H1N1 is...stressing me out for the wrong reasons.
For the 50 gazillion people who haven't heard from me lately, I've been putting in extra hours at work due to the pandemic. My department (Microbiology/Serology) handles a type of screening test for respiratory viruses (we call it the
RSV test), of which currently me and my colleague are the only two people who know how to run this test because it is entirely manual (except for a nifty fluorescent microscope). Since it's done in-house and detects Influenza A (but NOT H1N1), doctors have been using it as an alternative (more expensive too!) to throat swabs sent to IMR for H1N1 detection. So from what used to be maybe 5-6 samples a week, we're getting 20-30 samples a DAY.
( Cut for LONG ASSED RANT ABOUT THE STATE OF MEDICAL THINGS IN OUR COUNTRY )So all that said, what's my point?
- I'm trying to say that while the percentage of H1N1 is low, it's also no fun to have everyone coughing into your face and having your sleeve grabbed and being asked if you're going to die every single minute of the day. Sure being healthy reduces your chances of dying because it's not the Spanish flu, but that's like saying being healthy protects you from cholera. Currently people aren't dying because their immunity can take it or the virus isn't that strong. But when you have reports of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 emerging, figuring when the 2nd wave will come is like a time bomb. If we're all sodded, the mutation will probably be resistant to everything and kill able-bodied people like the Spanish flu did. When that time comes, you won't even be bitching whether you can make it for GACC because you'll be too busy trying to stay alive.
- While you might be strong enough to combat H1N1, there are people who aren't. There'll be small kids at GACC, definitely. Say you had mild symptoms. You accidentally cough in the vicinity of a child. That child gets H1N1, but you'll never know because there'll be thousands in the hall and anyone could've given the kid the flu. Masks help, but eventually face and breath moisture will render the masks useless and you'll need to change it often since the virus spreads through fluids. It's not so much as protecting yourself from the flu as it is protecting others from it.
- People complaining about the lack of Tamiflu is also not legit. Antivirals are expensive and in limited supply (we're not Australia who has enough to vaccinate EVERYBODY. Yes. Even
flat_foot. And
aitakute. And especially
hooli. Hooli~! T_T), and there's the normal flu going around to boot. The chances of you having H1N1 is 1 in 20 people (just sayin'), and if we give out Tamiflu like raffle tickets we won't have enough for the ONE unfortunate bugger who HAS H1N1. Like
hisashi_glay. You better not be taking our Tamiflu supply, bloody hoarder.
- H1N1 samples require a throat swab. Having taken a throat swab a few weeks back and gagged like a MOFO in ER, this is the ONLY reason I don't want to catch it. >_____<
- I'm not going to GACC. You shouldn't too. It's a social responsibility.
OH CRAP I'M LATE. Here, read this while you wait! ><
PS: Maximum distance of transmission for H1N1 virus: 1 meter.