Flu Hysteria Powers Whitehall Spin Machine

ruggedtoast

UK Swine flu deaths hit 29 - and could rise to 65,000 - Up to 65,000 people in the UK could die from swine flu if the pandemic achieves it worst possible potential, the government warned today.

Squeals the Groaner today.

And theres even a picture of an apparently infected Cherie Blair gazing stoically from behind a window pane, her intravenous lemsip drip presumably out of sight. Will she pull through, yes I imagine like the vast majority of otherwise healthy flu victims she will.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/16/swine-flu-cases-rise-britain

As we know from all our squinting at statistics on here saying a number "could" rise or fall to another number is about the most pointless form of speculation available.

Motor vehicles currently do kill about 3000 people a year but theres no hysterical propoanda warning us to duck and cover at the sight of the number 65 to Kingston.

In the USA (I couldnt find the UK stats) 7 people die per hour from regular flu. Almost everyone whos contracted swine flu has got better. Exactly like all the healthy people who get every other strain of flu.

Whatever happened to stoical messages to Dig for Victory, Mend and Make Do and be sensible about danger while getting on with your life.

Of course they were wartime messages attempting to brace the population for a real threat most people could not avoid.

Rather than hysterical spin designed to terrify people into forgetting about the state of the economomy or how Britain can barely afford an extra dozen helicopters anymore.

amcluesent

You need to add in the additional deaths due to NHS services being unavailable due swine flue.

This is NOT a good time to crash your car when ambulance crews are ill, the surgical team is confined to bed and all the acute wards are chock-a-block with the wee sick bairns.

The opportunity costs of swine flu are going to be ££ billions. Everyone is going to take their 14 day sickie before the summer weather is over.

lostinrates

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Whatever happened to stoical messages to Dig for Victory, Mend and Make Do and be sensible about danger while getting on with your life.

Tesco's clubcard, computer games and litigation, amoung other things.

Cleaver

amcluesent wrote: »

You need to add in the additional deaths due to NHS services being unavailable due swine flue.

This is NOT a good time to crash your car when ambulance crews are ill, the surgical team is confined to bed and all the acute wards are chock-a-block with the wee sick bairns.

Strangely enough I was first on the scene of an incident just yesterday lunch time where the person needed an ambulance. I called 999, the person on the line talked me through what I needed to do and a paramedic ambulance got there in about 2 - 3 minutes. Then the big proper amublance turned up about 30 seconds later.

Swine flu or no swine flu, there isn't too many countries where you get that kind of service, that quickly. First time I've rung 999 in about five years (the last time was when a man had been smashing up a car with a baseball bat outside our flat. I found out later it was the car of a neighbour who had been sleeping with his wife, so kinda regretted getting him arrested).

Mind you, mine's an anecdotal story and so is yours, no point to either I guess. I'm just saying that whether we have a pandemic here or not, I'd prefer to collapse on a British street and need help than probably 80% of other countries.

I agree with Mr Toast. Let's be positive and just get on with it. Drink a bit of lucozade and you'll be just dandy.

Thrugelmir

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Squeals the Groaner today.

And theres even a picture of an apparently infected Cherie Blair gazing stoically from behind a window pane, her intravenous lemsip drip presumably out of sight. Will she pull through, yes I imagine like the vast majority of otherwise healthy flu victims she will.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/16/swine-flu-cases-rise-britain

As we know from all our squinting at statistics on here saying a number "could" rise or fall to another number is about the most pointless form of speculation available.

Motor vehicles currently do kill about 3000 people a year but theres no hysterical propoanda warning us to duck and cover at the sight of the number 65 to Kingston.

In the USA (I couldnt find the UK stats) 7 people die per hour from regular flu. Almost everyone whos contracted swine flu has got better. Exactly like all the healthy people who get every other strain of flu.

Whatever happened to stoical messages to Dig for Victory, Mend and Make Do and be sensible about danger while getting on with your life.

Of course they were wartime messages attempting to brace the population for a real threat most people could not avoid.

Rather than hysterical spin designed to terrify people into forgetting about the state of the economomy or how Britain can barely afford an extra dozen helicopters anymore.

Not sure how messages such as dig for victory will help an individual recover from a bout of swine flu. Remember that the existant of the death camps was known in WW2, but nothing was done to alleviate the situation by the allies. Maybe some of those poor souls could have been saved if someone had actually taken action.

I hope that your GP's surgery is open at the time you need it. Will you blame the closure on the Governments handling of the economy if it isn't.

This is not a political issue. Just be glad we have the NHS. Many other countries have nothing to compare with this.

kennyboy66_2

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Rather than hysterical spin designed to terrify people into forgetting about the state of the economomy or how Britain can barely afford an extra dozen helicopters anymore.

Not much career progression in stating the obvious like seasonal normal flu in the UK kills about 20,000 (mainly elderly, hence why they are targeted for vaccine every year).

Or that 25,000 die each year due to cold weather (Govt figures - again the elderly).

Or that 12000 people died in the London smog of 1952.

You can almost see the scramble of government depts. trying to leverage extra funds.

Next week no doubt, we will have a "Flu Tsar"

People on here complain about the press but still manage to get sucked in by the hysteria.

The government must truly love such pliant, gullible citizens.

kennyboy66_2

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Not sure how messages such as dig for victory will help an individual recover from a bout of swine flu. Remember that the existant of the death camps was known in WW2, but nothing was done to alleviate the situation by the allies. Maybe some of those poor souls could have been saved if someone had actually taken action.

I hope that your GP's surgery is open at the time you need it. Will you blame the closure on the Governments handling of the economy if it isn't.

This is not a political issue. Just be glad we have the NHS. Many other countries have nothing to compare with this.

A new winner in the hyperbole stakes.

Swine Flu = Holocaust.

mbga9pgf

Or that 25,000 die each year due to cold weather (Govt figures - again the elderly)

Old people dying. Who would have thunk it?

Jonbvn

The worrying thing is that Swine flu is on the verge of a hideous and unstoppable mutation after contracting a virulent case of Cherie Blair, scientists have warned.

...a virus with the contagiousness of swine flu and the eye-gouging awfulness of Cherie Blair will be 'a bit like the Black Death, if it was obsessed with money and status'.

Jonbvn

Could this be Gordo's "Falklands"?

Thrugelmir

kennyboy66 wrote: »

A new winner in the hyperbole stakes.

Swine Flu = Holocaust.

You missed my point totally. Take no action deaths will occur that are unneccessary.