Pedestrian

More on the Swine Flu Situation

Nov 2nd, 2009 by pedestrian

Tabnak reports that swine flu has spread like wildfire in schools throughout the country and that is why “in some official circles there is talk of canceling the school year.”

WTF?!

According to their counts, 500 schools in Esfahan, all the schools in Kashan, half of the schools in Sirjan, some elementary schools in Qom, Tehran and Mashad have been closed.

BBC also reports that 22 people, including some students have died from the disease thus far.

Now someone (I think supp) mentioned on here the other day that we should be careful about not associating all the school closures with politics. And I agree.

But one thing that begs attention is the high rate of disease in schools EVERY school season. I personally was sick more than half of each school year, as was most of the class. I read in the official state news agency that in some classrooms, as much as 60% of the class has gotten swine flu. From memory, that figure sounds about right. At times we had more than 60% of our class out with the flu. And I’m not 100% convinced that ALL these cases are swine flu. Is there anybody out there trying to distinguish them?

Now going back to Tabnak: they quote the health minister as saying that the #1 center of the flu right now is schools, and since our hospitals are not ready to meet the growing demand, “some sources” are talking about closing all schools across Iran.

Posted in Nincompoops, Snowball and Squealer, The Illusionist | 15 Comments

15 Responses to “More on the Swine Flu Situation”

on 02 Nov 2009 at 2:57 pm1German

These pictures your are excavating – o holy bimbam !
Incredible !
on 02 Nov 2009 at 3:32 pm2Lola LB

I don’t know. But swine flu is going around like crazy here. They haven’t gotten to the point of closing down schools, though.
on 02 Nov 2009 at 3:33 pm3Pedestrian

German, it’s not mine – a little story called Animal Farm

Lola, I know! isn’t it crazy? Are you getting the shot?
on 02 Nov 2009 at 3:56 pm4Pensive Persian

German,

Google; Google images; enter search term(s).

I want some bacon.
on 02 Nov 2009 at 3:58 pm5Pedestrian

bacon? yuck
on 02 Nov 2009 at 4:15 pm6German

My dear friend and copperplate-engraver Pensive Persian,

thank you for your advice given to one of these barbarian Teutonics, i.e. me,
knowing “Animal Farm” from
a) one’s own political experience, having become familiar with communistic ideology
b) one’s experience of teaching English literature at school

I all the same would not have had the imagination

[typically German - just having climbed down the oak trees, trying to make oneself understood by thumping on one's hairy breast, attempting to catch a rabbit, defending oneself against these coconuts thrown about by our nephews, the Orang-Utans, boring one's nose as one of one's favourite hobbies ]

to connect mentally swine flu with “Animal Farm”
and
then to decide on that particular “racy” (is that the word?) picture
after having googled “picture” !

Having studied your advide I do not wonder, what people in Persia think about these Germans
(very likely something along the lines indicated above).

[Suffering from "galloping Alzheimer disease" I have copied your advice by hand so as not to forget it]

All the best
until our next hilarious conversation

German
on 02 Nov 2009 at 5:03 pm7Lola LB

Nope. I’m not working at the moment, spend much time at my home and not out in the public, so I’m not in touch with the public too often. And I find that everytime I get a flu-shot, I usually get a touch of the flu anyway. Here’s some common-sense advice: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/11/02/f-viewpoint-cassels.html
on 02 Nov 2009 at 5:07 pm8Pedestrian

German, you crack me up …

Lola, I’m not getting it. Basically for the some of the reasons the article talks about – but much more eloquently then I do
I had the flu shot once in my life in high school and I got so sick that I’ll never be willing to try it again.
on 02 Nov 2009 at 5:36 pm9roozbeh

i wish they close down where I work for one year, sometimes I like the islamic republic approach to management…
on 02 Nov 2009 at 5:37 pm10Pedestrian

roozbeh, if you’re a student or civil servant… who wouldn’t?
on 02 Nov 2009 at 7:48 pm11Pirouz

Ped, I personally know someone who died of swine flu right here in San Francisco. It’s not something to take lightly.

I believe I read Iran is expecting its first deliveries of vaccine in about two months, but that might be very optimistic. Even here in the US, access to the vaccine has not met expectations.
on 02 Nov 2009 at 7:51 pm12Pensive Persian

German, I always love your comments. I hope you know I was being facetious and silly. Germans are some of the worthiest members of Valhalla.
Bacon. So good. Sooo goooood.
on 02 Nov 2009 at 9:06 pm13parvati_roma

Google-images stroke of luck or whatever – but that opening pic is tooooo much – LOL!
on 02 Nov 2009 at 10:58 pm14Pedestrian

Pirouz, how many people die of the flu each year?
I’m not saying we shouldn’t take it seriously, I’m just saying I’m not convinced these are all swine flu cases. But how would I know?

Pensive Persian … (making barfing sounds) … YUCK … You can have the bacon in my plate any day.
on 02 Nov 2009 at 11:55 pm15German

Hog flu and illnesses caused not by hog flu:

Perhaps there are – as often (always?) in life – two different/opposed parts of truth/reality lying (parallel) side by side
– like for instance –

[and this one be dedicated to Pensive Persian, without whose inspiration these foregone and following words would never have found their way into being expressed, let alone into being written down!:]

- yes, like “bacon and eggs” !