Is the Novel H1N1 Flu a Life Threatening Disease: Common Doubts about the Swine Flu Virus Clarified

The latest edition of world wide flu pandemic, the Novel H1N1 flu, commonly known as swine flu, is spreading like wild fire around the globe. According to optinghealth.com, in addition to the public health issues, it is affecting tourism and even causing closure of schools and other educational institutions. Some common doubts about the swine flu are clarified here.

Why is the Swine Flu Virus Called the Novel H1N1 Flu Virus?

The virus causing swine flu is known as the Influenza A H1N1 virus due to the special characteristics of the virus. The flu caused by the H1N1 virus is known as H1N1 Flu, previously as swine flu. As H1N1 viral flu has been known to cause disease sporadically since the major epidemic of 1918, the latest flu pandemic is known as the Novel H1N1 Flu. Antigenically this virus differs from its predecessors, hence the ‘novel’.

Is the Novel H1N1 Flu More Dangerous Than the Seasonal Flu?

Not necessarily. The death rates from swine flu so far have been lower than the seasonal flu death rates in US, where the seasonal flu kills an average of 36,000 patients every year. The same picture is emerging in other countries as well.

Then Why the Scare and Uproar on the Novel H1N1 Flu?

As the new swine flu virus is antigenically different, people have not developed immunity against the virus, and, in risky populations, the disease could turn fatal. The global coverage in the media and the hype by the healthcare agencies world over is not meant to scare people, but to instill awareness and prompt people to take proper precautions. It is still too early to assess the seriousness of the Novel H1N1 Flu.

Is the Novel H1N1 Flu a Life Threatening Disease?

CDC has assessed, after analyzing the reports of the swine flu pandemic since April, 2009, that the Novel H1N1 flu does not seem to be more dangerous than the ordinary seasonal flu. However, because it is a new virus, there are chances of more people getting infected and the mortality rates subsequently rising.

Who is the High Risk Group in Novel H1N1 Flu Pandemic?

The Novel H1N1 flu can cause serious complications in children, pregnant women and individuals with low immunity, asthmatics, diabetics, and those suffering from other debilitating chronic illnesses. These are the high risk groups in the H1N1 flu pandemic. In contrast to the seasonal influenza, the Novel H1N1 flu does not seem to be very severe in those above 60 years old. The reason being cited for this phenomenon is that those above 60 may already have attained immunity against the virus earlier in their lives.

How is the Novel H1N1 Flu Virus Spread?

The novel H1N1 flu or the swine flu spreads in the same way other seasonal flu viruses spread – when the patients cough or sneeze, the droplets carry the virus to other persons in the vicinity. You can also get infected if you touch the objects smeared with the infected materials from the patient and then inadvertently touch your mouth, nose or eyes. Shaking hands, kissing and any form of cuddling can also transfer the virus from the patients.

How Long Can the Novel H1N1 Virus Remain Viable on Surfaces and Infect People?

It has been estimated by the CDC that most influenza viruses remain viable on surfaces (where they are deposited by patients’ touch, sneeze or cough) for 2-8 hours, depending on the prevailing conditions. This is true for the H1N1 flu virus as well. Moist, wet and cool surfaces prolong the viability of the swine flu virus and increase the chances of infection.

10 Simple Yet Memorable Birthday Surprises For Him

birthday surprises for him

Men are very unpredictable in many ways,since they do not speak their minds most of the time. They are secretive, but are firm with what they want and even with what they need. Just like on their special day, a wife will find it hard to come up with birthday surprises for him which he would like. What women don’t understand about men is that they are simple and appreciate meaningful gestures. Here are some birthday surprises that your man will definitely like.

10. An Inside the Car Surprise

Let him start the day with a good mood by putting his favorite coffee on his favorite travel mug in the car. Aside from that, place a sticky note saying “Happy Birthday!!!” on his steering wheel.

