The H1N1 Virus

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Bit

Oh my gosh Andrew, didn't you know? The regular seasonal flu--the flu everyone gets, that comes around every year--is the real killer. 36,000 people a year die in the US from regular seasonal flu--despite education, despite medication, despite hospitalization, when people catch it the regular seasonal flu still kills thirty-six thousand people a year, every year, in the US.

The reason you're hearing so much about H1N1 is that it's out of season; it came into this country in April and lasted all summer and into fall. According to the CDC, it's a mutated flu that is part swine flu and part bird flu. Influenza viruses do this all the time, mutate or recombine, and that's why there's a new vaccine every flu season.

Next year, H1N1 will just be another part of the seasonal flu. This year, because it's new and out of season, it's scaring everyone--but it STILL isn't making as many people sick (or killing as many people) as the regular seasonal flu does every single year.

This is very true.

I had the H1N1 virus when it wasn't cool quite yet....in May. It kicked my ass to Hell and back. I went from a scratchy throat to being flat on my back in bed with very high peaking fevers and earthshaking chills in about 12 hours.

12 FLIPPIN' HOURS!

I have a cold now and the difference is so obvious. This is slow moving but I can function and go about my life with it, although it is annoying. Before, I felt as if I was stopped in time in my misery and the world kept spinning. Or maybe it was just the vertigo I experienced while I had the virus. I'm not sure now, but I know it's super tough.