Swine flu could kill hundreds of thousands in U.S. if vaccine fails, CDC says

The Los Angeles Times ^ | July 25, 2009 | Thomas H. Maugh II

[2ndDivisionVet]

Hundreds of thousands of Americans could die over the next two years if the vaccine and other control measures for the new H1N1 influenza are not effective, and, at the pandemic's peak, as much as 40% of the workforce could be affected, according to new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That is admittedly a worst-case scenario that the federal agency says it doesn't expect to occur.

But the broad range of potential deaths highlights the unpredictability of flu viruses in general and this swine flu virus in particular because it hasn't behaved the way researchers have expected.

The number of potential deaths is much higher than that usually seen in seasonal flu, which kills an estimated 36,000 Americans a year, and is even higher than the nation's most recent pandemic.

A 2003 CDC study of deaths in the preceding decade showed yearly totals ranging from 17,000 to 52,000. The 1957 pandemic of Asian flu killed 70,000.

The vaccine the CDC is counting on is not expected to be available before the end of September, too late to immunize children before the start of school, where the proximity of children is expected to speed up transmission of the virus.

[MarMema]

You know, it did occur to me that Obama could be factoring in a worst-case scenario for this fall.

[sleddogs]

OMG, is this DU? Talk about denial. This talk sounds like the 911 Truther Moonbats. Alex Jones is now a Freeper? LOL

[meyer]

They were whining about this flu as if it were the coming of satin a few months ago. Government agencies at all levels panicked. The news media went wild. And - and, nothing happened outside of what happens with any other strain of flu. A few die every year from the flu, and this so far promises to be the same or less deadly than flus of the past.

The government is trying to steer us into a panic so that we will embrace government-run health care (for some, euthanasia for others).

[Trillian]

The moo flu?

[freedommom]

http://www.newsmax.com/health/vaccine_swine_flu/2009/07/07/232717.html

[meyer]

Funny you should mention. I’ve gotten flu “vaccines” 3 times in my life, and ended up with a nasty case of the flu following each one. I have given in to the fact that I will have the flu every season regardless of whether I get the shot or not, but my experience has been that it’s been worse the 3 years that I’ve gotten the shot. No more flu shots for me, especially if our communist government “recommends” it!

[mojitojoe]

They can talk all of the sh*t they please, I’m not taking any damn shot from anyone that has anything to do with any government in any country. End of story. If the ful gets that bad, I will just leave here and head for a secluded island.

[freedommom]

Better stock up on essentials this might be a bumpy
ride!