origin. Within 2 days your cough will be gone by using this method. This is one of the useful home remedies for cough.
You may also gargle with warm water to which lot of salt is added as many times as possible during the day. This will help you to clear phlegm caught in the throat.
Mix 5 ml of onion juice with 10 ml of pure honey. Take this mixture at least twice a day. This will relieve your cough and will also help in soothing throat. This is one of the best cough cure.
Take 5ml of fresh tulsi (Ocimum sanctum, Holy Basil) and mix it in 10 ml of pure honey. Consume this daily at least twice a day.
Add turmeric to a vessel filled with boiling water and inhale the fumes. It is also beneficial for controlling cough. This is a good natural remedies for cough.
Prepare a paste using ¼ teaspoon of red pepper, ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, 1 table spoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 table spoon of honey, and 2 tablespoon of water. Mix them well and take 1 teaspoon of this mixture whenever you have cough. This is one of the simplest home remedy for cough.
In case of severe and chronic cough, crush 2-3 garlic and some cloves. Add this to a glass of milk or water. Then boil the mixture till it reduces to half the original content. Filter this and add a little sugar to it for improving the taste. Drink this twice a day and continue this treatment for at least a week to see visible results.
In a large vessel just simply take plain water and boil it. Now inhale these vapors of steam by covering your head region with the towel. Taking deep breaths in between is advisable. You may cough in the beginning and every thing will be fine in 10 minutes, it will help you later to throw out the waste (phlegm).
One of the useful home remedies for cough is to take 1-2 gm powder of black pepper, long pepper, and dry ginger in equal ratios. Take this mixture of powder with honey, 2-3 times a day.
Cough cure - Take some garlic and boil them in water, and drink it. You can add sugar to improve the taste.
Crush some black pepper and eat them with honey.
Chop up an onion, and pour honey over it. Let it be on a sauce pan on low flame for few minutes. Now take some honey from it and allow it to be in your throat. Do not drink water for at least half an hour of this treatment.
For dry and frequent cough take 1-2 gm powder of fried turmeric with honey, thrice a day. This is one of the useful cough treatment.
Take 2-3 cloves and fry them in butter or ghee, and chew them.
Take half a gram of powder of long pepper and mix it with rock salt, twice a day, with hot water. This is one of the simplest cough remedy.
Take some garlic pieces and then boil it in water, add some sugar, lemon and honey to it and drink it.
Take equal parts of black pepper, dry ginger, and sugar mixed in ghee or butter two times a day.
This home remedy for cough is one of the most useful ones. Take some water in the pot and put it to boil, after the water boils, put three cloves of garlic, one spoon of oregano and leave water for boiling around 4 -5 minutes. Take this water in cup and drink directly or add it in milk and then drink it.
Take little water say ¼ cup , to this add 2 teaspoons of honey, half a lemon, cinnamon and one eucalyptus leaf and drink it.
Take some eucalyptus and mint leaves and boil them in water. Now inhale its vapors while the water cools. It will help you in curing your cough. This is an another natural remedy for cough.
Controlling Coughs
Coughs are involuntary spasms of the respiratory tract, but adults can learn to control them. There are also some things you can do so that cough will not happen at all. The following are some preventive measures:-
(i) As the exact reason for cough is not certain we have to be very careful in selecting foods as some of them can aggravate coughs. Avoid sour substances if they are not suitable like curd, pickles, lemon etc.
(ii) Intake of cold water and other chilled products like ice creams soft drinks should be avoided. If not completely but at least they can be restricted.
(iii) Be away from allergens like dust, smoke. Fumes, gases, etc as much as you can. Cover your face with a handkerchief if possible. If you are riding vehicle frequently than make use of mask or other such products to cover your self.
(iv) Certain aroma is not suitable to you so be far from them.
(v) Daily if possible consume one tea spoon of honey.
(vi) If any member in your house has cough problem, keep children away from them and follow hygienic conditions.
(vii) Quit smoking as this is the major reason for cough.
(viii) Stop consumption of alcohol as they reduce blood sugar level and causes pain in head.
(ix) Avoid crowded places as cough is infectious, keep handkerchief in front of your mouth whenever you cough or sneeze
(x) Wash your hands properly before eating, and take a bath if possible after coming from outside.
http://www.natural-homeremedies.org/homeremedies-bronchitis.htm
Acute bronchitis develops by virus that causes colds. Mostly, a cold or flu is followed by acute bronchitis. Though, the flu is common, acute bronchitis is painful. Bronchitis occurs to people who have very less resistance capacity or people whose lungs are already irritated. Lungs get irritated for people who are exposed to smoking cigarettes or some other toxic gases. Hence bronchitis viruses affect the people with irritation in lungs very easily and these viruses causing bronchitis is contagious and can be passed on identically like our common cold as well as flu viruses. The person who is infected spreads the viral particles into the air while coughing. The viruses cause lung irritation and the mucus stimulates a persistent hacking and is the sign of acute bronchitis.
Effects of bronchitis
Wheezing or chest feeling tightness, low fever or burning pain may occur near the breastbone. This results in another hurdle known as pneumonia. People already suffering with asthma, allergy or some respiratory problem, may face utter difficulty if they cause acute bronchitis. Bronchitis subsides in a week or ten days, but the cough lingers for weeks or months as well. Generally, it is believed that coughing is a way of giving out the infection that causes bronchitis. So instead of suppressing the cough with some suppressants, it is best to use humidifiers to enhance the moisture to the air. The enhanced humidity brings the sputum out of the body and relieves the body.
