"I think swine flu is very different from a normal flu because I just couldn't get out of bed."

Well I'm not known for underreacting over medical issues. I suspect my doctor has "THIS WOMAN IS PRONE TO PANIC" flashing up on screen as soon as she accesses my notes ?

At what point do I have justification for shooting randomers who walk down the street?

They could be infected you know.....

Oh dear, jokes aside, it is worrying that there are people in the UK with Swine Flu.The one thing I can say is that having been in the only isolation room in an infectious diseases ward (I had chicken pox and it was the only room left ?), they really and truly will be isolated. It was actually quite a scary room to be in.

I find the whole prospect of the virus, as someone with no natural immunity, quite terrifying really. I think like Hazel, my head is firmly in the sand and I personally have found making light of the situation a bit of a cover.

I can't quite believe I'm mentioning this on hitched (!) I have been quite obsessive about scares in the past and struggle to switch off. A few weeks after 9/11, when they increased our threat level to attack imminent, I seriously panicked and filled a big camping bag with tinned food, blankets, clothes and first aid stuff. Scary. I found the first aid stuff last week actually, which is a bit odd.

The FCO have advised against travel now. (ETA, this went across the screen on BBC News but can't find a link yet)

Oh mrs magic where did you hear tha

iv just been on their website and they arnt advising against travel to mexico or the affected areas in the usa.

I want to stick my head in the sand too, i know this is a tad selfish but we have been looking forward to this holiday for nearly 1yr and have tried really hard to save so we can have a really nice holiday.

Iv just had my dad on the phone (lives in north lanarkshire) telling me we should cancel, no point going as disney etc will close as they dont want mass gatherings of people!

I have to admit it gives me the shivers a little bit. I've just finished reading Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road' so am feeling a bit post-apocalyptic anyway. ?

Though, as always, the Daily Mash provides the antidote to Taking Things Seriously:

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/don't-panic-but-you-are-going-to-die-200904271727/

I work in a hospital (the one that had the case of Anthrax recently) and I wont start to panic until the advice emails start being sent round from infection control

Until then my head is thoroughly burried.

Mrs Magoo, I really doubt they'll stop travel to the US, even if they stop it to Mexico. Closing air traffic into US would be catastrophic for the economy and not something they'll do lightly. Things would have to be an awful lot worse there or here first for that to happen.

It came across the screen on BBC News 24 and they were either jumping the gun or incorrect as I haven't seen it since and can't find anything online. I think it's more likely they'll close the UK - Mexico route now there are infected people in the UK though.

[hugs]

Thanks for the hugs Mrs Magic, i need them

I seem to be threatening about everything, will the boys get chicken pox, will they get ear infections etc. I guess when you have been looking forward to something so much the threat of something stopping it happening make me feel sick!

I dont know how likely they are to stop travel to the usa, dont know much about it, so im glad you said it would need to be a lot lot worse.

I just want to go now!

Im a nurse and know not to panic really but when it affects something you want to do its very diffferent and as im off sick and stuck in all day im getting subjected to the endless news flashes etc on the internet, sky, radion etc!

WHO have raised the threat level from three to four. Who's coming in the air-raid shelter with me? I've got a camping stove and a wind-up lantern!

I'm scaaaaaaaaaared ?

At least they have said its too late for containment, so borders etc will not be closed!

Looks like we will get to go, may die when we were there but hey at least il have seen mickey!

I still have a pack of tamiflu from when I worked for a high street bank in the midst of the nervousness about avian flu a few years ago (they sent it out to all their staff) but its probably way otu of date now lol

I do get panicky easily, so I am trying to bury my head in the sand at the moment, especially as we are going on hol to the dom rep next Monday

Many years ago on one of my hospital admissions for asthma I was sent home with loads of drugs to prevent me catching flu from all the people being admitted with it.

Many years ago on one of my hospital admissions for asthma I was sent home with loads of drugs to prevent me catching flu from all the people being admitted with it. It was a painful and worrying time but I did avoid the lurgy.

Oh no, I was on a training course with a mexican last week, and I shared a pint with her about 9 month ago. Today, I have the sniffles. I shall say goodbye to you all now- I am doomed.

FO are now advising against "non essential" travel to Mexico.

Worth being aware that your travel insurance may not cover you for anything with an FO advisory in place.

I've woken up with a very mild sore throat. Looks like I'm a gonner - I knew I shouldn't have listened to 'last night on earth live in mexico city' yesterday.

Actually seeing as I live in Dudley I think I'm safe. Not even swine flu comes here voluntarily.

?

Well that's my holiday screwed....and I can't get through to Thomson to find out what's happening so can't transfer or cancel or anything.

Their website says decisions about holidays leaving after today will be made later today.

I've just seen it referred to as The Aporkalypse.

We've raised the status here at work as we're preparing to receive samples.

Lovely.

So BBC weren't incorrect with the FCO and flights thing, they just put it up before they were allowed to! At least I know I'm not going mad! ?

? Alison, I hope you get it sorted asap. Did you book through an actual agent with an office that you could go to or was it online?

It's looking like they put it to 4 as it's no longer contained but 5 means epidemic in each country which obviously just 2 people diagnosed in this country is far from. The couple in Falkirk have obviously been in contact with lots of people after their honeymoon and no-one they have seen have become ill yet. They are all being traced and monitored but unless they all become ill today or tomorrow, they are unlikely to, which means people in the UK are appearing to only become ill after actually being at source in Mexico and not being transferred from person to person in the UK. That would need to happen for the threat level going up to a 5 for it to even be considered.

I was watching Fox News last night and was ? at what they were saying. In 1976, Swine Flu was contracted by one person in America. The government (post watergate and trying not to make any more mistakes according to the expert) panicked and started immunising the whole country. The vaccines were not developed properly, hadn't been tested (like current treatments have been of course) and despite scientists saying not to use them, they were anyway. Swine Flu killed one, the vaccine killed 50 and paralysed 100s. Apparently it's not spoken about much!

Thank goodness things have moved on a bit!

Latest reports indicate that of the 22 people the have been in close contact with, seven have developed symptoms and have been isolated and treated with antivirals pending test results.

Really? Blimey, I've not seen that on the news yet. Fingers crossed it can be contained amongst their circle and they haven't all seen 22 people etc etc.

Mrs M - luckily we booked through a travel shop. Having booked online for Cuba last September (when the hurricane hit and destroyed our hotel) I will never book online again as having an actual person to speak to helps.

Only if you can't get through to them as they hang up as soon as they answer the phone it's not much use!

On the radio at 11 it said that Thomas Cook has cancelled all flights to Cancun until 5th May.

It was on the BBC24 news last night. I thought one in three spread sounded quite high but no idea how compares with other strains of flu.

A (very) quick literature search suggests infection rates of between 10-20% for H1N1.

Then again, the sample size here (n=22) is very small, or maybe this strain is slightly more easily transmitted. Too early to tell yet.

Would the type of contact between the couple and the 22 have any impact on how many have caught it? I can imagine (Assumption I know!!) that at least some of the 22 were close family on the receiving end of hugs and kisses to welcome them back?

This is precisely why it's not healthy to hug and kiss people. My standoffishness is good for me ?

Yes. Close proximity usually just means in the same room / on the same train. This group were probably well into each other's personal space (so much like public transport then ?).

So we're all going to die then?

Oh dear. cue panic in Falkirk - The lady who is in hospital works in Boots and went to work as normal before developping the flu. The staff she works with have all been treated and closely monitored but it's quite scary to think who she has been in contact with!