a dingo stole my baby

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Me and my profession

As a qualified educator, and educator of the educators, I am a communications expert; understanding how and why information delivery works and doesn't work. I have experience with technology and consider myself an information-futurist. I am a dreamer!

Now, enough of that wank and onto some more...I have been a teacher of modern English and literature, taught people the skills of learning, teaching and communicating. A can look at big and little pictures and advise on getting from point A to point B. I can read maps!

I am an excellent facilitator, negotiator and have, on many occasions in the past, presented to small and large groups alike. I am a talker!

My experience in commercial enterprise has helped me take a leap from the structure and politic of government back into the real world. I am a thinker!

But I am a teacher; was a teacher of skills and knowledge, and now, like most of us, just a teacher.

Specialties:

Information and communication developer, reviewer and planner, advice on learning, elearning and services online. I see the past and dream the future. I can use smart and dumb tools. A sharer and a listener. A strategist and a dreamer. I can negotiate with people from all walks. I know where I am at and where you want to be. I can read maps!

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Pandemic

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Swine flu pandemic 'unstoppable': WHO

THE swine flu pandemic has become "unstoppable" and all nations will need access to vaccines, a WHO official said today.

Britain, Thailand and the Philippines all reported deaths today, while Saudi Arabia shut an international school after 20 students were diagnosed with the A(H1N1) virus.

As the death toll increased, the World Health Organisation official said a swine flu vaccine should be available as early as September and all countries would need to be able to protect themselves.
A group of vaccination experts concluded after a recent meeting that "the H1N1 pandemic is unstoppable and therefore all countries would need to have access to vaccines,'' said Marie-Paul Kieny, WHO director on vaccine research.

Health workers should be at the top of the list for vaccination since they will be in high demand as people continue to fall sick, she said.

Countries would be free to decide on their national priorities, but other groups should include pregnant women and anyone over six months old who has chronic health problems, the WHO official said.

via news.com.au

Its all just a fuss over nothing? Yeh? WHO knows (pardon the pun!). Today we learn that a toddler and a Doctor from the UK both succumbed to the illness. This is tragic and sad. The issue, however, both had no underlying illness or susceptibility that made them at risk patients.

If A(H1N1) - aka Swine Flu continues to spread, it is likely to evolve. All influenza viruses adapt to the environment in which they exist. This one will be no different. Will antiviral drugs like Tamiflu continue to provide protection? Will this disease develop a more deadly strain?

More and more people are dying. Its not too worrying knowing that more people die every minute from much more mundane things (lookout for that bus!!!!!!). But how long before it grows to much larger numbers? Will the spread of the A(H1N1) see the spread of much more deadly variants just as swift?

We shall wait and see!

Sylvestor
www.twitter.com/Sylvestor

Filed under  //  Deaths   H1N1   Influenza A   Pandemic   Swine Flu   WHO  
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Posted 8 months ago

Swine flu medics in dash to dead victim's WA township

AN emergency medical response crew is rushing to the isolated WA indigenous community that was home to the first swine flu sufferer to die in Australia.

The team will land at Kiwirrkurra, more than 600km west of Alice Springs in the Gibson Desert, as doctors and health services warn of the extra risk posed to indigenous communities by the virus.

Public health experts are worried that swine flu is likely to hit Aboriginal communities hard, because many people suffer health conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus.

via news.com.au

There has been a lot of criticism here in Australia about the over-reaction to the Swine Flu pandemic. Although the influenza strain may well be "mild" in comparison to other strains of the flu, and indeed other conditions and diseases, it still poses a great risk.

It is new! There is little natural immunity. And, as has been seen here in Australia, poses a real health threat to some members of our community (the young, elderly, infirmed, respiratory illness sufferers etc).

An outbreak of H1N1 A in a remote indigenous community would be disastrous. How it got there, when, why - it really doesn't matter now. Protecting the people of that community and ensuring it doesn't spread is vital. I don't think we have seen the last death.

Whether or not you believe in this global pandemic, or its seriousness, is not the point now. I certainly hope that it doesn't get worse, particularly in these remote areas.

Sylvestor
www.twitter.com/Sylvestor

Filed under  //  Aboriginal   Death   H1N1   Indigenous   Influenza   Pandemic   Swine Flu  
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Posted 8 months ago

World first swine flu vaccine

UPDATE: 4.45pm A SWISS company is today claiming to have made the world's first swine flu vaccine.

Novartis, which has its Australian headquarters in Sydney, announced it had successfully completed cell-based production of the first batch of A(H1N1) vaccine.

``Based on that success, the company expects to be able to achieve rapid production," a Novartis spokesman said.

``The vaccine is in clinical trials now.''

via news.com.au

So they have made their vaccine. I am sure it will work, for some, but knowing we (in Aus) are about to head into our Flu season - or we are here now - I would suspect that it wouldn't be long before A(H1N1) or SwineFlu will most likely evolve as it mixes with other nasty flu-bugs.

For the conspiracy-mob out there - perhaps they've had the vaccine all along, but needed the world to hit Level 6 Pandemic before making any moves on disclosure! Testing the waters for biological-attack perhaps?

I await the "War on Influenza"!

Sylvestor
www.twitter.com/Sylvestor

Filed under  //  H1N1   Influenza   Pandemic   Swine Flu   Vaccine  
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Posted 9 months ago

Melbourne swine flu family quarantined in their home

Family
Isolated ... Jimmy Dickson and Stephanie Gotlib with their son Adam. Picture: Darryl Gregory
  • Ten cases of swine flu in Australia
  • Family of six confined to home for two weeks
  • Primary school closed due to concerns
THREE new cases of swine flu were last night identified as an infected Melbourne family confined to their home spoke of their ordeal.

The family of six faces two weeks in quarantine to protect others, the Herald Sun reports.

"The walls are not getting too small yet, but I'm sure they will," said Stephanie Gotlib.
via news.com.au

There has been a lot of boo-hoo'ing about N1H1 here in Australia of late. Primarily the feeling over "over-reaction, beat-up, nonsense" etc.

I think people need to understand a bit more about their world. The WHO still classifies the world in a state Pandemic Level 5. Here in Australia we are at a state of alert, and the threat of global pandemic still exists.

Do people actually understand what a "pandemic" is? Just because this particular virus doesn't necessarily cause major casualties, does not mean it can't reach pandemic levels.

It is here. In Australia. Its a nasty flu, but not necessarily 'deadly'. Me? I would rather not get it, are you prepared?

Sylvestor
www.twitter.com/Sylvestor

Filed under  //  H1N1   Influenza A   Pandemic   Swine Flu  
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Posted 9 months ago