General Home remedies for bronchitis
Drinking lots of liquids keeps the sputum fluid and is easy to bring it out. Liquids such as tea, coffee, soup, warm water, and any other warm liquids can be taken. Warm liquids soothe the throat that is irritated due to constant coughing. To soothe the throat inflammation, salt water gargling may provide you a great relief and is the most recommended home remedies for bronchitis.
Another effective bronchitis treatment is salt water also cuts the mucus that irritates the throat membranes. Just a teaspoon of salt added in a glass of warm water is effective. Gargling salt water can be done frequently, but spitting out the salty water after gargling is also essential. Taking adequate rest is necessary as moving around with bronchitis will worsen the working condition and your body’s capability to fight against the infection may become weaker. Taking ibuprofen or aspirin is good for pain relief. Avoid smoky rooms and people suffering with cold as it involves risk of aggravating another infection.
Natural remedies for bronchitis
Almonds are one of the best bronchitis home remedies. They are rich with all vitamins as well as nutrients. Eating almonds in any form relieves bronchitis.
Honey is one of the traditional natural natural remedy for bronchitis that alleviates the cough arising from bronchitis. There are other ways of having honey. Having a spoon of honey that is done by Slicing an onion and covering it with honey and allowing it to stay overnight is effective in eradicating the bronchitis from the root. This has to taken minimum 4 times a day. Lemons are of great assistance is getting rid of bacteria and mucus.
Drinking lemon tea is very soothing for a sore throat and gargling it brings out the phlegm, thus relieving a person from bronchitis. This is one of the best bronchitis cure.
Herbal Home Remedies for bronchitis
Bay leaf is considered to be the best home remedies for bronchitis. It isrecommended to be taken with tea. Soaking bay leaves in hot water, applying it on the chest and covering it with a towel gives great relief. Ginger is a potent that works exceptionally in tea. Mustard can be mixed with warm water and can be applied on the chest to get relieved from the bouts of cough. Savory is an herb that eliminates the mucus on the lungs when taken with tea. This should be taken only once a day. Thyme also helps in getting rid of mucus and supports the lungs to fight infection.
Using preventative tips for combating cough and congestion through these home remedies for bronchitis is an effective and trouble free way of eliminating bronchitis.
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1989341.aspx
GardenGerty (16765) ranked 66 out of 1,149 in stay healthy 20 hours ago
No, I do not think it is a biological attack.
Yes, there have been at least three discussions about this that I have seen since last night. happy My friends here keep me posted on the real world and I am so grateful. The discussions may be on the same topic, but they are each unique.Yours is unique. I do not think it is a problem.
Viruses do mutate and merge, they are crafty creations, that adapt widely. That is why we cannot cure the common cold. ninjaYou will notice that people died from this in Mexico, but the sufferers recovered in the US, because we have better care.
I will continue as I do, and I will wash my hands lots, and I will spray antiseptic sprays. I rinse my teeth with peroxide, and I think that helps kill germs. I use peroxide to clean things a lot.
I carry hand sanitizer in my work vehicle.
I will take my vitamins, get plenty of rest and sleep enough. I cannot avoid sick people, I take care of people, and if they are sick, I go to the doctor or hospital with them.
I believe that is where people actually catch things.That is my opinion, however. That is just where sick people go.
surrender I only have been sick once in about nine months, and it happened after I spent four hours sitting with someone at the hospital emergency room while her dad was admitted. It did not help that she reeked of cigarette smoke and strong cologne, both of which I am sensitive to.
GardenGerty (16765) ranked 66 out of 1,149 in stay healthy 16 hours ago
The early flu shots did tend to make people sick, but the newer ones do not.
I remember that mess with the first swine flu. The mutations between specie oriented viruses remind me of cousins marrying each other. The offspring either will have lots of defects or they will be geniuses, you never can tell.
They even have a nasal spray that is effective. I had a pharmacist tell me once that taking zinc will inhibit the mutation of viruses in your body, it will block the dna receptors in your cells that tend to make you catch the flu.
He said he would never become wealthy as a pharmacist because he told people the truth about vitamins, they help as well or better than prescriptions and cost less.
Viruses are not affected at all by antibiotics, but the excess antibiotics allow the bacteria to attack us once the viruses have done their damage. I still would rather have a bacterial infection than a viral, because we can treat them with lots of things.
Dear Granny or anyone else smarter than me , I need some advise because or circumstances I will use new gardening methods. I’m going to grow tomatoes upside-down in 5 gal/ pails,can I grow 2 plants per pail or only 1. should I use a special water retaining dirt or regular top soil (the garden is only going to be checked once a week.
>>>Dear Granny or anyone else smarter than me <<<
Don’t fit that category, but here is my 2 cents.
I would plant 2 in a 5 gal. pail. The limiting factor is not going to be soil volume but how far apart they are hung along with moisture and nutrients.
You will definitely have a problem with care only once a week. To overcome this, I would definitely use the following polymer to prolong moisture retention.
http://www.aquadiamonds.com/products.htm
Don’t worry, these polymers only break-down chemical is CO2.
They will last for years and rehydrate every time you water, and they release that water over a period of time. If you use Peters or Miracle Grow fertilizers or compost teas, they will store and release that over time too.
Oh, Welcome to the thread - we invite you to participate often, and hope the above helps you.
p.s. I use this in neck tubes - soak them in water and then put the tube around your neck in really hot weather - will keep your whole body cooler. If you are making one though, don’t use too many crystals or it will burst! :^)
INFLUENZA A (H1N1) VIRUS, HUMAN - NORTH AMERICA
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
******
In this update:
[1] Brief history and terminology of swine flu
[2] Comments on swine, poultry prevention and risk
[3] National Pork Board Producer Guidelines
[1] Brief history and terminology of swine flu
Date: 25 Apr 2009
Source: Peter Cowen, ProMED-mail Animal Disease Moderator
Since we have a great deal of experience with confusing terminology when a
disease occurs at the human/animal interface, I thought a few comments on
the current H1N1 situation were warranted. For example, one might argue
that the zoonotic disease, eastern equine encephalitis is not very aptly
named. Horses are a dead end host, wild birds are the zoonotic reservoir,
and poultry flocks serve as sentinel sites for surveillance and indicators
of when to begin mosquito control. Moreover, the disease occurs in people
on both the East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States. Very little of
this epidemiology could be deduced from the name, eastern equine
encephalitis. With that as a preamble, let me make some comments concerning
the terminology in common use — swine flu — for our present outbreak.
