is it just me?

or is swine flu been hyped up by the media too much?
i live in england and theres only one known death from swine flu, although the woman in question had given birth to a 3 month premature baby and had other health problems
and other people that have died have either been vunerable and would have died if they had got normal flu or had other health problems that contributed
please correct me if i am wrong as i do not understand the difference between swine flu and normal flu other than it originated from pigs and mutated to infect humans.
there are so many cases but little deaths ... just the same as normal flu
just voicing my opinion and hoping to learn new information

[KalynS]

I have to respond to this cause I was talking to a lady at the health department next to my work. She said people are freaking out. It is another for of the flu is all. And she said that there have been a few people who have died from it, yes. But every year in the US alone there is like 46,000 people who die from "regular" flu, but you never hear about it. This is why I hate watching the news, all it does is freak people out.

[Oakly]

While there has been a great deal of media coverage about H1N1 influenza, there is a lot of concern because this is a strain of flu no one has seen before. This means nobody has any immunity to it. There has never been a vaccine for it before. Also, seasonal flu sickens about 5% of the population every year. H1N1 is expected to sicken 40% of the population. There is also concern that this strain will change and keep circling the globe, making it difficult for scientist to make new vaccines and medicines fast enough.
Oakly

[margypops]

My family in UK have been really concerned and cant undersatnd why I am not, it has been hyped up by their Media as usual ,they have the worst media in the world... Its spreading yes that what a Pandemic is, but the symptoms are far less than the noraml flu, I tried to tell her that but she is convinced they are all dying .

[angelausp]

With over 250,000 cases of Swine flu worldwide and over 9,000 in the US (according to the latest CDC update) I think we are past the point of this being simply media hype.  Don't get me wrong, the media has ways of making things worse then they seem, but numbers don't lie.

[PlateletGal]

I don't believe the Swine flu has been hyped up too much in the media. For someone like me, who is chronically ill, I have to worry every single year about catching the regular flu and now I have two bullets to dodge. In addition, this virus can mutate and become much worse (the Spanish flu scenario). Not only that, but already 1 case of CFS / Myalgic Encephaloyelitis has been reported after a teenager had the Swine flu. CFS is usually a lifelong illness and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Best,

~PlateletGal

[allmymarbles]

According the Centers for Disease Control there were more cases of flu this summer (swine flu primarily) but no increase in deaths. Swine flu is not as deadly as normal flu. I guess that if the virus mutates the outcome may be different, but as of now, there is little to worry about.

[PlateletGal]

True... but not for people who are chronically ill and even those few who are healthy. We now have TWO bullets to dodge... the regular yearly flu and this new flu.

[angelausp]

Although there might not be more deaths, there will be significantly more people to become ill.  The season flu targets the elderly and children more than any other groups. The swine flu targets young adults and pregnant woman more that any other group. As a member of the young adult group, my main concern is preventing getting sick.  A recent study showed that people are contagious for up to 10 days after their fever goes down when they have the swine flu.  As a student, and an intern, I can't take 10 days off of my life to be cooped up in a house.

[margypops]

News today is stating there wont be enough to go around.....

[polly22]

Thanks for the sensible clarification. The more cases of the new flu occur, the more likelihood it may mutate, so for this reason alone one should get the vaccine. That is, if one can---those of us over 65 have been put last in line, supposedly because our age group "may have some immunity" to this flu, based on a serology study in May totaling 100 persons' blood, which showed the samples from 34 percent of the 28 persons over 65 showing immunity, but lower percentages in samples from younger groups (between 5 and 18 percent, if I recall, depending on age); a later study, reported in Sep 10 NEJM, showed similar results in the 400 persons (115 elderly) whose blood was studied.  It seems weird to base national policy on either size sample, and the epidemiological data showing relatively few cases so far among elderly may simply reflect differential exposure to a disease that so far has especially circulated through the schools.  

[Totie]

ALL HYPE....

[angelausp]

Hyped by the media or not, the Swine Flu has already infected over 15,000 Americans so far and it's not even October yet. Although not necessarily as deadly as the seasonal flu, the swine flu is more dangerous in respect to how contagious it is.  There is little to know immunity to swine flu because it is a relatively new virus.  This is why it is important to protect ourselves from the virus.  

[allmymarbles]

Don't succumb to the hype. Flu is flu and people get it every year. Swine flu is actually less deadly than our garden variety. The death rate is very low. No one knows how low because the majority of flu cases are never serious enough to be reported. The media is behind the hoopla and the medical community has to go along or appear incompetent.

[angelausp]

Personally, I'm not worried about dying from H1N1, I just don't want me or my loved ones getting sick if it can be avoided.  People take precautions to prevent the seasonal flu, so it only make sense to take the proper precautions to prevent this new strain of flu.

[Sarah1013]

I think people need to be aware of the swine flu, so no I don't think it's being overhyped. Here in the US there have been more deaths, especially in children and in other countries its really bad, so best to be prepared. And i have an infant with asthma so I like hearing as much as I can because that can cause complications.

[ssraffertyfamily]

After recently contracting the swine flu I can say no its not hype. After being ill since July & being told I may have post viral chronic fatigue syndrome and/or post viral lupus, im not a happy camper. I work in the medical field (pls see my post) & I thought taking the precautions would make me safe, never did I think Id get sick. But here I am today still sick as as a Dog w/ no hope to get better. I was perfectly healthy before, working nothing to complain about, thought it was hype too. But here I am 27 yrs old victim of the swine flu. Becareful everyone... be healthy!