UPDATE: the word “swine” is being dropped for a more preferable term, H1N1 flu. See this report. It’s only logical since it’s not a food-borne illness and you don’t get the flu from eating pork.
So far, over 150 people died from swine H1N1 flu and there may be more to come out of this swine flu pandemic eventually. From this point, we should all say a prayer to the swine H1N1 flu victims as more people are suffering and dying unexpectedly from it, especially in the more severe cases. Your relatives, your friends, someone you know by association, and all other people will be affected by this. All we truly needed are prayer, courage and hope to get through this difficult time and to help others. Fear is a powerful manifesting emotion within us, as uncertainty and confusion gradually creep into our minds, the greatest of all is the fear of the unknown. Insofar, the media isn’t making a fear-engulfing issue out of this and that’s a good thing. People are hopefully that the outbreak would be contained thoroughly, expectations from the governments and health organizations to deal with this pandemic are extremely high. Any slip-up would mean serious repercussions and people would take matters into their own hands.
That being said, CDC think we’re in a pre-pandemic phase. This is a reasonable presumption, as we haven’t seen the extents of a fast-spreading pandemic all over, like hospitals being overwhelmed and crowded with sick people needing assistance, police/military patrolling about and enforcing curfews, stores and public events closed, etc. in America. These things are already happening in Mexico but not yet, insofar, in the US.
It would be a serious blow to the U.S. economy already reeling with unemployment, lay-offs, companies losing money and so forth, the specter of a major economic collapse is around the corner. A very bad thing.
All you needed are prayer for the victims, courage for yourself, hope for your loved ones and friends, and help everyone to get through this difficult time. The Golden Rule always applies in any case.
Can you read lips covered by face masks?
To DeafReaders, as you will notice that more people are buying and using face masks to protect themselves from the flu. If communication is important to you by understanding what hearing people are saying to you during a crisis event, immediately let them know you’re deaf, since you cannot understand or read lips from people wearing face masks while talking. If necessary, have a small notepad and a pen with you in handy when you’re out and about. Some hearing people may be reluctant to remove face masks as you would wanted to understand what they’re saying to you, so keep that in mind.
Also, in the event of national emergency (i.e. martial law), if you’re out in public, not aware of curfew restrictions in some places, and there is police/military patrolling about, seeing YOU, do not do anything stupid or make sudden move as if you’re trying to indicate to them you’re deaf. Frankly, it is preferable for you to be quiet, be still, have your hands up and be arrested on the spot than be shot first and questions asked later. The police/military are very strict with their orders in a national emergency and they would not take any chance with you regardless of any indication that you’re deaf. They don’t know and don’t care who you are and what you are. In a nutshell: shut up, be still, hands up and follow their cues to be arrested on the spot. It is for your own and their safety, even though you haven’t done anything wrong.
Eventually, the police/military would find out that you are really deaf and you may have not know about curfew restrictions in some places if these were recently communicated over the radio, TV or the Internet. Curfew restrictions can be made on the fly without a warning in some cases. The police/military would probably escort you home (or a jail center or a FEMA camp) for your own safety.
If I were you, I would go out and buy a box of high-filtration maximum protection face masks right away. I already did some months ago.
04/28/2009 at 1:34 PM
Why we, culturally deaf have to worry if the first responders – police officers, doctors and ambulance drivers and others covered their lip with preventable masks?
What’s wrong with the classic deaf necessity – pen and paper pad? Could the first responders able to write or what?
I never realize that you are the paranoid-type Republican next to McConnell.
From what I had been called by Mike McConnell and others as a conspiracy theorist.
I would not worry about this swine flu epidemic since I have the homemade receipe from the Black Death survivors.
The receipe itself revealed when the cradle robbers were caught inside the condmened house with people died. The judge asked the robbers how possible for two robbers survived without getting contiminated. The robbers had to reveal the simple receipe with natural disinfectants soaked on cloths to wrap the nose and mouth area.
What about our largest organ – skin absorb swine flu epidemic? Don’t you have to buy the hazmat suit or what?
The Mexican newspaper recently pointed out the possible culprit – the agribusiness congemelrate – the Smithfield Farm (the largest pork suppliers for the U.S. customers) down in Mexico.
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
04/28/2009 at 4:24 PM
RLM, there’s nothing wrong with taking prudent and cautious measures, if there are some among the culturally deaf community who are not familiar in dealing with any crisis situation under pressure. First responders are trained on how to assist deaf people but not the police or the military in general. Especially if you’re caught in a restricted zone, you know, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police/military will have their orders to subdue or shoot anyone who disobey or disregard standard compliance in a restricted zone. They do not have time to assume anyone who’s hearing or deaf or at least argue with them. They will subdue or shoot you nonetheless, having notepad and pen notwithstanding.
One deaf person some times ago in a deaf blog did brought up a good solution: when your hands are up, point your fingers to your ears and mouth the words, “I am deaf” to the police/military.
As for your claim about the agribusiness industry behind the culprit of swine flu in Mexico, do you have any link to back up that claim? We have several pork suppliers in the US as well. Some would say that Mexico have poor hygienic standards and lack of strong regulations within the agriculture and food industries.