In the first place, the H1N1 virus is being called “swine flu” because of
the outbreak of a different, 1918 origin virus that caused significant
mortality in both swine and human populations and was known as the Spanish
flu. The virus probably has a wild bird origin but it definitive origin
remains unknown (see Taubenberg reference below).
The subsequent history of the swine influenza virus is nicely summarized:
“Influenza as a disease of pigs was 1st recognized during the Spanish
influenza pandemic of 1918 -1919. Veterinarian J S Koen was the 1st to
describe the illness, observing frequent outbreaks of influenza in families
followed immediately by illness in their swine herds, and vice versa [1].
Influenza virus was 1st isolated from pigs in 1930 by Shope and Lewis [2],
with the virus isolated from humans several years later [3]. The 1st
isolation of a swine influenza virus from a human occurred in 1974 [4],
confirming speculation that swine-origin influenza viruses could infect
humans.” See Myers below.
In the second place, influenza viruses regularly circulate in swine
populations and include H1N1, H3N2, H1N2, H1N3 most commonly, with almost
25 per cent of more than 114 000 swine serum samples in the US being
positive for one of the serotypes (see Choi et al. Arch Virol 2002 Jun;
147(6): 1209-20). As such, it is well controlled in swine populations, even
though it can cause concern on particular farms that don’t manage well for
its occurrence or at particular times.
Then, thirdly, swine flu viruses have been known to infect humans — 50
cases were turned up from an extensive review of the literature. Of the
non-military cases, 19 occurred in the United States, 6 in Czechoslovakia,
4 in the Netherlands, 3 in Russia, and 1 each in Canada and Hong Kong. Most
(61 per cent) of the cases studied had reported an exposure to swine and
the median age was 24 years (see Myers below). The most recognizable H1N1
transmission event involved 12 soldiers at Fort Dix in 1976, one of whom
died. Contact with swine was never established. Another important
transmission resulted in the death of a pregnant woman, who was exposed to
pigs, in 1988 in Wisconsin.
Finally, it appears as if no exposure to swine has occurred among people
who have come down with the current novel H1N1 virus. The virus has
elements of human, swine, and avian viruses normally found in Europe or
Asia. It is this genetic analysis of the virus which has really developed
the level of concern for this outbreak. If there wasn’t a match with the US
virus the fact that it is being transmitted out of season and in young,
healthy adults might have even been overlooked.
So, in summary, the reason that we are calling this virus swine flu is the
history and evolution of the virus. It also rests on the fact that some of
the genetic analysis indicates that elements from viruses that have
traditionally been found in swine populations are incorporated. However
since we know nothing of how this particular virus has gotten into the
human population but there apparently is no history of swine exposure, it
probably makes more sense epidemiologically to refer to this simply as an
H1N1 influenza virus.
To some extent a similar nomenclatural history has occurred over time with
the H5N1 virus becoming known by its viral strain, rather than bird flu. At
least with the H5N1 it can most often be traced to exposure to avian
species. But in the case of this so called swine flu, there really does
appear to be no exposure to swine and some evidence (father, daughter pair
in the US) of transmission without exposure to animals. Realistically,
however, the name seems to have stuck in the popular media already and the
terms swine flu does reflect what we know about the history of some very
important H1N1 viruses. Unfortunately, this name will imply a simple,
zoonotic transmission between swine and people, when in reality is origin
and epidemiology is liking to be much more complex. Therefore, good
epidemiologic studies in swine in Mexico could be very helpful in
understanding this apparently new virus.
References
—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
******
[2] Comments on swine, poultry exposure
Date: 25 Apr 2009
Source: Barrett Slenning
Animal Biosecurity Risk Management Group
College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University
barrett_slenning@ncsu.edu
[I find Barrett Slenning to be unusually thoughtful on matters of disaster
preparedness as it relates to agriculture and zoonotic diseases, so here
are some comments he put together as a summary explanation for animal
producers from last night (24 Apr 2009) here in North America. - Mod.PC]
We are dealing with an H1N1 swine-associated type A influenza that carries
both human and avian characteristics. It is a novel virus that had not been
described previously. It appears to be resistant to some antivirals, but
sensitive to Tamiflu and similar drugs.
Human cases from this virus emerged nearly simultaneously in the border
counties (San Diego and Imperial counties) of California (27 Mar 2009) and
in north-central Mexico (22 Mar 2009). The news reporting out of Mexico is
not consistent, and I am not privy to the official consultations between
the 2 countries, but it appears the Mexican outbreak is in the Mexico City
area (south central Mexico), the sectors in and around San Luis Potosi
(about 400 miles north of Mexico City), and in Mexicali (on the border with
Calexico in Imperial county California).
To date, 8 cases in the US have been documented, all of whom recovered/are
recovering (only one was hospitalized and that was an immunocompromised
individual with other disease issues). There are over 900 cases in Mexico,
with over 60 fatalities (approx 6 per cent case fatality rate). Why the
disparity in severity between the 2 countries is unknown, but with the US
numbers being so low, it could just be a luck of the draw kind of thing
right now: my back of the envelope calculations suggest that if the US had
the same base case fatality rate as in Mexico, the likelihood we could have
8 cases without a death is nearly 60 per cent.
