I am worried about the flu as well. My mom is even more worried about it. She hasn't been letting me leave the house because I already have a cold.

Donna, I would feel the same way. Dont you worry. Dallas/FTW is now shutting down our Cinco de Mayo festivities. Not sure if San Antonio or Austin will follow.

Here is what happen to me and hubby. I've never had a flu shot in my life, and I've never had the flu. Hubby use to get flu shots each year and always ended up with the flu. He stopped getting the shots 10 years ago and has not been sick since.
I can't tell anyone not to take the flu shots, I'm just saying how our own situation is.

Flu vaccines are perfectly safe for healthy adults unless you are allergic to eggs. They only include 3 strains in the shot each year. If you are getting a flu shot and still getting sick you either a. got a really bad cold or b. got a strain of flu not included in the shot. Again, there are tests they can do to find out if you actually have flu and which strain. I didn't get my flu shot this year and I didn't get sick. I also stopped working at a middle school in July. Gee... I wonder which one it was :D I haven't actually had INFLUENZA since I've been getting my shots (for like 10 years, they lined us up in the college dorms and stuck us!) I did have a really bad cold last year that I thought was the flu, but it was not (I got a swab test and I got better in 4 days). The flu lasts for like TWO WEEKS. If you get a cold it lasts a few days with maybe 1 or 2 really bad days. If you have the flu there should be no mistaking it :)

Please see my post earlier in the thread regarding "stomach flu" vs influenza :rolleyes:

I asked my Doctor today about getting last year's flu shot and she said it's not worth it at this point in the year, wait until fall. They were not super worried about it. We did have one middle school close due to a suspected case but no confirmed cases here yet. LOTS of people wearing masks, but I was also grocery shopping in the town with the closed school (hey, that's where Traders is!) The doctor's office had masks available and a sign to wear one if you were sick (I was not, just picking up my orthotics... I sure picked the wrong day to do that!) Actually, the masks in the doctor's office are a great idea - I think they should keep that one!

(<-- Just playing devil's advocate) So I would ALWAYS get sick during "fall/winter" time and when I get sick it lasts for at least a month (usually a cold turns in to a sinus infection for me, and for most of my youth also an ear infection). Anyway, freshman year of college I was really sick (as in I passed out while in the doctor's office.) They recommended I get the flu shot since my immune system was so bad at that point. I'd never had the shot before, but I had had the flu in high school (I lost like 5 pounds in a week or less, I felt like I was dead). Every year since then I've had the flu shot (free as a student, no more free shots for me now...) I have YET to get sick during the winter/fall season .... **

I just think it's important to educate yourself before getting hysterical about things. My Mom called and said she's so nervous she's bringing her own soap in to her office's bathroom since what's in there already isn't that "germ killing". :rolleyes: It is kind of a good thing when things like this happen and people become more conscious of ways people can transmit germs, but mass hysteria for no reason isn't good.

All the same, I just hope no one I know gets ill! (That includes you YT ladies!)

-Vicky

** I did get mono a year ago, but that was from a cruise ship :rolleyes: that I was on in August that didn't believe in straws for their cups...

I heard there is no vaccine, so I flu shot won't help. I def. would NOT be going to Mexico right now.

There is no vaccine right now, but I'm sure they will have one by the fall. It's about 2 months late to get started but they will figure it out. Sometimes these flu strains will cycle back during the next "flu season" so they will probably try to ramp up production so they have enough.

OMG, I would be so mad if I were you that they went! :eek: :eek: YES, I am totally freaked out by the Swine Flu! My sister and I were just talking about it today when she came over here to eat lunch. The scary thing is, you can have it and not even show any signs and you can still infect someone else, even if you have just gotten it. They have already closed down numerous schools in some of the cities in Texas because there was an outbreak. And of course I'm sure you all know about the 23 month old from here in Texas that died because of this Flu. :cry: And now they are saying that even the mask's that everyone has been wearing over their faces are no good. If wearing one, you need to change it at least every hour as your breath makes the mask moist and with the mask being moist it can hold and actually "trap" the all the germs.

My hubby does work at alot of the doctors offices here and he said that ALL OVER their computers are web sites about the Swine Flu and sticky notes all over the offices about it as well. He talked to some of the doctors and they said that they have been SWAMPED with people coming in thinking that they have it - everyone is just so freaked out. He said that SO FAR no one here has it, but all the offices are on high alert. I am just sooo terrified by this Flu... :cry:

They are in the process of creating a vaccine for the swine flu.. due to start testing on people in the fall. I have heard today from some one who works in the medical field that this flu has been going around for almost 2 months now. Its now becoming a huge issue because of the dealths in Mexico.. not sure how true it is???
They are testing some more people in a county next to mine, On my local news this evening, they are asking anyone who are showing flu like symptoms not to go to local Er's or 24 hour emergency care centers so they can prevent the illness from spreading to others and call the health department hotline instead??? WTH??? I can understand they dont want it to spread, but if any one in my family is sick enough that we need to go to the ER were going!! On the other because that statement was made.. it really makes me wonder how bad this virus really is??? Havent they been saying all along that if you start showing signs to get medical help asap to get the antiviral medicine?? Its not really making any sense anymore.

It makes total sense. Individuals do not know if they have the flu, let alone the swine flu. Just look at this thread at how many people are confusing a stomach virus for influenza. They want you to call and find out what to do. Personally, I would call MY doctor first but not everyone has a doctor so they have hotlines set up. If they think you have the flu they will take you into isolation and use extra precaution to make sure you don't infect others. People go to the ER when they are sick if they do not have regular doctors or health insurance and they don't want people in the ER unless it is an emergency. They don't want people to panic and flood ERs. You need to get anti-virals within 48 hours of onset of symptoms...plenty of time to call first.

If it's a true emergency of course go to the ER, but they don't want people with mild symptoms sitting in the ER waiting room infecting other people.

My kids get the flu shot every year and have since my oldest daughter was 6 (she is a lmost 12 now) and she had the flu really bad, scary bad. :(.. Since theyve been getting the shot they havent gotten it.

Your right, I guess it wasnt making sense to me untill you posted.
Thanks :):)

That is terrible!! :eek: What exactly do they want? More deaths?? :mad: Bull! If anyone has this, they need to get medical help ASAP! Of course no one wants it to spread, but you CAN'T just ignore it if you have it - as it has already proved to be deadly (in some cases).

Doctors have told my husband that they think there is more about this Flu that they aren't telling us - because they don't want to scare the public even more than they already are. :cry:

I am scared about it, I don't get sick too easily but my bf does and he just got over a cold. Luckily i didnt get it but i have been coughing the past 2 days, not a lot but like my throat feels a little itchy sometimes. I dont feel sick or anything, just that and it was cold today and last night and i was in a little jacket by mistake. My bf also works at a restaurant and there are mexicans that work there that travel to and from mexico im guessing a lot, but hopefully not lately. I've just been telling him to be careful and i don't get close to ppl, i always cover my mouth and wash my hands.

I was reading on Facebook that someone flying through Houston would have to be quarantined??? Is this true at all? This particular person who is helping her mom move is having to drive somewhere to keep someone else from flying through Houston and being quarantined. I find this disturbing if it is true.
I am living in Wa State and was going to fly down to Texas on Sunday to check on our house there in Austin. Now, I'm thinking that is not a good idea...anybody have any thoughts on this? Really at first, I was thinking the media is blowing this out of proportion, but now I'm wondering if I should just stay put here and err on the side of caution. I heard they are closing schools and day-cares in New Braunfels, anyone know if this is true?