Swine Flu - what does that mean for Disney?

[peemagg]

If you have those individual wrapped Clorox towelettes, can they travel in your carry-on?

I have some that I was planning on taking with me and we aren't checking any luggage. Can we still do this?

[Ed]

If you have those individual wrapped Clorox towelettes, can they travel in your carry-on?

I have some that I was planning on taking with me and we aren't checking any luggage. Can we still do this?

Yes.

[tinkerddeedee]

Gosh, I would like to hear more about an outbreak in NY. I live in NY and haven't heard about it.
We are going in 12 days and this makes me a little nervous.
Funny thing, my aunt and cousin just got back last week and my aunt had the flu her last day!!!

[Seasonscraps]

Gosh, I would like to hear more about an outbreak in NY. I live in NY and haven't heard about it.
We are going in 12 days and this makes me a little nervous.
Funny thing, my aunt and cousin just got back last week and my aunt had the flu her last day!!!

There are 8 students from St. Francis Prep in Queens, NY that was diagnosed with the swine flu. It was reported that they have mild cases and are recovering. The school is closed tomorrow and Tuesday.

[SFTrny]

Using CDC and US Census data....as of today, April 26th, 2009....there have been 20 confirmed cases of Swine Flu in the United States among a population of roughly 306 MILLION.

I don't want to minimize anyone's concerns, but using this data, you have a .000065 % chance of catching Swine Flu...or roughly 15,300,000 to 1


To put this in perspective..Odds of:

bowling a 300 game: 11,500 to 1
getting a hole in one: 5,000 to 1
getting canonized: 20,000,000 to 1
being an astronaut: 13,200,000 to 1
winning an Olympic medal: 662,000 to 1
an American speaking Cherokee: 15000 to 1
injury from fireworks: 19,556 to 1
injury from shaving: 6,585 to 1
injury from using a chain saw: 4,464 to 1
injury from mowing the lawn: 3,623 to 1
fatally slipping in bath or shower: 2,232 to 1
drowning in a bathtub: 685,000 to 1

While the Swine Flu has proved fatal in some areas of the world, it is not universally fatal and no fatalities have been within the US.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...dr2EAD97PPGU00

I hope this makes you feel better. Relax and enjoy the magic!

[forever a child]

Using CDC and US Census data....as of today, April 26th, 2009....there have been 20 confirmed cases of Swine Flu in the United States among a population of roughly 306 MILLION.

I don't want to minimize anyone's concerns, but using this data, you have a .000065 % chance of catching Swine Flu...or roughly 15,300,000 to 1


To put this in perspective..Odds of:

bowling a 300 game: 11,500 to 1
getting a hole in one: 5,000 to 1
getting canonized: 20,000,000 to 1
being an astronaut: 13,200,000 to 1
winning an Olympic medal: 662,000 to 1
an American speaking Cherokee: 15000 to 1
injury from fireworks: 19,556 to 1
injury from shaving: 6,585 to 1
injury from using a chain saw: 4,464 to 1
injury from mowing the lawn: 3,623 to 1
fatally slipping in bath or shower: 2,232 to 1
drowning in a bathtub: 685,000 to 1

While the Swine Flu has proved fatal in some areas of the world, it is not universally fatal and no fatalities have been within the US.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...dr2EAD97PPGU00

I hope this makes you feel better. Relax and enjoy the magic!

Glad others are thinking the same thing! It really isn't an epidemic yet!

[UnbalancedLibra]

Hi everyone!
I found this board doing a search on swine flu in relation to Disney s we are to be there from 4/29 - 5/6

I am a bit nervous but at the same time so excited to go back to WDW. However, I do admit I did have a moment when I pondered if we really should go or not.

I any event, great message board!

[pixiesmimi]

I remember back in the 70's when there was a "swine flu epidemic" while we were in California. Everyone panicked. I think we were about the only ones in our military compound that didn't get the flu shot. (That is an exaggeration of course). Of course, DH had to because he was military. He got sick from the shot but we never got sick. Not many others did either. Of course, I'm not saying don't get a flu shot. Just that I don't think there is a reason to panic just yet. I have heard bits and pieces of this current situation in the news this weekend but haven't paid much attention. The media tends to blow a lot of things out of proportion. We do have bouts every once in a while, especially in the schools and daycares, with different viruses like RSV etc. but they just close down for a day and super clean and life goes on as it runs it's course. I would watch the youngest and oldest closely though, especially around these areas. We are always super cautious at WDW with cleanliness because seems we always get a cold or such but I think this is a possiblity anytime you are around a huge crowd like this. That doesn't mean you need to put your life on hold unless, as some have said, you have family that have immune problems.

[SFTrny]

Compared to the shopping mall and my own home...I am more comfortable with WDW. I don't change my sheets and vacuum my room every day. And I think that the parks are a lot cleaner than most of the shopping malls that I've ever been to.

[UnbalancedLibra]

I suppose it'd be stupid to cancel, we are to be there in 3 days! You're right though, the media is freaking a lot of people out

This flu, however, has jumped from animal to human and so we're kind of caught with our pants down. Those most at risk, right now anyway, are healthy adults.

Remember the 1918 flu? That killed healthy people more so than babies and the elderly. It was founded that this happened because the virus was completely new in humans. The virus wasn't the killer, the killer was the body's overreaction to the new strain, which was so overwhelming that the body destroyed itself trying to heal. White blood cells went out of control in an effort to rid the body of the new virus, causing flooding of the lungs. What killed people was their lungs filling with fluid in a massive pneumonia-like reaction - people basically were drowned by their own immune systems.

Infants and the elderly got sick, but their bodies didn't go into such hyper-drive creating white blood cells because their immune systems were basically sub par so they couldn't overproduce, they got sick but they recovered.