None of the US cases have any known exposures to either swine or poultry.
To date, though epidemiologic trace backs are far from complete, none of
the Mexican cases have swine or poultry exposures either. There are a
couple of apparent family clusters in Mexico, so with that evidence and no
recognized pig/bird exposures, it appears that we are seeing human to human
transmission.
We do not know if this virus is circulating in swine populations. We have
no evidence of it in domestic swine, although the industry does not have
the depth of influenza surveillance that we see in poultry, and there is
some doubt that this new H1N1 strain would be identified as unusual with
standard tests anyway. Groups are doing rapid assessments right now, so
that information may change momentarily as data come in. Feral swine are
another possible source/reservoir, but we have no information on them. I do
not know if anyone is currently chasing the potential of this virus to be
in birds.
Nobody knows right now where we are in the epidemic — if this will burn
itself out in a few weeks or not. It is nearing the end of the influenza
season, so that is on our side. However, there are historical precedents
that should give us pause:
1. It was an H1N1 directly from birds that caused the 1918 pandemic that
killed more people than all the wars in the 20th century combined;
2. The 1st cases of that agent showed up in May 1918 in an army base in
Kansas — it went quiet over the summer — and started ravaging the globe
in early fall that year.
—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
******
[3] National Pork Board Producer Guidelines
Date: 25 Apr 2009
Source: National Pork Board [edited]
http://www.pork.org/
Swine flu heightens emphasis on biosecurity
The virus has not been reported to cause illness in pigs in the United
States, but it has been associated with illness in 8 people in the states
of California and Texas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
also has reported that the same virus may be responsible for outbreaks of
influenza in humans in Mexico.
The Pork Checkoff is recommending that pork producers implement biosecurity
practices on their farms to prevent that this new strain of swine influenza
does not enter the US swine herd, and to protect the health and safety of
our industry’s workers.
Consider including the following biosecurity practices for your farm:
- limit the access of people to essential personnel (farm employees,
veterinarians and essential service people);
- implement policies that prevent employees presenting signs of flu-like
illness from having contact with the pigs or other people on the operation;
- prevent access of international visitors or people who have recently
returned from international travel, particularly from travel to Mexico,
into your operation;
- implement a shower-in/shower-out procedure and the use of farm-specific
clothing and footwear for employees entering the barns. At minimum,
employees should don farm footwear and completely wash hands and arms
before having contact with the pigs;
- enforce heightened personal hygiene practices including frequent hand
washing for all people in contact with pigs;
- establish contact with the herd veterinarian to discuss other biosecurity
practices that are merited by this event.
The importance of keen observation of the health and behavior of your
animals cannot be understated and the Pork Checkoff recommends that you
establish immediate contact with a swine veterinarian if you suspect that a
disease may be present on your farm.
More information on influenza can be found in the fact sheet Influenza:
Pigs, people and public health. And, additional information on swine
influenza and an update on the outbreak reported by the CDC can be found at
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine
—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
[ProMED-mail’s veterinary and viral disease moderators have discussed the
nomenclature of this condition, and have agreed that we should refer to it
in the titles of postings as “Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human”, omitting
the word “swine”. For now, at least, that is what we will do, amending the
titles of earlier postings in this thread (as shown in the “see also”
section below). - Mod.SH]
[See also:
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - N America (03) 20090426.1566
Acute respiratory disease - Mexico, swine virus susp 20090424.1546
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - USA (02): (CA, TX) 20090424.1541
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - USA: (CA) 20090422.1516
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - Spain 20090220.0715
2008
...........pc/ejp/sh
http://gregcontreras.blogspot.com/2009/04/possibility-of-bio-terrorism-in-swine.html
Many, many thanks to Mark Taylor for this article, and to Milford421
Possibility of Bio-Terrorism in Swine Flu Outbreak
In a discussion this morning with a cell biologist and medical doctor working at Johns Hopkins, my friend thought this 4-part flu combination is highly unusual and looks like it could be man-made. Especially because it has an avian strain. My doctor friend (he’s Taiwanese) explained that in Asia, it’s common for a avian-swine-human flu to happen naturally, but this virus first showed up in Mexico, where pigs and ducks are not usually raised together. Also, recombination of more than 2-different flu viruses is extremely rare. I’m just repeating what he said as an expert in the field. He says the CDC needs to explain if there is a possibility that we are under a bio-weapon attack.
From CDC via Wikipedia: Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said that the American cases were found to be made up of genetic elements from four different flu viruses — North American swine influenza, North American avian influenza, human influenza A virus subtype H1N1, and swine influenza virus typically found in Asia and Europe. For two cases a complete genome sequence had been obtained. She said that the virus was resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, but susceptible to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).[22][23][24] Preliminary genetic characterization found that the hemagglutinin (HA) gene was similar to that of swine flu viruses present in U.S. pigs since 1999, but the neuraminidase (NA) and matrix protein (M) genes resembled versions present in European swine flu isolates. Viruses with this genetic makeup had not previously been found to be circulating in humans or pigs, but there is no formal national surveillance system to determine what viruses are circulating in pigs in the U.S.[25] The seasonal influenza strain H1N1 vaccine is thought to be unlikely to provide protection.[26]
Here’s more from AP via Seattle Post Intelligencer: http://www.seattlepi.com/health/1500ap_med_swine_flu.html?source=rss
The worrisome new virus - which combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before - also sickened at least eight people in Texas and California, though there have been no deaths in the U.S.
“We are very, very concerned,” World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said. “We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human ... It’s all hands on deck at the moment.”
