Comments on: PANDEMIC SHMANDEMIC http://gomerville.com/2009/04/28/pandemic-shmandemic/ I am a paramedic who works for an organ procurement organization in the wilds of Kentucky. I am also a husband and a father. Occasionally I fancy myself to be a writer, hence the blog. You are welcome to witness this train wreck but the experience can be disorienting. Don't go swimming for at least thirty minutes. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:55:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Buckman http://gomerville.com/2009/04/28/pandemic-shmandemic/comment-page-1/#comment-828 Buckman Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:32:33 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=280#comment-828 Thanks for the trackback Podmedic. It was good talking to you last night. Thanks for the trackback Podmedic. It was good talking to you last night.

]]> By: Final Comments on Swine Flu Risk for EMS Systems, EMTs, and Paramedics http://gomerville.com/2009/04/28/pandemic-shmandemic/comment-page-1/#comment-768 Final Comments on Swine Flu Risk for EMS Systems, EMTs, and Paramedics Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:21:09 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=280#comment-768 [...] Ferris at Gomerville.com posted a fine commentary on all of the hype on his blog.  The post called “Pandemic Shmandemic” puts all of this into perspective including a good review of the history of the pandemic threat to the world over the last 100 years [...] [...] Ferris at Gomerville.com posted a fine commentary on all of the hype on his blog.  The post called “Pandemic Shmandemic” puts all of this into perspective including a good review of the history of the pandemic threat to the world over the last 100 years [...]

]]> By: Buckman http://gomerville.com/2009/04/28/pandemic-shmandemic/comment-page-1/#comment-767 Buckman Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:47:21 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=280#comment-767 Thanks for the comments guys. One thing I did not mention is the fact that a large flu outbreak can be very taxing on the hospital resources of a geographical area. All the more reason to work with the media on this. If the media is out of control and the ER waiting rooms are busting full of droves of people who have the sniffles but think they have swine flu, it makes it that much harder to take care of those who are truly sick. Same in the EMS sector. The insurance companies always take a bath in times like this as well. And we all know what happens when the insurance companies take it in the shorts. You can expect your premiums to go up. Thanks for the comments guys. One thing I did not mention is the fact that a large flu outbreak can be very taxing on the hospital resources of a geographical area. All the more reason to work with the media on this. If the media is out of control and the ER waiting rooms are busting full of droves of people who have the sniffles but think they have swine flu, it makes it that much harder to take care of those who are truly sick. Same in the EMS sector. The insurance companies always take a bath in times like this as well. And we all know what happens when the insurance companies take it in the shorts. You can expect your premiums to go up.

]]> By: Jamie Davis, the Podmedic http://gomerville.com/2009/04/28/pandemic-shmandemic/comment-page-1/#comment-766 Jamie Davis, the Podmedic Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:04:39 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=280#comment-766 Buck, Your right on the money here. I read an article at the CDC (<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/14/8/pdfs/07-1313.pdf"<article pdf linked here</a>) that looked at the 1919 pandemic and determined that many of those who died not from the flu itself but likely succumbed to bacterial pneumonia secondary to the flu. There is very little to worry about in the face of modern medicine including IV fluids, rapid lab diagnostics, anti pyretic and anti-viral medications, and broad spectrum antibiotics. Typical media frenzy. It's like O.J. has broken out of jail and is driving with the swine flu down an L.A. freeway in a white SUV. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!! Buck,

Your right on the money here. I read an article at the CDC (<a href=”http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/14/8/pdfs/07-1313.pdf”<article pdf linked here) that looked at the 1919 pandemic and determined that many of those who died not from the flu itself but likely succumbed to bacterial pneumonia secondary to the flu.

There is very little to worry about in the face of modern medicine including IV fluids, rapid lab diagnostics, anti pyretic and anti-viral medications, and broad spectrum antibiotics.

Typical media frenzy. It’s like O.J. has broken out of jail and is driving with the swine flu down an L.A. freeway in a white SUV. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!

]]> By: Greg Friese http://gomerville.com/2009/04/28/pandemic-shmandemic/comment-page-1/#comment-765 Greg Friese Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:48:09 +0000 http://gomerville.com/?p=280#comment-765 On the to-do list please add catch your cough in your elbow. Maybe once and for all we can all stop coughing on our hands. Also to past and future ambulance partners please don't cough on the steering wheel. Thanks. On the to-do list please add catch your cough in your elbow. Maybe once and for all we can all stop coughing on our hands. Also to past and future ambulance partners please don’t cough on the steering wheel. Thanks.

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