Swine 'flu - What economic impact?

michaels

Why are SF deaths only reported on a weekly basis - surely the public would like to know on a daily basis - smacks of bad news management to anyone?

julieq

I'd like to know road accident fatalities on a daily basis too. And total cheese related deaths please. And panic induced coronaries.

sabretoothtigger

Hasnt this already been seen to be OTT when the uk allready copes with flu every year including deaths and this strain is not especially lethal.
No disrespect to those have suffered especially but thats the average or net result for the uk afaik

economic impact can be said to be zero compared to other unknowns like the uk net result of current debts, etc

julieq

I'd have said that, on any rational analysis it's a non-issue.

But it is now being ramped up massively so it's having an effect. On the face of things that ought to be a negative one.

But it may be unexpectedly positive, for example I met someone from a company who produce black boxes for calibrating the sensors used at airports to detect high body temperatures, and they can't make enough. There will be a lot of call centre work available, and pharmaceutical companies ought to find ways to benefit.

I think the evidence in the general workplace is that people are just ignoring swine flu, which is sensible enough. People are probably less likely to struggle into work with cold or flu symptoms, which again could work out positive.

vivatifosi

julieq wrote: »

But it may be unexpectedly positive, for example I met someone from a company who produce black boxes for calibrating the sensors used at airports to detect high body temperatures, and they can't make enough. There will be a lot of call centre work available, and pharmaceutical companies ought to find ways to benefit.

Its a good time to sell thermometers apparently, but only for a little while...

Lloyds pharmacy has sold 700% more thermometers than for the same period last year.

Even thermometer suppliers are getting nervous. Andrew Brannan, of Brannan thermometers, says it was the same with Sars. "We couldn't keep up." So how did it end? Did we all find a long-lost one in the bathroom? "No," he says. "The story disappeared and the demand stopped."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/20/swine-flu-thermometer

julieq

I heard from someone who has a friend who works in the Civil Service, and they were very clear that swine flu had been invented by the American secret service in order to provide covert financial stimulus to the life science industry.

Make of it what you will, but remember where you read it first

amcluesent

Swine flu drug £120 on the net

Doses of the swine flu drug Tamiflu are selling for £120 on the internet despite being free on the NHS.

The antiviral medication is being snapped up in 'unprecedented' amounts as concern over the outbreak increases. The boom in internet sales comes as a new official way of distributing antivirals was said to be causing confusion and rule-breaking.

"Don't panic Mr Mainwairing! Don't panic!" :rotfl:

Naughty_Sausage

watch companies start to struggle when they have people off sick due to SF and people off taking care of the kids when the schools close for no good reason.

misskool

amcluesent wrote: »

Swine flu drug £120 on the net

Doses of the swine flu drug Tamiflu are selling for £120 on the internet despite being free on the NHS.

The antiviral medication is being snapped up in 'unprecedented' amounts as concern over the outbreak increases. The boom in internet sales comes as a new official way of distributing antivirals was said to be causing confusion and rule-breaking.

"Don't panic Mr Mainwairing! Don't panic!" :rotfl:

Not that I should need to remind you but please don't buy medicines off the Internet.

Tamiflu isn't the only anti viral that will work against the flu, there are other drugs.

I still don't understand why people are panicking, there are more deaths caused by heart attacks in Britain compared to swine flu.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I enjoyed the headline in today's trusty Daily Express about migrants manning the swine flu helpline. Don't the government know that migrants invented swine flu and gave it to Princess Di on purpose to lower house prices?