Update: doctor friend also says that what is also unusual is that this type/combination virus is the based on the same strain as in the 1918 Spanish flu virus (H1N1) outbreak (extremely deadly, 25 million dead in 25 weeks; total dead 50-100 million dead; 2.5%-5% of the world population). This makes the virus extremely deadly. The likelihood that this combination with the most deadly strain would happen naturally is very, very low.
From Reuters via Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-flu-box25-2009apr25,0,5114253.story
The CDC has analyzed samples of the H1N1 virus from some of the U.S. patients, all of whom have recovered, and said it is a never-before-seen mixture of viruses from swine, birds and humans.
Not really, the creators may be betting that this highly deadly strain further mutates. According to my Doctor source from JHU, it is not necessary to do it in the lab, when nature gets hold of it the virus evolves on its own, it can become very deadly. According to, the natural mutation rate of Influenza virus is 1.5 *10^(-5) per nucleotide per infectious cycle (each individual replication within the cell). That means each of the millions of cells in one body that becomes infected will be mutated at a rate of 1.5 *10^(-5) (10^(-5) = 1.5/10,000) From the Journal of Virology: http://jvi.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/2/377
More from Reuters: (CDC acting director Dr. Richard Besser) Besser said the CDC is being “very aggressive” said it was time for people in the United States to think about what to do if this does turn out to be a pandemic.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53O0MW20090425
More info also from Wikipedia, but certified by my doctor (JHU) friend:
“H1N1 is a subtype of the species Influenza A virus. H1N1 has mutated into various strains including the Spanish Flu strain (now extinct in the wild), mild human flu strains, endemic pig strains, and various strains found in birds.
A variant of H1N1 was responsible for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed some 50 million to 100 million people worldwide over about a year in 1918 and 1919.[1] A different variant exists in pig populations.
Controversy arose in October 2005, after the H1N1 genome was published in the journal Science. Many[who?] fear that this information could be used for bioterrorism. [citation needed]
“When he compared the 1918 virus with today’s human flu viruses, Dr. Taubenberger noticed that it had alterations in just 25 to 30 of the virus’s 4,400 amino acids. Those few changes turned a bird virus into a killer that could spread from person to person.”[2]
Low pathogenic H1N1 strains still exist in the wild today, causing roughly half of all flu infections in 2006.[3]
Since mid-March 2009, over 500 cases, including at least 68 deaths, have been reported in Mexico from an outbreak a new strain of H1N1.[4][5][6]
At least some of these cases result from the same strain of H1N1 that was isolated in 9 US patients in California and Texas.[7]”
General influenza mortality rate is 0.1%, that means this is 20 times more deadly (2.0%), that’s really bad. If the virus mutates in the general population, the mortality rate will likely increase. (It can mutate to become less deadly, but nobody would notice, we can hope, but that’s not a strategy to combat infectious diseases.) The 1918 influenza virus mortality rate was 2%-20%.)
If one million people get the virus, 20,000 dead, at current rates.
Mutation is neutral, that means that 50% will be more deadly and 50% less deadly, but at a mutation rate of 1.5/10,000 per per nucleotide per infectious cycle, 50% of these mutation will be more deadly. And, since this virus has already mutated to become extremely deadly (i.e., 1918), the possibility of this super, possibly human-engineered, 4-virus combination (strain) to become extremely deadly again is greater than 0. How much greater, we don’t know with current information.
Posted by Greg Contreras at 10:41 AM
Mark R. Taylor
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/under-investigation/
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm
You are subscribed to updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of 9:00 AM on April 26, CDC has confirmed 20 human cases of swine flu in the U.S.:
* California: 7
* Kansas: 2
* New York City: 8
* Ohio: 1
* Texas: 2
Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the infection and whether additional people have been infected with swine influenza viruses.
To learn more about swine flu and the CDC investigation, please visit the CDC Swine Flu website.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the infection and whether additional people have been infected with swine influenza viruses.
CDC is working very closely with officials in states where human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) have been identified, as well as with health officials in Mexico, Canada and the World Health Organization. This includes deploying staff domestically and internationally to provide guidance and technical support. CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate this investigation.
Laboratory testing has found the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir and has issued interim guidance for the use of these drugs to treat and prevent infection with swine influenza viruses. CDC also has prepared interim guidance on how to care for people who are sick and interim guidance on the use of face masks in a community setting where spread of this swine flu virus has been detected. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide new information as it becomes available.
There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
* If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Topics on this page:
* General Information
* Summary Guidance
* Guidance Documents
* Travel Notices
* Transcripts
* Reports & Publications
* Related Links
* Past Updates
General Information
Swine Flu and You
What is swine flu? Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.? …
Swine Flu Video Podcast
Dr. Joe Bresee, with the CDC Influenza Division, describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it’s transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.
Key Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)
How does swine flu spread? Can people catch swine flu from eating pork? …
Swine Influenza in Pigs and People
Brochure
Información en español
Datos importantes sobre la influenza porcina…
Summary Guidance
CDC has provided the following interim guidance for this investigation.
* Residents of California and Texas
* Clinicians
* State Public Health Laboratories
* Public Health/Animal Health
Residents of States with Swine Influenza Cases
CDC has identified human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in people in the U.S. CDC is working with local and state health agencies to investigate these cases. We have determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, we have not determined how easily the virus spreads between people. As with any infectious disease, we are recommending precautionary measures for people residing in these areas.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
There is no vaccine available at this time, so it is important for people living in these areas to take steps to prevent spreading the virus to others. If people are ill, they should attempt to stay at home and limit contact with others. Healthy residents living in these areas should take everyday preventive actions.
People who live in these areas who develop an illness with fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, should contact their health care provider. Their health care provider will determine whether influenza testing is needed.
