AFL swine flu precautions

[Dogwatcher]

Is it true all AFL clubs have been told that when they are traveling they are to wear face masks?

Haven't seen this in any newspapers yet.

[heater31]

Is it true all AFL clubs have been told that when they are traveling they are to wear face masks?

Haven't seen this in any newspapers yet.

St Kilda will be doing it today as reported on the Footy Show last night

[Dogwatcher]

Ah, there you go.

[Voice]

Fair enough too as the number of cases in Australia has jumped from 27 on tuesday to 150 this morning.
Maybe there's a donkey flu getting around also as last week Carlton played like asses.

[Thiele]

We could have all the games called off

[locky801]

We could have all the games called off

Dont even go there, after the kids footy was called off last week in a particular association, I dont want a weekend like that again

[Adelaide Hawk]

I agree with a letter in the Advertiser earlier in the week. Swine Flu is the modern YK2.

[Dog_ger]

NO FOOTBALL

The Passion of an Entire Nation may be halted.

Another baby boom coming up

The Dog_ger household is prepared for anything.

[Killa]

be like mexico, play in front of empty crowds

[catchit]

Fair enough too as the number of cases in Australia has jumped from 27 on tuesday to 150 this morning.
Maybe there's a donkey flu getting around also as last week Carlton played like asses.

[catchit]

Fair enough too as the number of cases in Australia has jumped from 27 on tuesday to 150 this morning.
Maybe there's a donkey flu getting around also as last week Carlton played like asses.

thats where we went wrong!! you gave us the donkey flu..

[Squawk]

Not that I'm aware of.
However, under the strict terms of Pandemic Phase "Sustain", Victoria would be required to stop mass gatherings. However, Brumby does not want to have to do that with many major events and so the Vics have come up with their own new phase - "Modified Sustain". It means that they no longer have to do contact tracing (very resource intensive) and it means they are not going to stop mass gatherings. I won't go in to it all but as with everything, the Vics have had their cake and they are eating it too, as it suits them best!

[Benchwarmer]

Don't forget your masks when you go over to Piggyland to watch your team play!

[Rik E Boy]

I agree with a letter in the Advertiser earlier in the week. Swine Flu is the modern YK2.

So Swine Flu is nothing to be sneezed at then Hawk?

regards,

REB

[Farmy]

Currently Swine flu isn't really a concern in its current form, all the WHO (World Health Organisation) worrying is centred around the possibility that it could mutate and come back in a far more virulent form months later.

The thing is, it has happened before with the Spanish flu, which was a mild outbreak followed by a far harsher outbreak that killed 50-100 million world wide. Though, it really depends on a number of factors, whether this current Swine flu or a mutated version would kill in the same way as the Spanish flu, (which caused a cytokine storm, or an overreaction of the bodies immune system which effectively causes it to attack healthy cells). The Spanish flu killed healthy people with strong immune systems because their immune systems were able to do more damage to their body. I'm unsure if the current Swine Flu works the same way, I don't think it does, I think the current form of Swine flu is dangerous for those with weak immune systems and underlying health problems/other sickness/infection. Further, today compared to 1919 travel is much faster and easier, with faster air, sea and road travel the ability of a pathogen to move between population centres is significantly increased.

Basically, the worrying, and the precautions is to prevent it from spreading, not just to prevent deaths, but in the hope to prevent mutation. Even though currently Victoria is the swine flu capital of Australia, I don't think its the time to cancel footy matches, there isn't that much risk of catching it right at this minute. Especially in good old South Australia.

In closing, I guess its not the time for extreme worry, but a time to be careful, to wash your hands and not touch your mouth or face after touching things in public, to cover your mouth/nose when you sneeze, to stay home from work/school when you are sick, but then again it is always the time to do that, atleast for normal, intelligent, decent and responsible human beings, because unfortunately for them these viruses don't just kill stupid selfish people.