What would we have done if swine flu hit during a regional?

[ATannahill]

On the some note as Wayne I feel this is a question that should remain unanswered. So what if we find out what would happen? It makes no difference unless the flu spreads for another year. Lets be optimistic and say the CDC will protect us before it gets that far, What we should be doing is taking preventative actions and not panicking.

[artdutra04]

Wash your hands and don't touch your face.

Hand sanitizer and antibacterial soaps do not protect against viruses, such as the flu, so they would be pointless against swine flu.

Avoid sick people, and be sure to cover your mouth on all coughing and sneezing.

Throw used tissues away or flush them down a toilet.

Surgical masks are only good if worn properly. There are so many photos and videos in the news of people in Mexico wearing them incorrectly. Most are only covering their mouths, and forgetting their noses, which is just as ineffective as not wearing one at all.

Eating pork has no relation to contracting swine flu.

If you have any symptoms of swine flu, get them checked out right away. The antiviral medications work a lot better when caught early.

Really, as it stands right now the whole swine flu thing has really been blown out of proportion by the sensationalist media. To put swine flu in perspective, regular flu kills 36,000 people every year in the United States. That's about 98 people per day on average. So far in the United States, the reported symptoms of people with swine flu aren't that severe, with most just recovering in their homes without the need of any hospital medical attention. And they've already found that Tamiflu is effective at treating swine flu, and immunization vaccines are as little as six weeks away.

Be vigilant, but for the sake of humanity don't panic.

[Shmee]

Something like this did happen before actually. I wasn't part of FIRST then, but my mentors talk about one year at the VCU Regional where a virus went around (Robo-flu? I can't remember the name now) and the CDC had to announce some measures. Basically, a lot of teams got sick, but I think the competition went on?

EDIT: I remember now! RoboSARS

[lukevanoort]

Originally Posted by Shmee

Something like this did happen before actually. I wasn't part of FIRST then, but my mentors talk about one year at the VCU Regional where a virus went around (Robo-flu? I can't remember the name now) and the CDC had to announce some measures. Basically, a lot of teams got sick, but I think the competition went on?

That was the norovirus (aka Norwalk virus). Quite contagious, very unpleasant (vomiting, diaherrea, etc.), but not particularly dangerous if you drink plenty of fluids (usual caveats apply - can be dangerous to the already sick, elderly, very young, and so on).

Over 30,000 people in the US alone die of influenza per year. Stop freaking out about this, and go build a robot or something.


I hate fearmongering...

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

On the some note as Wayne I feel this is a question that should remain unanswered. So what if we find out what would happen? It makes no difference unless the flu spreads for another year. Lets be optimistic and say the CDC will protect us before it gets that far, What we should be doing is taking preventative actions and not panicking.

I agree, but there is concern in that the US OPEN FLL Championship is in a week.