The Flu Thread

[visibility3miles]

Not to be alarmist, but this is worth watching. Presumably it's spread like any flu, but it hits harder than most strains. The current vaccine probably doesn't protect against it.

Influenza-like illness in the United States and Mexico

24 April 2009 -- The United States Government has reported seven confirmed human cases of Swine Influenza A/H1N1 in the USA (five in California and two in Texas) and nine suspect cases. All seven confirmed cases had mild Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), with only one requiring brief hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.

The Government of Mexico has reported three separate events. In the Federal District of Mexico, surveillance began picking up cases of ILI starting 18 March. The number of cases has risen steadily through April and as of 23 April there are now more than 854 cases of pneumonia from the capital. Of those, 59 have died. In San Luis Potosi, in central Mexico, 24 cases of ILI, with three deaths, have been reported. And from Mexicali, near the border with the United States, four cases of ILI, with no deaths, have been reported.

Of the Mexican cases, 18 have been laboratory confirmed in Canada as Swine Influenza A/H1N1, while 12 of those are genetically identical to the Swine Influenza A/H1N1 viruses from California.

The majority of these cases have occurred in otherwise healthy young adults. Influenza normally affects the very young and the very old, but these age groups have not been heavily affected in Mexico.

Because there are human cases associated with an animal influenza virus, and because of the geographical spread of multiple community outbreaks, plus the somewhat unusual age groups affected, these events are of high concern.

The Swine Influenza A/H1N1 viruses characterized in this outbreak have not been previously detected in pigs or humans. The viruses so far characterized have been sensitive to oseltamivir, but resistant to both amantadine and rimantadine....
WHO | Influenza-like illness in the United States and Mexico (http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_24/en/index.html)

[firstchoice7e7]

Perhaps relevent here, considering a BA Cabin crew member has taken ill in London after a Mexico City-LHR flight, suffering from symptoms of influenza and been taken to hospital in Harrow :eek:

[iriver88]

The latest news is 79 people in New York have now been infected by this virus. It is travelling fast.:eek:

all the makings of a pandemic!

mass pig culling could be quite difficult to initiate.

[Ranger 1]

On a positive note from the information I have aquired, this strain of flu virus (H1N1) responds to several available Anti Viral drugs, if prescribed early, unlike the bird flu virus (H5N1) which does not respond to them that well.

Therefore there should be a load of Antivirals such as Tamiflu stockpiled worldwide, as it was made ready in case of a bird flu epidemic a couple of years ago.

Hopefully Airlines should have good access to it as part of a contigency planning.

It may be worth checking with your company to see what they are going to do in case the whole thing blows up.

Lets hope we don't need it this time anyway.

:ok:

[iriver88]

what the authorities did not elaborate is these anti retrovirus only works if give at the very first sign of infection, not when symptoms already shows. (the very first sign of symptoms, within an 8 hour period) otherwise all hopes are gone. This time the virus is attacking young healthy individuals (20 to 30 age group the healthiest and most likely to be able to fight of flu age group, still, many have died in the Mexico experience)

wait for the airlines management and union to spin you over and over that it is harmless since we have the anti viral. (misinformation)

And if previous experience is anything to go by, Qantas will forbid staff to wear gloves and face mask even as a precaution as profit before OHS is the mission statement at Qantas. That investment grade credit status has to be retained regardless of flu or not.

SHARES of Singapore Airlines Ltd, Asia's most profitable carrier, slumped on Monday morning on concern the swine flu outbreak in Mexico and other parts of North America will cause travel cutbacks. Bloomberg news reported.

'If this persists, transportation stocks will be affected,' said K. Ajith, an analyst at UOB-Kay Hian Research in Singapore.
'This is a global concern.'

[TightSlot]

Misinformation is indeed the greatest enemy in this situation - sadly there is evidence on this thread of assumption, overly-emotional, overly-dramatic posturing, in place of calm, reasoned, temperate and considered opinion.

Let's try and discuss this issue (if we must) intelligently. Start HERE (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6175186.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=2270657), read and absorb and then search further: Galley FM, rumour and drama-queen threads on PPRuNe are not your friends.

[HeliAl]

What I don't understand is why there has not been a lock down, and the stopping of international flights to and from Mexico.

[boardingpass]

What I don't understand is why there has not been a lock down, and the stopping of international flights to and from Mexico.

Why stop there? USA is affected too. Let's stop all flights to and from North America. An FA is sick in London too, so really we should isolate the island too, for the sake of the world!

[Winch-control]

Yep, all passengers and crew departing Mexico, or the USA must now wear face masks (not just make up) and be subjected to the full decontamination procedures on arrival at their destination.
For the UK this means...err well here you are....and welcome! (sic)

[CabinCrew747]

Hi,

I was just wondering what you all think; with the developing outbreak of 'Swine Flu' and it's apparent rapid spread, should our airlines be taking steps to protect us as crew on the front line? For instance, although not in-keeping with a professional look, should face masks be issued? Should we be given antibacterial hand sanitizer (similar to what you see Doctors and Nursers with)? Is there anything else you could suggest or do you think this isn't necessary?