Clinicians
Clinicians should consider the possibility of swine influenza virus infections in patients presenting with febrile respiratory illness who
1. Live in an area where human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) has been identified or
2. Have traveled to an area where human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) has been identified or
3. Have been in contact with ill persons from these areas in the 7 days prior to their illness onset.
If swine flu is suspected, clinicians should obtain a respiratory swab for swine influenza testing and place it in a refrigerator (not a freezer). Once collected, the clinician should contact their state or local health department to facilitate transport and timely diagnosis at a state public health laboratory.
State Public Health Laboratories
Laboratories should send all unsubtypable influenza A specimens as soon as possible to the Viral Surveillance and Diagnostic Branch of the CDC’s Influenza Division for further diagnostic testing.
Public Health /Animal Health Officials
Officials should conduct thorough case and contact investigations to determine the source of the swine influenza virus, extent of community illness and the need for timely control measures.
Guidance Documents
Interim Guidance for Swine influenza A (H1N1): Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home Apr 25, 2009
Interim Guidance on Antiviral Recommendations for Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection and Close Contacts Apr 25, 2009
Interim Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator Use in Certain Community Settings Where Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Transmission Has Been Detected Apr 26, 2009
Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Biosafety Guidelines for Laboratory Workers Apr 24, 2009
This guidance is for laboratory workers who may be processing or performing diagnostic testing on clinical specimens from patients with suspected swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, or performing viral isolation.
Interim Guidance for Infection Control for Care of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in a Healthcare Setting Apr 24, 2009
Interim Guidance on Case Definitions to be Used For Investigations of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Cases Apr 26, 2009
This document provides interim guidance for state and local health departments conducting investigations of human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. The following case definitions are for the purpose of investigations of suspected, probable, and confirmed cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection.
Travel Notices
Risk of Swine Flu Associated with Travel to Affected Areas
April 26, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. ET
Outbreak Notice: Swine Influenza in the United States
April 25, 2009 12:00 p.m. ET
Travel Health Precaution: Swine Influenza and Severe Cases of Respiratory Illness in Mexico
April 25, 2009 12:00 p.m. ET
Press Briefing Transcripts
Media Availability on CDC Investigation of Human Cases of Swine Influenza
April 25, 2009, 1 p.m. EDT
Unedited Transcript of CDC Briefing on Public Health Investigation of Human Cases of Swine Influenza
April 24, 2009 2:30 p.m. EDT
CDC Briefing on Public Health Investigation of Human Cases of Swine Influenza
April 23, 2009 press briefing…
Reports & Publications
CDC Health Advisory April 25, 2009, 3:00 EDT
Investigation and Interim Recommendations: Swine Influenza (H1N1)
Distributed via Health Alert Network
CDCHAN-000281-2009-04-25-ALT-N
Update: Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Infections—California and Texas, April 2009
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) April 24, 2009 / Vol. 58 / Dispatch;1-3
Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Infection in Two Children—Southern California, March-April 2009
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) April 21, 2009 / Vol. 58 / Dispatch
Related Links
PandemicFlu.govExternal Web Site Policy.
WHO - Influenza-Like Illness in the United States and MexicoExternal Web Site Policy.
Past Updates
* April 25, 2009
* April 24, 2009
* April 23, 2009
Swine Influenza (Flu)
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, human infections with swine flu do occur, and cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses has been documented. See General Information about Swine Flu.
From December 2005 through February 2009, a total of 12 human infections with swine influenza were reported from 10 states in the United States. Since March 2009, a number of confirmed human cases of a new strain of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in the U.S. and internationally have been identified. An investigation into these cases is ongoing. For more information see Human Swine Flu Investigation.
General Information about Swine Flu
Questions and answers and guidance for treatment and infection control
Human Swine Flu Investigation April 26, 2009 11:30 ET
Information about the investigation of human swine flu in the U.S.
CDC Health Advisory April 25, 2009, 3:00 EST (03:00 PM EDT)
Investigation and Interim Recommendations: Swine Influenza (H1N1)
Distributed via Health Alert Network
Swine Flu website last updated Sunday, April 26, 2009 01:00 ET
Welcome to the thread, thanks for reading along with us and do join in as you wish.
I can’t give you a better answer than Dela Where has, except to add that 5 gallons of dirt would require iron rafters to hold it up, it will be very heavy.
I have not used the crystals that hold water, but do use potting mixes.
Keep us posted on how your tomatoes do.
US declares public health emergency for swine flu
1 hr 6 mins ago
WASHINGTON - The U.S. declared a public health emergency Sunday to deal with
the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for
approaching hurricanes.
Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with
the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain
appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been
mild - and U.S. health authorities can’t yet explain why.
snipped....
Top among those is declaring the public health emergency. As part of that, Napolitano said roughly 12 million doses of the drug Tamiflu will be moved from a federal stockpile to places where states can quickly get their share if they decide they need it. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas.
Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure — one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a “declaration of emergency preparedness.”
“Really that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re preparing in an environment where we really don’t know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be.”
[I do not know any thing about this company, except they give good advice.....granny]
http://bulk-survival-food.com/swine-flu-epidemic-planning/322
Swine Flu Epidemic Planning
Published by Kevin at 9:10 am
Being prepared for a flu epidemic like the potential 2009 swine flu means having supplies at home for an extended period of time.
According to the US government pandemic flu website;
Store a two week supply of water and food. During a pandemic, if you cannot get to a store, or if stores are out of supplies, it will be important for you to have extra supplies on hand. This can be useful in other types of emergencies, such as power outages and disasters.
I recommend one month to 3 month worth of supplies. Based on previous epidemics there are several “waves” of infection outbreaks. Your ability to be prepared to stay home for extended periods of time at different phases of the pandemic may be vital to you and your families’ survival.
