We've all heard about the Swine Flu, some are taking it very seriously and others are making a joke out of it. Health officials don't seem to be laughing though, they're warning that the spread could pose a serious threat to people around the world.

I would like to get everyone's opinion on this, do you think Swine Flu is a serious threat or is it just a passing disease ??

Not worried, not interested... a joke, all of them together

It is definitely a serious threat and should not be taken lightly.

I agree I think it's something that should be taken very seriously. Sure not that many people have been affected but it could be a lot worse than we think already we're not even sure how many people have really been infected and just misdiagnosed.

Yeah should definitely be taken seriously. My brothers school had an infected student and all students have to be home quarantined and the school is closed for 7 days for cleansing by health authorities to prevent spreading. Was worried he would've got it and given it to me, but luckily he isn't infected

I am not really too worried about it because these things are inevitable- viruses will be born and will constantly be evolving. The fact that the swine flu is new is the biggest concern because it will evolve and we have no natural antibodies to defend against it. Interestingly enough though, the flu virus kills approx. 36000 people in the United States each year. About 9 out of 10 deaths from the flu virus are those 65 or older. That's one of the reasons medical experts are nervous about the swine flu outbreak- many of the people who have died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy. The strains found in the United States have so far been weaker.

It is a worry for the young and the elderly. But I beleive every virus kills every year people, they just don't talk about it. And every virus can mutate too. I think they worry about this one, if it mutates, it will be a much bigger problem.

That is true, I think that's the biggest fear most health officials have, is that it will mutate into something harder to control or vaccinate against. I haven't heard much about it in the past few weeks so I guess the amount cases has really dropped ??

I think It's a threat... Especially I have a kid who's susceptible to such epidemic... We should really take care...

it's a serious threat especially on people who have low immune system because it could lead into anything.. or another infection.

Swine Flu is not as serious the news is making sound. Someone in my neighborhood had it..went to the hospital...recovers in 3 days >_>

I have also heard of cases in which the person recovered very quickly and it was no problem. However in Mexico and less developed countries it's a more serious threat because of their lack of widespread medical care.

I hear that in some areas of the UK they are no longer trying to track down people who have come into contact with those who`ve caught Swine Flu.

To me it doesn't seem like a serious threat, but that ofcourse doesn't mean it shouldn't be taken seriously! Like a poster above said, Swine Flu is a virus like any other, so I don't think people should panic.

Interesting reading from the US Government Archives:

True or False: The influenza epidemic of 1918 killed more people than died in World War I.

Hard as it is to believe, the answer is true.

World War I claimed an estimated 16 million lives. The influenza epidemic that swept the world in 1918 killed an estimated 50 million people. One fifth of the world's population was attacked by this deadly virus. Within months, it had killed more people than any other illness in recorded history.

The plague emerged in two phases. In late spring of 1918, the first phase, known as the "three-day fever," appeared without warning. Few deaths were reported. Victims recovered after a few days. When the disease surfaced again that fall, it was far more severe. Scientists, doctors, and health officials could not identify this disease which was striking so fast and so viciously, eluding treatment and defying control. Some victims died within hours of their first symptoms. Others succumbed after a few days; their lungs filled with fluid and they suffocated to death.

The plague did not discriminate. It was rampant in urban and rural areas, from the densely populated East coast to the remotest parts of Alaska. Young adults, usually unaffected by these types of infectious diseases, were among the hardest hit groups along with the elderly and young children. The flu afflicted over 25 percent of the U.S. population. In one year, the average life expectancy in the United States dropped by 12 years.

It is an oddity of history that the influenza epidemic of 1918 has been overlooked in the teaching of American history. Documentation of the disease is ample, as shown in the records selected from the holdings of the National Archives regional archives. Exhibiting these documents helps the epidemic take its rightful place as a major disaster in world history.

View the documents and photos.

Whatever your feelings are about the current swine flu situation, please do us all a favor and always follow the three “C’s” of disease prevention:

• Cover your cough
• Clean your hands
• Confine sick people at home

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