Sorry for the babble, I do that sometimes

[SFTrny]

Remember the 1918 flu?

Ummmm...No...I don't remember the 1918 flu. I was born in the 60's. But...there's been a LOT of medical advances as well as sociological changes associated with hygiene. It wasn't until 1901 that different blood types were discovered. Xrays, Cat scans, advanced anti-biotics, ...there's been a LOT of advances since 1918.

[Mousemates]

I certainly would not cancel a trip over a flu concern (at this level of sickness)...and anyway just staying where you are is no guarantee of being germ free (you can catch a virus just as easy form a buggy at walmart, or from a child who went to DC on a school trip as you could at WDW). Also remember in recent years, we have had a number of scares with everything from SARS to Bird Flu...these did not turn into pandemics...so I say go and enjoy at this point.

[JoDisney]

"We do think this will continue to spread." This is the quote I saw when I went online this evening. We need to use the precautions suggested and watch and see.

[tjstrike]

I'm part of the Emergency response team at the plant I work at and we heard the same thing about the bird flu about 2 years ago and nothing ever came of that ?

[Tigerinvestigator]

I can't think of a better place in the world to catch the flu than WDW! Better than catching it here in TN. Come on folks, you should be more worried about dying in a wreck than catching a flu that you would most likely survive anyway.

[AmandaChan]

I suppose it'd be stupid to cancel, we are to be there in 3 days! You're right though, the media is freaking a lot of people out

This flu, however, has jumped from animal to human and so we're kind of caught with our pants down. Those most at risk, right now anyway, are healthy adults.

Remember the 1918 flu? That killed healthy people more so than babies and the elderly. It was founded that this happened because the virus was completely new in humans. The virus wasn't the killer, the killer was the body's overreaction to the new strain, which was so overwhelming that the body destroyed itself trying to heal. White blood cells went out of control in an effort to rid the body of the new virus, causing flooding of the lungs. What killed people was their lungs filling with fluid in a massive pneumonia-like reaction - people basically were drowned by their own immune systems.

Infants and the elderly got sick, but their bodies didn't go into such hyper-drive creating white blood cells because their immune systems were basically sub par so they couldn't overproduce, they got sick but they recovered.

Sorry for the babble, I do that sometimes

This is where all of my flu anxiety stems from. Even though it was a long time ago and they really couldn't figure out what the heck was going on, it still had a huge impact on Americans. It spread like wildfire and the same thing could probably happen again. Hence all of the concern over the avian flu that's been creeping around in Asia. Even though only a small percentage of people have been affected by the swine flu and no Americans have died (yet, at least as far as I'm aware) that doesn't mean that the strain couldn't surprise people and develop into something that's hard to manage. I just have anxiety in general for these types of things. Also I know that it's not rational to jump on a hysteria bandwagon but the enormous concern and diligence for this type of thing is what keeps scary stuff like this from turning into BIGGER PROBLEMS. Technology and knowledge has been what keeps us alive in these situations (a broad statement I know).

[AmandaChan]

I'm part of the Emergency response team at the plant I work at and we heard the same thing about the bird flu about 2 years ago and nothing ever came of that ?

I believe they are still keeping an eye on it and possibly even developing vaccines just in case? Which is what they should be doing anyways. These sorts of things don't really happen overnight.

[Dulcee]

I remember back in the 70's when there was a "swine flu epidemic" while we were in California. Everyone panicked. I think we were about the only ones in our military compound that didn't get the flu shot. (That is an exaggeration of course). Of course, DH had to because he was military. He got sick from the shot but we never got sick. Not many others did either. Of course, I'm not saying don't get a flu shot. Just that I don't think there is a reason to panic just yet. I have heard bits and pieces of this current situation in the news this weekend but haven't paid much attention. The media tends to blow a lot of things out of proportion. We do have bouts every once in a while, especially in the schools and daycares, with different viruses like RSV etc. but they just close down for a day and super clean and life goes on as it runs it's course. I would watch the youngest and oldest closely though, especially around these areas. We are always super cautious at WDW with cleanliness because seems we always get a cold or such but I think this is a possiblity anytime you are around a huge crowd like this. That doesn't mean you need to put your life on hold unless, as some have said, you have family that have immune problems.

The difference with the spread of the swine flu this time is its ability to now spread from person to person. However I agree, be careful, wash your hands often and cover your mouth when you sneeze. Otherwise it isn't worth putting your life on hold until we can see better if this is going to continue spreading of if measures in Mexico were enough to put a stop to it.

Also in contrast to early flu pandemics the current strain of swine flu being contracted is very treatable in the first couple of days with two readily available anti-viral drugs you can obtain in the US. Not to mention many with healthy immune systems are fighting it off all on their own.

[MNNHFLTX]

I wouldn't panic about the current swine flu outbreak (as far as your trip to WDW), but I would keep a close eye on the numbers over the next couple of weeks, as that will be very telling as far as the current course of the virus. I don't know about the coverage this is getting in other areas of the country, but I can tell you that health officials here in my area are very concerned, because of our proximity to Mexico and the constant travel back and forth by many people across the border. Anyway, there are face masks that are effective against the spread of a respiratory virus, but the best precaution is simply washing your hands several times a day, especially after being out in a public place. So Purell or hand wipes would be a good idea too. I just told my son (16) this morning that he needs to make sure and wash his hands at school today at least a couple of times, as most of the cases they are finding here in the states seem centralized around high schools.

[MNNHFLTX]

Also in contrast to early flu pandemics the current strain of swine flu being contracted is very treatable in the first couple of days with two readily available anti-viral drugs you can obtain in the US. Not to mention many with healthy immune systems are fighting it off all on their own.

Very true.