Hamdemic! I love it!!!
One reason the flu is so bad is that no one was immunized in Mexico and there is lack of medicines, antibiotics for the pneumonia it can cause, and no tamiflu either.
This particular type of flu is worse for healthy adults because it causes a healthy immune system to overreact and a consequence is the lungs filling with fluid = pneumonia. It is not as bad in the young and old because the immune system is not as repsonsive in those ages.
Also, this flu has a type A component which was in the flu shot we in the U.S. had access to last fall - so it is doubtful that persons in the U.S. will be very sick. There are 35,000 deaths per year from the regular flu - there won't be nearly that many with the Swine flu (in the U.S.).
BUT, 2/3 of it is a new strain, no one has any immunity to it and so it can spread rapidly and make lots of people sick, but apprantly (if the experts are right) not too sick, unless of course there is some underlying medical condition.
I would wash my hands more often, avoid big crowds, use hand sanitizer, and I think you'll be fine. Even if you get it, I think you'll be fine. Everyone in Texas is sorta freaking out becuase they have cancelled ALL highschool sports of any kind for the rest of the school year. Many schools are closed for the next week to 10 days. Again, it is just to stop the spread to so many people, since no one has any immunity - not that they think massive amounts of people will die - just to stop so many from getting sick.
There is one good thing, even if you get it - you'll have immunity for next year!