As for “paranoid-type”? An apt statement: “Only the paranoid survives,” Who said that? Andrew Grove, the former CEO of Intel.
04/28/2009 at 7:25 PM
In due respect to your prepardeness of using surgical mask.
We need to understand that the swine flu is an airborne disease. Wearing the surgical mask will be not truly effective. The airborne diseases could get into our skin – the largest organ or eye ducts.
The police in Detriot did shoot the unaware deaf young boy which resulted in the 1960s racial riot uprising.
Are our first responders and the law enforcement and military have been properly trained how to deal deaf people during the turblent situation?
The NAD seems sitting on their rear behind and never think about the possibility of communication breakdown between first responders and deaf victims in such chaotic moments.
There are several articles in Spanish language within the Mexican press reportings.
The Truthout media gathering reported this possible link to the Smithfield meat supplier, the American-owned company.
Why I have been unjustifibly labeled as a conspiracy theorist by Mike McConnell?
Yes, the wary kinds usually survive than opimistic-headed people.
Thanks for your blog.
RLM
04/29/2009 at 12:16 PM
Here is a link to the question of the effectiveness of surgical mask –
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30464365
I hope that will be very helpful.
Not many people realize that I am very brillant in science. I would be a great scientist if the school and parents nuture me to study science at greater pace.
I always got the higher scores in science from elementary to high school.
I always am a fact-based person.
RLM
04/29/2009 at 1:36 PM
Parents and school can nurture you only so much, the rest is up to you. You either have that great interest in science or not that drives you to become that “great scientist” or at least become very good and proficient in the field of science.
It was my intense interest in science that drove me to where I am today, a professional scientist. School and encouragement helps but you have to have that desire in you to pursue the field of science by going to college and graduate school and then make a career out of it. Either you love science and live it or you just merely like science. There is a difference.
04/29/2009 at 3:05 PM
Hi McConnell,
You definitely nailed on the topic of scientific curiousity and abillity to do the science field, etc.
My personal flaw is mathemathics. I am really lazy with numbers.
RLM
04/29/2009 at 3:10 PM
I had my parents gave me the microscope at age of six, but not really the professional model. My deaf mother doesn’t know the real difference between professional quality and inferior models.
I often thought about taking the school microscope and return it in the fall time, but never happened. I had a great character.
My parents – hearing stepfather employed at very low wage. My sister and brother’s father was from the old money. I had very interesting upbringing to hate the well-off people like my siblings’ father. My hearing stepfather cames from the well-known Republican family in WV with a lot of political connections.
My deaf mother always made fun of Republicans.
Gallaudet University in the mid-80s really didn’t have wonderful science department at that time. Much improved so far for past decade.
RLM
04/29/2009 at 3:29 PM
If you have a kid or two, you would have done a better job in encouraging them to learn science and become a scientist than your parents did. On the other hand, intense curiosity of the world and seeking to understand how it works can lead to a lifetime of science on your own terms. Some of the best known scientists had to learn all on their owns and worked hard to achieve the recognition for their skills and works they have done to benefit mankind.
I don’t know what is the relevance of Republican politics and family issues has to do with yours being prevented to learn and work in the field of science? Your mother gave you a microscope so she hoped you would grow up to become a scientist, regardless whether it’s a professional or inferior model, politics or family issues. It’s the thought that counts, RLM.
04/29/2009 at 4:03 PM
Which was why I took additional science and math courses at George Washington University while I was at Gallaudet from 1988-1991. I didn’t let poor a “science department” stop me from learning at another school at the same time.
All of my family are Republicans. Thank goodness. Common sense prevails in my family and we don’t go around act like we’re victims all the time, either. We’ll just say, “We’ll you’re wrong about that” and artfully produce facts and common sense to present their arguments.
04/29/2009 at 6:04 PM
Politics aside…..we’re at phase 5 now. Right now, I think it’s smart to just take whatever precautions that would work. Anything that you’d think might work regardless of the effectiveness of it or not. I think wearing a mask helps somewhat, if not all. Washing hands too. My SIL who is a nurse says you can’t use too much of sanitizers (use it every chance you get!), yet a co-worker says that if you use these sanitizers and/or anti-baterial soaps, there’s ingredients that makes your body store fats. Who cares, I think people would rather be fat than die, no? lol I have not checked out the source, but, I’d do anything that makes sense. Including taking vitamins, drinking TEA! Maybe smoking some green herbs, no? Anyway, I think we’ll either see it fizzle out in a week or so or it’ll become a full blown pandemic. So far the numbers are rising, if only the number of deaths remains low, we’ll be lucky.
One thing that I guess puzzles me and rightly so, because I’m not really into science…I do like to learn new stuffs but never was into it in high school nor college all because I refuse to cut open a frog. But, I do like to watch NOVA.
Does the weather or temperature of a climate make any difference in whether a flu (any kind) intensifies or not? Typically flu happens during the winter right? Enlighten me. 
04/30/2009 at 12:23 AM
http://www.google.org/flutrends/
04/30/2009 at 12:26 AM
And for Mexico, too.
http://www.google.org/flutrends/intl/en_mx/