If the SWINE FLU is like any other FLU, why is it a national emergency?

I mean, people are saying it's like any other flu. What's the difference? Can you die from it? If not, why is the media making a huge fuss about it? Is it just because there's no other topic to talk about and there just over exaggerating it?

I am starting to see your point. So far everyone who has had it in the united states is being treated and they are getting better. I guess the fact that it is still unknown and can mutate into something much more deadly.

This current swine flu variation is a little different from other flu because little is known about it and it's origin is different than most. Beyond that it isn't more problematic than any other flu. It's just an excuse for government, through the modern media, to scare the hell out of you and make you beg your government to help.
36,000 people die in the US every year from complications of flu. This one just happened to become a news story.

Story By: Robert Bazell
Source: MSNBC

Published Mon Apr 27, 2009, 07:23 AM MDT
Updated Mon Apr 27, 2009, 07:23 AM MDT

As new cases of swine flu emerge around the globe, from Ohio to Nova Scotia to New Zealand, the declaration of a "public health emergency" in the United States has further stoked fears and confusion.

NBC Chief Science and Health Correspondent Robert Bazell answers questions on the outbreak.

If this disease is like a mild flu, why is this being called a public health emergency? And why are officials in the United States concerned? It's about the potential. It's not about what's happening right now. None of the 20 cases so far in the United States have been very serious. But the virus here is genetically identical to the strain of the virus that is killing people in Mexico.

This is a new virus so there's no natural immunity. It has the potential to spread very widely. That's what raises worries about a possible pandemic.

Don't thousands of people die from the regular flu? What's special this time around? Generally, people who die from influenza are older people or those who already have respiratory problems. They end up dying of pneumonia. But this time around, the people who died in Mexico are younger. They are apparently healthy people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. That's a big deal. When a virus seems to preferentially affect healthy people, it suggests its a new virus and is causing an overreaction of the immune response. That's what happened with bird flu as well.

the common flu that we all know of, can kill elderly and children. This new flu can harm our bodies mor than the regular flu because humans have never have this type of flu before so our bodies have no idea of how to defend our bodies from it making us more vulnerable without early diagnosis and treatment early on. the flu unlike the usual one also cam from pigs and birds so it makes it all the more unknown to our bodies and more dangerous. Viruses like the lfu can also change over time to become stronger which happened with the spanish influenza abot 50 year ago. We are worried that this migt happen with this flu. Scientist need to come up with a vaccine for our bodies to better protect us.

This one is unique, normal flu is passed from bird to human and then human to human. THis one has been mixed with big where it has mutated. This has nothing to do with "Mexico having a bad image" or anything its a national emergency because if anyone had travel plans to mexico they need to cancel them we are tring to contain this new swine flu as best we can.

its not like another flu because its a new strain that nobody has built up immunity to
this is precautionary, the emergency was so they can release the medicine to states that might need it
you can die from it but deaths are in mexico only for now, everybody else is mild
for now they say its better to be overprepared then under, whether there overdoing it or not has yet to be seen

Some people died in Mexico. "The World Health Organization said Monday there have been 26 confirmed deaths." Mexico officials say they think it is 150 but they have no proof of that. Nobody outside Mexico has died. I think they are worried maybe if too many people get sick all at once, it will labor the health care system and people will die in the US. But remember 36000 people die in the US every year from the regular old flu. Those are the figures from the CDC. And nobody freaks out.

Anyone can die from anything. It's like a normal flu but I think it's more severe. I think the media is exaggerating on it quite a bit like all the salmonella, SARS, e-coli, staph infections, & mad cow disease outbreaks. These things come up almost every year. Just stay germ free and away from people. Carry around some purell with you.

It's a national emergency so they can release stockpiles of Tamiflu and the other that helps to relieve the symptoms of the flu. You still get the normal symptoms. But to release their stockpile, they had to say it's a national emergency.

The difference between other flus and this type of flu is that THIS flu, the SWINE FLU is killing HEALTHY young adults. So just think how fatal it can be to immune compromised people (babies, old folks, people with cancer, etc. etc.)

Because flu kills people. It kills people every year, and every now and again a flu turns up which kills millions of people. This is called a pandemic, and occurred in 1892-5, 1918, 1957, 1968 etc.

it mutates incredibly easily and it's malleable.
it changes strains and methods of getting you sick.
it's kind of bad.

The government just doesn't declare a 'national emergency' for no reason. It is not like we do it every day. This is a very dangerous situation.

the death toll as of this afternoon reached 140. Im thinking its way more severe in Mexico because of the difference in our healthcare system.

Swine flu is not just like any other flu. It has killed young people who normally are not killed by the flu and there is no vaccine for swine flu.

Because it's spreading. It won't even harm you unless you have a weak immune system. They're mainly worried about the elderly, infants, etc.

you can die from any flu. the elderly and children are more susceptible.

Cus its a lot more contagious and people with a weak immune system like babies or thye elderly could die

I think it's to do with the illegal immigration and setting a bad image of Mexico.

yes you can die from it, people already died from it, so if i were you i would take more precautions

never joke with a pandemic disease!! the propaganda is to make people take precautions as that is better than cure, right?

It's a combination of three flus

bird swine & reg

Because they need to give Tamiflu out. And it's spreading very fast.

its more DEADLY. then a regular flu. fatality rate is 17%

Last time I checkd 81 people died from it It is more than just your average flu

because people's lives have been lost