Yes, we all know what today is, and what it commemorates.

[conuly]

Let's not forget that right after the war ended, millions of people died in the Spanish Flu pandemic.

Now, I know some people's response to the vaccine shortages has been along the lines of "don't bother if you're not old, young, or sick", but I feel I should remind you that the people struck down with the Spanish Flu were usually not the old, young, or sick. They were usually healthy people in their... well, okay, maybe "young" covers it, but only in the sense that doesn't include childhood.

This has been a routine announcement. You may now go about your daily business.

Comments

[eofs.livejournal.com]

But the people struck down with the Spanish Flu were in a war torn Europe, and living in completely different conditions anyway.

I remembered the date about an hour after the silence would have been observed in England (ie at 2 here.) Although my actual thought process was "oh yeah, it's the 11th, Christina graduates today" (where Christina was a flatmate of mine last year who was a third year - graduation was today.) Then I realised that of course this means it's Remembrance Day. I feel a little sad that I didn't observe the silence at 11.

[conuly]

Except for those people struck down by Spanish Flu who were from a non-war-torn US and/or Canada.

[cumaeansibyl.livejournal.com]

*shrug*

Nature decides to purge every so often, and there's little we can do one way or the other. World War I is worth remembering because we brought that one upon ourselves, didn't learn from it, and did it all again twenty years later.

[moggymania.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say "don't bother" but rather "don't take up the vaccine for those that are statistically likely to die of something that will almost certainly just make you feel unwell for a few days."

(Then again, I'm in several different "YES" categories for the vaccine, I just always choose to avoid it because I hate needles too much. Somebody else can have mine, I can always be hospitalized if I get sick.)

[conuly]

Wow, rationality. Where were you when they decided to start spraying several times a month for West Nile?

[moggymania.livejournal.com]

"Wow, rationality. Where were you when they decided to start spraying several times a month for West Nile?"

In California where we didn't have to? (Actually I'm not sure about that. I know there were some cases of West Nile, but most of what I remember hearing was that they just kept catching/checking the mosquitos and had everybody make sure to not leave standing water around. As far as I know it never reached a point where there was spraying.)

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

I know how incredibly callous it is to think this, but I feel the flu vaccine shortage is yet another hit on our economy. The people who are not being protected by the vaccine are the healthy, working-age group and their children. Basically, every day that a small child (i.e., over 1 year of age) or a healthy adult (non-elderly) is sick is 1 day of lost productivity for 1 working adult. Even those in families where 1 partner does not work and is a homemaker, because it's still a day of lost productivity around the home.

But that's my cynical side. My more rational side, the side that's actually civilized, is glad that my grandma is getting the vaccine, even if it means I don't. I can always use the sick days.

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

No, as a matter of fact, the me part of us does not know.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

But the people struck down with the Spanish Flu were in a war torn Europe, and living in completely different conditions anyway.

I remembered the date about an hour after the silence would have been observed in England (ie at 2 here.) Although my actual thought process was "oh yeah, it's the 11th, Christina graduates today" (where Christina was a flatmate of mine last year who was a third year - graduation was today.) Then I realised that of course this means it's Remembrance Day. I feel a little sad that I didn't observe the silence at 11.

[conuly]

Except for those people struck down by Spanish Flu who were from a non-war-torn US and/or Canada.

[cumaeansibyl.livejournal.com]

*shrug*

Nature decides to purge every so often, and there's little we can do one way or the other. World War I is worth remembering because we brought that one upon ourselves, didn't learn from it, and did it all again twenty years later.

[moggymania.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say "don't bother" but rather "don't take up the vaccine for those that are statistically likely to die of something that will almost certainly just make you feel unwell for a few days."

(Then again, I'm in several different "YES" categories for the vaccine, I just always choose to avoid it because I hate needles too much. Somebody else can have mine, I can always be hospitalized if I get sick.)

[conuly]

Wow, rationality. Where were you when they decided to start spraying several times a month for West Nile?

[moggymania.livejournal.com]

"Wow, rationality. Where were you when they decided to start spraying several times a month for West Nile?"

In California where we didn't have to? (Actually I'm not sure about that. I know there were some cases of West Nile, but most of what I remember hearing was that they just kept catching/checking the mosquitos and had everybody make sure to not leave standing water around. As far as I know it never reached a point where there was spraying.)

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

I know how incredibly callous it is to think this, but I feel the flu vaccine shortage is yet another hit on our economy. The people who are not being protected by the vaccine are the healthy, working-age group and their children. Basically, every day that a small child (i.e., over 1 year of age) or a healthy adult (non-elderly) is sick is 1 day of lost productivity for 1 working adult. Even those in families where 1 partner does not work and is a homemaker, because it's still a day of lost productivity around the home.

But that's my cynical side. My more rational side, the side that's actually civilized, is glad that my grandma is getting the vaccine, even if it means I don't. I can always use the sick days.

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

No, as a matter of fact, the me part of us does not know.