Swine Flu

Everyone knows about this "swine flu" thing, or more scientifically, the H1N1 virus(if you don't know about it, you've been living under a rock and can go to http://www.cnn.com/ to read the latest...or watch the news...or listen to the radio...or just step outside). And like everyone else in the world right now, I have something to say about it: the whole thing is getting ridiculous. I understand it's a new strain that we have never seen before and in theory that's pretty scary because we have no immunity to it or no vaccines or any of that jazzy stuff. BUT, the way individuals (and even entire countries) are handling it borders on extreme paranoia, hysteria, and even cruelty.

The most surprising and devastating (and DISGUSTING) news I have heard so far that has resulted from this new "pandemic" is how Egypt is handling the situation. Egypt, mind you, has not even had ANY confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu strain...I don't even know if they've had any POSSIBLE cases. Yet, the action they are taking in preventing the spread of this flu is absolutely horrible and pig-headed (no pun intented). Egypt plans to slaughter every single one of it's 300,000 pigs...that's ALL of the pigs...in the ENTIRE country. When I read this, I almost lost it. According to the WHO, the disease originally spread from pig to human, but now it's spreading from human to human only. Pigs have NOTHING to do with this anymore other than the fact that the genetic makeup of the virus is mostly porcine (also avian/human in the strain too). So not only are all of those pigs going to die for NO fucking reason (except that humans freak out and panic about stupid shit and then make completely irrational decisions), but now the pig farmers in Egypt will have NOTHING (animal cruelty AND destroying the economy...how clever)!! And don't give me that bullshit about how pigs are just farm animals; not only are they adorable, but they are extremely smart and can learn how to play video games and even have dreams. Iraq has also killed several boars in the name of swine flu. I am sooo amazed by human stupidity sometimes...it makes me absolutely ashamed.

So aside from that nonsense, people are taking this WAAAAYYY too seriously. Folks have stopped going out in public, started wearing masks when they do, and everyone looks at you like a giant human-eating spider when you have a cough. Regular influenza strains, the kinds we get flu shots for and such, have already killed over 10,000 people this year...and people are freaking out about SWINE FLU which has only killed over 100? SERIOUSLY! You are more likely to die from plain-old influenza than H1N1. I work at a hospital and when I got to work after being off for my weekend, I had 5 new updates on this virus...TWO DAYS and I get FIVE new updates on something no one should even be freaking out about!! And if any employees are feeling the slightest bit ill, we are URGED to go home/stay home until symptoms subside...and if that's more than 7 days then we have to start filing paperwork and shit AND we still get penalized for being absent even though they are MAKING us stay home! SOOOO stupid! The way the government and the WHO are talking about H1N1 is just causing mass panic. People have even stopped eating pork (which doesn't bother ME because I'm a vegetarian and I love animals and don't think people should eat pork ANYWAYS...but I digress) because of this stupid scare, even after the WHO has said as long as it is thoroughly cooked it poses NO health risk for "swine flu." So that's completely trashing the pork industry. I mean...this whole thing is just causing one, big, unnecessary mess.

When it starts getting bad and killing thousands or millions of people like the Spanish Flu of 1918 or the Cholera pandemics of the 1800's, then I'll be really concerned. But until then, leave the piggies alone and STOP FREAKIN OUT! This is nature's way of controlling human overpopulation and we just have to go with the flow and stay calm...otherwise we'll get ourselves into a shitload of even MORE trouble!

Until next time, don't get your panties in a bunch!

Peace, love, and happiness!