Mid-May Mooring

The swine flu....ooops... the Influenza A, H1N1 virus is hopefully now on the end of its course, for this year. Belize has been spared, or so it seems, thanks to the good Lord and the efforts of each one of us to basically be clean. The people at Health and Agriculture are strumming the strings of triumph since now they can say "see, we did not over-react, thanks to our being proactive we are flu-free." There might not be any scientific way of claiming that to be true; so in that light, they do deserve some commendation. So when will the same happen for the Human Immuno Virus I and II?

Yesterday the USA claimed championship on having the most Swine flu cases in terms of single countries. But of course they do. While the Cat 5 level by WHO made us close concerts and fairs and AGM's and conventions, all we need to do is to turn on the TV set and you would see the NBA playoffs in FULL swing with thousands of people gathered even in Dallas and Los Angeles that are "close to the border." A determined and careful look did not reveal any surgical masks. The common opinion is that 'they can afford it.'

Mid-May in Belize and we hear that the Kendall Causeway flooding...hmmm have you heard that before. We are getting sprinkles already. At about this time, students are thinking of the summer or of graduation or/and jobs or/and next school year. Summer tends to be the time of the year when we have to buckle down and live our lives...just as during the rest of the year. Easter is a memory. Christmas is not close nor far away. For three months there will be no real holiday only vacations. Oh! There is a difference!

I the author here at Insight will try to do what I can to give you a lill slumber or a GIANT spark with words. I will post them as they develop and as fast as the fingers can deliver.

Later...

Dynamic Gravitas...

If you were to look at an influenza virus through a microscope, it would look like a sphere with many spikes and mushroom shaped objects on its surface.

Hello OW... my last blog was titled Swine Flue... a lesson learned. I wanted you all to get the impression that we were not necessarily in harms way ESPECIALLY if we were extra careful as a town and country. We are doing great up to now. But the buzzer has not sounded we need to keep our guard up.

We watch television and see how the USA is still having mass gatherings. Folks... we do not have that luxury. WE do not have Tamiflu stockpiled by the millions. We are, nevertheless, Swine Flu free.

Or is it H1N1 Free? So what is that?... I did a little research. The Spanish Flu of 1918 killed about 21 million in the USA. There are so many reasons that would not happen today. Maybe the biggest reason is that we are INFORMED.

By the way, that virus was also an H1N1.

The H1N1 refers to the Hemagglutinin type (H1) and Neuraminidase type (N1) there are about 14 H types and 9 N types, and Influenza can have any combination of those. The H and N are molecules that are on the outer virus coat and can be detected by antibodies. Genetic testing of the virus can determine what kinds of flu viruses recombined to make the given virus. There are many flu virus combinations but most occur in birds, but some in swine and some in human. Flu recombines and mutates very rapidly. Pigs, some birds and humans can get flu viruses, sometimes several at a time. Those differenty strains can recombine to make new strains. That is why they have to make a new flu vaccine every year.

The influenza virus changes every season so humans need to be on the tip of their scientific toes.
This season will pass, but like for hurricane seasons, we need to be aware that another might be here next year.

As this pandemic travels over time the gravitas changes but it is always there. This dynamic gravitas should be observed by us all. This is all serious in terms of our basic survival. Health is important if we want to have a longer time of FUN here on earth.