Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 04/30/09
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Tonight on AC360°, the swine flu flight risk. Vice President Joe Biden took a lot of heat today for saying "I would tell members of my family - and I have - I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places right now. It's not that it's going to Mexico. It's you're in a confined aircraft. When one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft." Is that true? Tonight, 360's Randi Kaye is Keeping them Honest. She spoke with a doctor who studies germs and viruses like swine flu to find out how they spread in air travel. Don't miss her report.
Don't miss Erica Hill's webcast on germs in flight during the commercials. Watch our WEBCAST
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Ohhh Ms. California, she's more popular than the crowned Miss USA! Love this girl!
I've heard and read that antibacterial soaps kill good bacteria as well as the bad stuff and our resistance to germs decreases. Are antibacterial soaps more or less effective than just regular soap?
Erica, you crack me up. 🙂
Hi everyone,
I have a flu-related question. What are people's thoughts about cruise ships??? I have a cruise booked in a week. With everyone flying in from different destinations and travelling through all those airports and on so many different flights and then spending a week together on a ship....don't you think there is a high risk for contracting the flu??? It would seem so to me. I haven't heard anyone talk about cruises yet, so I thought I'd see what you think or have heard.
Thanks!
It is interesting that now handrails,turnstills ,the use of hand sanitizers are being used,,why not "all the time"? not just now .germs are everywhere all the time....Bosses make their staff come to work sick or not..and we are the ones who are being served up a nice helping of what ever they might have...the crisis will blow over and all will go back ...to slack.................
Is this really a 'mild' form? Isn't it just a matter of time before we see severe syptoms here in the US? What is the average duration of the illness? Are the deaths in Mexico from flu or pneumonia?
Could the discrepancy in the degree of illness between Mx. and the US be because one of the four strains making up this virus was in this year's flu vaccine and fewer people got the shot in Mx?
H1N1A = root cause of this sudden 'near pandemic scenario'!
I think this will not invade Asia specially the Phils as we have the lots of sunshine here! Thanks God!
As reported on Action 4 News at 5 and 6 on 4/30. Cameron County Texas has over 220 possible cases of Swine Flu that they are currently awaiting conformation from the state and CDC.
And yet the Federal government does not believe that closing the borders is necessary?
There is some confusion about Tami-flu. Is it over-the-counter medicine or does it have to be prescribed by your doctor?
Of the confirmed cases, has information been released on the cause of death ? I am interested in understanding more about the sequence of organ and /or body system failure.
What about cruise travel? Even though ships are not sailing into Mexico, is being on a cruise ship safe given the fact that there are often outbreaks of Norovirus on ships?
Rahm Emanuel better be one of the sexiest! Goodness, that man.
Gives me the vapors!
Much is being made about washing your hands often. However, if a facial typr soap, nongermicidal is used, is this effective?
How generous of her, Erica! haha
My wife has COPD with lung cancer and she's doing chemo. We live at 5000 ft elevation. What extra precautions should she take?
Hi Anderson, My two sons were sick about a month ago. They are 7 and 4. I have never seen them this sick before. they both had high fever for over a week straight and OTC medication did little to break the fevers. Is it possible that the CDC could have gotten the timeframe wrong?
could H1N1 have been around much sooner than currently being reported?
I am confused about why this is such a high health alert when more people than the 176 deaths in Mexico die each year as a result of the flu. Are the numbers in Mexico correct? Also what is the incubation period for this flu ?
How virulent is this flu, is it known how many deaths will occur per 1000 infected?
Anderson Cooper,
Do you follow this procedure in your travels?
Dr. Gupta traveled to the area of the first case of swine flu in Mexico. Locals commented on a local US Industrial Pig Farming operation. Has this played a role in this epidemic?
If H1N1 hits a country where Avian influenza is active, could Avian "learn" from H1N1 how to transmit from human to human? Could the 2 viruses create a new superbug?
lol – Erica says she's normally in the baggage hole – cute
Flu virus mutate rapidly. Why isn't anyone talking about this?
hi, everyone. fear not, randi lets coop take the plane... sometimes 😉
We're leaving on a long planned trip to Spain next week. Would you advise taking Tamiflu or some similar preparation prophylactically before we leave? Thank you.
I would like to ask Dr. Sanjay this... is it likely that "cytokine storm" is the reason for so many of the deaths in Mexico being in young adults? and if so shouldn't we be focusing efforts to come up with a drug to stop this deadly phenomenon?
Hi Anderson,
Flu outbreaks in the past have been known to be fairly mild in the spring, decrease in prevalence over the summer, but then reemerge much stronger the following fall. Are there any theories about this H1N1 virus reemerging, and will there be a vaccination program to prevent it?
Joe, don't upset the people. Don't you have some Vice President stuff to do?
The reports about swine flu are disturbing, but I still haven't quite reached the *panic* stage yet – it's just made me a little more conscientious about germs and keeping my hands as clean as possible.
Why are we not hearing about flu cases in the Southern Hemisphere? Although the land mass south of the 30th parallel is much less than north of 30, it is now Fall going into Winter. Prime flu season.
Is there flu cases, or concern about swine flu cases in places like Brazil, Argentina, South Africa or Australia which are now entering the prime of the flu season?
They have closed 5 schools in Chicago, 1 in the city and 4 southwest. None are close to me.
Surely Biden knows more than we do. I heard you Mr. VP and I'm not flying
I'm normally pretty healthy, but right now I have a headache, fever, upset stomach, runny nose, and my lungs have fluid in them. (It's a little uncomfortable to breathe.) How do I know when it's time to go to the doctor?
Maybe if you have no urgent travel-then better stay home! -specially during theses times where risk is huge in contacting the disease!
If you contract this flu while the strain in the United States seems to be milder than in Mexico, will that give you an immunity to the flu if it becomes a more serious strain in the United States?
Did I understand that wearing a face mask will help prevent catching this flu?
Good evening Anderson. I guess Joe Biden's honesty isn't always the best policy!
Air quality in aircraft creates health risks and this was said well before the swine flu.
The low humidity and cold temperature triggers the breathing problems.
The low temperature combined with low relative humidity decreases the immunity.
you only talk about Mexico City, what about the rest of Mexico. are there any other parts of Mexico that are having out breaks?
Is H1N1 airborne, or you're not sure about this yet?
If this strain of H1N1A makes it into Indonesia, Vietnam or a country which has had H5N1 cases/deaths, would it be possible for the H1N1A strain to become stronger, thus more virulent?
@Jo Ann, North Royalton, Ohio I like the way the Obama administration has to translate everything Biden says as though he isn’t speaking English.
He would seem to be the only one who is. Hopefully this isn't a 'man caused disaster' that will result in another 'overseas continguency operation'.
We certainly may not travel in fear.
How do you notify the state if someone has this flu? How do they keep track? Is there a hotline to call and inform them of the symtoms?
I'm sure most people will not go to the hospital or dont have the insurance money to go the Dr????
I'm not sure if anybody has asked this question or answered it but if you are feeling ill should you see a doctor immediatly? Or if there is a chance that you may have the swine flu can you just recover at home? I'm not sick but just curious.
I work in a school in California where there are many students that went to Mexico during the spring break two weeks ago..what is my risk in reference to the incubation period with this flu?
I just got over a flu. I volunteer, and would like to know if I am now immune – but like most, I wasnt tested, I stayed home so as not to infect others. Should I just assume I have immunity?
My wife is 6 weeks pregnant and we are about to fly. How much should we be worried for her, the future baby, and the papa to-be?
Does Joe Biden know something we don't? Or is he just overly cautious?