Thanks
CabinCrew747

[lowerlobe]

Posted by CabinCrew747Should our airlines be taking steps to protect us as crew on the front line? For instance, although not in-keeping with a professional look, should face masks be issued?
Posted by iriver88the short answer is "NO"
Short of pressuring the Government to legislate this, I'm afraid qantas crew do put their lives at risk.
iriver88...you do seem to be contradicting yourself here....his question is 'SHOULD' crew be protected not 'ARE' crew protected...

You answer 'NO' to the question and then say that the crew put themselves at risk by I assume not being allowed to take any preventative measures....

I believe that any airline operating into an area that is at risk should insist that crew wear a mask or take some preventative measure to try and reduce the rick of contracting any disease regardless of what type of airline they are....

[tigermagicjohn]

Travel and airline industry will most definatly suffer from the "News" - unfortunately, however can you blame people for not wanting to travel to countries where they might get a virus which we at the moment will need 4 to 6 months to find a proper cure for?

Or shall we feed propganda to protect business and trade, that it is not need to fear, the risks are minimal?

For USA to admit deaths on their own land would be a disaster, that's why I would not believe all the news coming out from the USA, where they are saying all good so far, we have the virus but no one has died from it yet.
In the current economic climate, that would be the last thing the USA would want now, however EU have warned against travel to the USA, much to the disgust of the US politicans.

Most people here have family, children - so why would anyone want to take a risk if not of uttermost importance?
Not create panic! Of course not, the news channels are great to spin a story out of control, however the moment any of the 1.st world countries reports deaths in their own country - there will headlines much larger then the events in Mexico. Unfortunately that's how politics and news works, however maybe it will be a non event, or maybe thousands or more will die.
Anyone having some knowledge about how bacteries, viruses - how easy they spread - will maybe have a different view on this. I am not expert - however i would not travel to Mexico under these circumstances - and it is a pity, because Mexico does not deserve the economical loss this will create for the country, but this is going to be the price that will be burdend on Mexico.

Yes we should not panic, we know there are sharks in the sea, so when we go for swim we can be in danger - that's why we choose to swim where we know/believe and hope there are no sharks - because it is hopefully safer! That's why I personally would stay away from places where it has been documented high numbers - but then again that is my personal choice. I guess the swines can be encounterd anywhere, regardless of the odds!

[OCCR]

I think gloves and a hand sanitizer (liquid) would be sufficient

Really lets be logical! having cabin crew wearing masks would be ridiculous.
transmission of any virus is increased when hand to mouth/eyes occur.

However all pax should be made to wear masks as they are the grubs that sneeze all over the place without any regard to other people.:confused::}

[vodkaholic]

Foreign office has now advised against travel to Mexico. The airline I work for has stopped all flights and are repatriating all passengers and crew today. I believe they are also supplying the crew on board longhaul flights with hand sanitizer.

I presume other airline will be taking a similar step now that the FO has advised against going to Mexico.

[BetpumpS]

Agreed - It is definitely looking that way. Once the FO get a word in, then not many airlines will be prepared for the possible law-suits that could potentially occur.

[Munnyspinner]

Trips to/from Mexico seem to be a no no for the time being. However, whilst the swine flu seems to have a relatively mild effect on the rest of the world so far I think aircrew need to be extra cautious.

In Mexico those that have died , as far as has been reported ,have not been killed by flu alone but by secondary respiratory infection. The number of deaths in Mexico alone would perhaps suggest that there are additional environmantal factors which make individuals more susceptible to flu related complications. If this were not the case then it may be reasonable to expect mortality rates in other affected populations would be similar - as yet they are not.

Give the elevation of Mexico City, where most of the deaths have occured and the relatively high levels of pollution it is perhaps not surprising that a higher percentage of the population may have respiratory conditions which may render them more prone to infection.

Aircrew are more likley to be repeatedly exposed to virus carrying passengers who may be at different stages of infection. High altitude, recirculated air and a confined environment may prove to be a ready means for the virus to be redistributed. Flightcrew might be regarded as a unique population travelling form continent to continent and being exposed to mutated versions of the same flu virus. Screening pax is un workable and unmanageable but Aircrew should be extra vigilant.

Hopefully, there will be no correlation between altitude and the ability of infected patients to recover. I suspect the Mexican problem is much more likley to be related to underlying health issues.

[joeflyguy]

what the authorities did not elaborate is these anti retrovirus only works if give at the very first sign of infection, not when symptoms already shows. (the very first sign of symptoms, within an 8 hour period) otherwise all hopes are gone. This time the virus is attacking young healthy individuals (20 to 30 age group the healthiest and most likely to be able to fight of flu age group, still, many have died in the Mexico experience)

iriver would love to know where you qouted this from as it appears contrary to what the WHO is stating.

Could you provide source please.

[ZFT]

Really lets be logical! having cabin crew wearing masks would be ridiculous.

Not with some of the airlines I'm forced to fly with!