God, now everyone's on Twitter

An actually funny pandemic joke.

PSA: Factory Farm Flu

• I finally found the New Scientist article that talks about the factory farm origins of our present potentially-pandemic swine flu.
• No more omelettes for breakfast, we need the eggs for flu vaccine.
• Erica C. Barnett provides good advice on face masks, as well as a picture of the recommended model.
• SUPER IMPORTANT UPDATE: Hot guys in flu masks
• Another IMPORTANT UPDATE: The advantages and disadvantages to using a N95 disposable respirator (a model recommended by Erica Barnett and pandemicflu.gov)
  
  N95 respirator (filtering facepiece) $0.50-1.20
  Advantages
  • Reduces exposure to small inhalable particles and large droplets.• Designed to form a tight seal to the face.• Filtration efficiency certified.
  Disadvantages
  • Cannot be decontaminated, may be shortages during a pandemic.• Must be fit-tested to assure full protection.• Cannot be worn with facial hair that interferes with the seal between the face and respirator.• Harder to breathe through than a facemask.• Not designed to be used in surgery.

PSA: Swine Flu Goes to Washington

Photo courtesy of a friend with a really perverse sense of humor

So, swine flu might be in Seattle, but we won't know until the tests come back from the lab a few days hence. In the meantime, you can follow a few simple steps to prevent the spread of anything germy, just in case:

• Don't lick any pigs. Seriously. The pigs don't like it.
• WASH YOUR HANDS, especially after you've been out among the germy public. Use alcohol based hand sanitizer if you don't have a chance to get to a sink (Use the 60% alcohol stuff - anything less is less than effective).
• Don't hang out with sick people. If you're sick, don't be a dick - stay home.
• Try not to touch your face all the time. If you have to (something in your eye, itchy nose), use a tissue.
• Cover your face with a tissue when you cough and sneeze, and throw away the tissue after one use. If you have super sneezes like me, use several tissues.
• Sanitize public spaces more frequently, like common areas at your work. At home, maybe just the doorknobs and the sinks. Use actual disinfectant sprays and wipes - soap and water works for your hands, but not so much for germy hard surfaces.

Other than that, make sure you have enough food and supplies (including your meds) around the house for a week, just in case. Also, if you have mild flu-like symptoms, stay home and drinks lots of fluids. If you have severe flu-like symptoms, give your doctor (or a doctor) a call and get some advice on what to do next.

PSA: Swine Flu

This swine flu thing is making me paranoid. It's not even in Washington yet, but myself and many of my friends are in our early to mid twenties, a prime age bracket for H1N1. In response, I've been surfing the interwebs for useful information on prevention, prep, and news in general. The King County Pandemic Flu Preparedness site is great, the Slog's old post about Erica Barnett's article on the bird flu is mildly useful.

Grist says Smithfield Foods hog farms in Perote, Mexico (origin point of the outbreak) it to blame. I think this means we should call this Factory Farm Flu isntead swine flu. That way it would be factual and kosher.

In further news, the Slog blames the outbreak on the blogosphere's obsession with bacon, which is silly, because the bacon gods protect their own (from everything except heart attacks). However, since the flu probably started at a hog farm, does that mean Slog's claim is partially true via the capitalist paradigm of supply (dirty hog farms & cheap meats) and demand (bloggers love of bacon)? I can see the headlines now: "The Great 2009 Bacon Panic - bloggers blamed for bringing about world catatrophe".

PS About masks - you're going to want to buy the kind that block particulate matter, if you can't find straight up surgical masks. If they aren't to be found at drugstores or grocery stores, try Pacific Hardware on 12th or that funny little vacuum repair place on Madison.