You should be immediately prepared and have at least two weeks supply at home of food, medicine (prescription and non-prescription), and other essentials. Anything that would force you to leave your home to try to find. It will also be harder to find these items due to supply chain breakdowns during a long pandemic outbreak scenario.
Three very important points for food;
* Buy foods that are the same or similar to what you family can eat. Radical changes in diet can cause much more complications than you need in a crisis.
* Store shelves will empty within hours once it is clear that the crisis is severe, real, and imminent, to most of us.
* Try to get as “ready to eat” type foods as possible - you may be sick and not able to prepare foods
Fill any prescriptions you have for as long as possible. Purchase the regular medical supplies that you would consume over a 6 month period including cold and flu remedies as regular illness don’t go on holiday during a pandemic.
What foods to buy
As mentioned try not to stray far from foods your family is used to and that you know they will eat.
* Rice - most people like rice and preparation is easy as long as you have a stove. Bulk 40-50 lb bags are cheap so if you don’t need to use it the waste will not cost much
* Dry Cereals - try to stay with what your family normally eats, but healthier brands with less sugar are a better choice
* Canned meats and fish - Sardines are great and cheap if you like them.
* Canned Vegetables - Cooked is better for preparedness so they are ready to eat.
* Peanut butter - if there are no allergies.
* Water containers - I won’t spend money on bottled water, the water from you tap is good enough and you should have time to fill containers if a threat to the water supply comes into play.
* Protein and fruit bars - read the labels, make sure they are not empty calorie bars that provide no nutrition
As I mentioned above once the perceived risk level is high in the minds of a critical mass of people the store shelves will empty quickly, due to the nature of our just-in-time food supply chain. Then there will a period of time before shelves will be partially and then fully replenished.
If you want to avoid this I would suggest you shop now.
Panic could set in within a matter of hours if the situation worsens.
For proper longer term preparedness of one to six months, I recommend freeze dried food.
The main reasons are
* It lasts a long time so food will be there for a future crisis if this one, hopefully, does not materialize
* You don’t need to panic buy when a crisis hits to be prepared, you are ‘always prepared’ for 25 years
* Food reserves are ready to eat, only needing water to prepare
I just checked Nitro-Pak’s (emergency preparedness) website and they say that as of today “most orders will SHIP in approx. 1-3 business days. Food orders may take slightly longer.”
Published under Freeze Dried Food, Pandemic Preparedness, nitro-pak, swine flu
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfznzqn3_6f7wk6mrb
My $800 annual budget and how it works.
I have basically put $800 cash into an online savings account. This is for 4 people, one adult, 1 teen, two tweens and two dogs. This averages out to 54¢ per person per day. One month I might spend $100 and only spend $25 the following, but as long as I have not gone over the $800 for the YEAR I am still within my goal. Any time I have to pay out of pocket for something I will use a credit card that I earn rewards on, either cash back, gift cards back or college savings. Then I will transfer that purchase amount from my online account to my checking account to cover the cost of those items when the bill comes in.
I will use coupons and gift cards, combined with store sales and loyalty cards to make my purchases cost less money out of pocket. Gift cards are obtained from trades, special promotions, survey sites, rebates, in store promotions as well as referral bonuses. I never buy gift cards as that would defeat the purpose. The stores I shop at will double up to 50¢ and triple up to 39¢. We do not pay food tax except on convenience foods. I calculate my savings by the price a product rings up at vs. what I pay out of pocket for it. (Example: if something normally costs $3.99 but is on sale for $2.00 and I have a $1 coupon, I saved $1) I know other people calculate different and that is fine, but I only go by what it rings up at since most of the time I would not buy the item if it were not on sale.
Any money earned from surveys or rebates is added back into the budget for future use as long as the rebate was for a budget item (for example if I do an ACE Hardware rebate that money is not added back into the budget).
What IS included in my budget.
1. all food
2. all HBA (health and beauty items)
3. all dog food
4. all eating out
5. all cleaning supplies
6. all coupons I pay for (the paper)
What is NOT included in my budget
1. Clothing
2. Gifts
3. Car
4. House
5. Bills
6. Coupons I obtain by using ECB or RR or gift cards, since it costs me nothing.
7. Gas
It took me almost three years to get to the level of couponing and stockpiling I am at now. It did not happen overnight. Once you begin obtaining a stockpile of items you are able to cut back expense on those items. So even though it might not look like I am purchasing much for my family in various food groups, I am, or have in the past, and am using food from my stockpile. That food was paid for once, so I am not including it in my budget again for this year as I use it.
It takes me on average 1 hour per week to find the deals, gather coupons and make my lists. Then I might spend another 30 minutes actually shopping for the items. With the help of Hot Coupon World, I can find out the deals online without having to drive to many stores to find them. This is a real time saver.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Please don’t judge until you know the facts. No I am NOT on food stamps nor do we have health problems.
BTW if you are having problems viewing my blog, please upgrade to Internet Explorer 7 or 8. There is a problem with IE6.
Go back to the blog
http://jane4girls800dollarannualbudget.blogspot.com/
INFLUENZA A (H1N1) VIRUS, HUMAN - NEW ZEALAND, SUSPECTED
********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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[1]
Date: Sun 26 Apr 2009
Source: Stuff.co.nz [edited]
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/2364487/Ten-influenza-results-confirmed-in-New-Zealand-teens
Ten students have tonight tested positive for influenza, with health
officials saying they consider it “likely” the pupils have swine flu. Swine
flu is believed to have killed more than 80 people in Mexico, and over 1300
are sick as a result of catching the virus, which has also hit parts of the
United States.
Health officials said tonight there were also 3 other high schools at risk,
with pupils from Northcote College having recently returned from Mexico,
while Pinehurst and Westlake Girls High also had pupils in the United
States and South America. Health minister Tony Ryall said most of the
flu-affected pupils from Northcote College were on the “road to recovery”,
but other pupils had since come down with flu-like symptoms. The affected
pupils were being kept in isolation at home along with their family
members. One pupil had been hospitalised, but their condition was not
serious, officials said.
Dr Darren Hunt, deputy director of public health, said it could take days
till they knew whether the influenza was H1N1 swine flu, a subset of
influenza A. Melbourne health authorities were tonight [26 Apr 2009] being
contacted and would carry out the tests. Until results were known, health
officials are treating the situation as if the victims had swine flu and
have upgraded the country’s health alert status from “code white” to “code
yellow.”
Doctors and nurses would also be stationed at Auckland International
Airport from early tomorrow [27 Apr 2009] to screen for possible symptoms
from travelers landing from North and Central America. Officials would also
seek fellow passengers onboard Air New Zealand’s NZ1 Los Angeles flight
that landed early yesterday [25 Apr 2009] and carried the affected
Northcote College pupils. Mr Ryall encouraged passengers on the flight to
consult with their GP or other health professional if they develop flu-like
symptoms. Middlemore Hospital had released Tamiflu to the Auckland Regional
Public Health Service to treat the patients and people who had been in
contact with them.
The Ministry was in contact with WHO and was liaising with Australia in
terms of their response. The Ministry was also working closely with
Auckland Regional Public Health, district health boards and other
government agencies including MAF, Customs, and the Ministry of Education.
It would keep New Zealanders informed of developments, Mr Ryall said.
[byline: Anna Chalmers]
—
communicated by:
Dr Patricia Priest
Senior Lecturer, Epidemiology
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine
University of Otago
PO Box 913
Dunedin, New Zealand
patricia.priest@otago.ac.nz
******
[2]
Date: Sun 26 Apr 2009
Source: 3News, Breaking News [edited]
http://www.3news.co.nz/News/Swine-flu-feared-to-have-spread-to-NZ/tabid/209/articleID/101257/cat/87/Default.aspx
A group of 25 staff and students from Rangitoto College on Auckland’s North
Shore are being tested for the deadly swine flu after returning from a
school trip to Mexico. 18 people in the group of 25 staff and students have
reported influenza-like illnesses, and Auckland health officials are
checking whether it is the swine influenza strain.
“Since we became aware of the situation, we have been applying all our
resources to investigate it and manage it,” says Dr Julia Peters, clinical
director of the Auckland Regional Public Health Service. Nurses have been
speaking with people who have been in direct contact with the group to
assess their health. “There’s one young student who was admitted to
hospital last night [25 Apr 2009], but the clinicians are reasonably
confident that is not influenza,” Dr Peters says. “But all the others are
being managed at home.”
The Ministry of Health says it has put in place the initial stages of a
pandemic response plan, and there is heightened awareness around flights
from the western United States for people with influenza-like illness and
severe pneumonia. “In terms of the wider community, our advice is that
people who are returning from Mexico who do have any symptoms that could be
consistent with influenza need to contact their GP or their practice nurse
and get further advice from them,” Dr Peters says.
It is believed more than 80 people have already died from the flu in
Mexico, and WHO has called an emergency meeting to warn the world of the
potential for a global pandemic. There are now 11 confirmed cases in the
US, and 10 other cases are being investigated. The virus has reached
California, Texas, Kansas, and New York and has stretched as far as London,
where a member of a British Airways cabin crew has been taken to hospital
suffering from flu-like symptoms [now discounted - Mod.CP]. In Japan,
thermo-imaging equipment has been set up at airports to pick up passengers
with unusually high temperatures, while France has a crisis centre in
operation to monitor the situation.
The swine influenza is thought to have originated in pigs, which are
susceptible to human flu, avian flu and their own swine flu [There is no
evidence that this novel strain of influenza A (H1N1) virus originated in
swine. This unique virus contains some genome elements characteristic of
swine influenza virus, but the origin of the virus is unknown at present. -
Mod.CP].
Symptoms of influenza include a fever, body aches, cough, nasal congestion,
and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. The Ministry of Health says it will
update the public as soon as the tests from the Rangitoto College group are
available.
—
communicated by:
Steven McAuley
Medical student
University of Otago
Dunedin, New Zealand
sbmcauley@gmail.com
[These 2 groups of students who recently returned from visits to Mexico
have tested positive for influenza A virus infection, but it remains to be
established that they have contracted the influenza A (H1N1) virus strain
responsible for the outbreak of serious respiratory illness in Mexico. The
disease process appears to be mild, resembling that observed in the few
cases that have occurred in the United States.
If confirmed, these will be the 1st cases of this virus infection occurring
outside North America. It is likely that there will be similar alerts from
elsewhere in the coming days. - Mod.CP]
[see also:
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - N America (04) 20090426.1569
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - N America (03) 20090426.1566
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - N America (02) 20090425.1557
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - N America 20090425.1552
Acute respiratory disease - Mexico, swine virus susp 20090424.1546
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - USA (02): (CA, TX) 20090424.1541
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - USA: (CA) 20090422.1516
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - Spain 20090220.0715
2008
................cp/msp/sh
Health officials investigate possible swine flu at St. Mels
St. Mels Catholic School in Fair Oaks will be closed until at least Thursday this week while Sacramento County Public Health officials look to see if a seventh grader at St. Mel’s Catholic School in Fair Oaks has a flu linked to the widening swine flu outbreak.
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http://www.sacbee.com/1089/story/1811611.html
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