9. Sports Recoil

If your man has this passion for sports, make his living room his own Skybox. Rent a huge screen and tune it to his favorite sports channel. While watching his game, serve him his favorite snacks and let him laze around the moment without being disturbed.

8. Man-nap Him

When there’s a kidnapping of children, there’s also what we call as a man-napping for adult men. If his birthday falls on a weekend, blindfold and surprise him a day full of fun. You may take your man to a place where he will enjoy such as the amusement park, sporting events or to a golf course. Never remove his blindfold until you have arrived to your destination.

7. Give Him a Man’s Night Out

You may call up his friends to have them take him for a night out. You can plan the activities for them on whatever activities they think he will enjoy like leasing a bowling alley.

6. A Fancy Gift

If you know something he dreams of having for a long time, this can be a perfect gift. Like for example, if he always wanted to be a chef, enroll him in a culinary school.

birthday surprises for him

5. A Phone Call Blast

Organize a party for him at home. While you are making the necessary preparations, have his friends call and greet him.Make sure to have his friends in your house to surprise your man.

4. The Desk Party

Ask his co-workers to decorate his desk and have his birthday cake sitting on it. The moment he arrives at his table, have everyone singing a rousing adaptation of the song “Happy Birthday”.

3. Have a Fishing Party

The fishing Party is one of the very rare birthday ideas for men. If he loves doing outdoor activities, this could be one good idea to have for his special day. Prepare some snacks, cold beer, supplies for fishing and his friends for this fisherman’s birthday.

2. Glorious Days Party

The Glorious Days Party will have your man relive his younger days especially during college. This would be fun having a bonfire, tailgates, a lot of beer, and a lot of friends.

1.  A Day for a Pampered Man

Put him early to bed on this day. What could be better to do for a tiring day than to give him a long back massage? You may give him his favorite snacks afterwards while watching his favorite movie and cuddling at the same time.

Celebrating birthdays can be done in a lot of ways but it’s the simplest things and gestures that make it special. As for the some birthday surprises for him, the ideas that we have incorporated in this list will surely make him love you more. So, go on and try any of these on his birthday. You will not only make his birthday but you will also flourish the love that he has for you.

5 Best Places To Buy Sports Tickets Online

Everything happens online these days, and the best place to buy sports tickets is on the internet. Forget about queuing up—you will be under the mercy of the weather (hot, cold, rain, snow, etc.). And don’t go to your neighborhood scalper either. That guy surely jacks up the price tenfold. When you buy sports tickets online, you do it in the comfort of your home–no long lines and no annoying sellers. Below, you can find a list of the top 5 sites where you can buy sports tickets. These online ticket sellers for sporting events are also the best place to buy concert tickets.

#5 Gotickets.com

Gotickets

Gotickets.com’s strong point is their pricing—they offer one of the most competitive pricing schemes among all the other sites. And what’s even more amazing is that they don’t charge customers a service fee. The site has all the requisites but just doesn’t pack a lot of features. For example: it doesn’t allow you to resell the tickets you purchased from them. This feature is common to most of the ticket sites. The site is not that attractive but navigation shouldn’t be a problem.

#4 Ticketnow.com

Ticketnow

This site is great when you’re a reseller. Their process of buying and reselling is very simple to understand (but look out for the high service fees). You can even subject the tickets you resell to price changes to get a better bottom line on your investments. They have a very wide selection of sporting choices so you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. The search feature of Ticketsnow is also amazing—it actually speeds up the process. The tech support is amazing because they offer live chat services.

#3 Stubhub.com

Stubhub

The greatest thing about Stubhub.com is that they offer several methods for you to get your tickets. You can have them shipped, delivered straight to your door or even print them yourself. They cover most sporting events like all the other sites. But the only drawback to Stubhub is that the site is not that user-friendly. But they make up for it by making the search function very comprehensive. In fact, the ticket resellers love Stubhub for this feature.

#2 VividSeats.com

VividSeats

Go ahead and think of the most obscure sporting event you can think of. There‘s close to 99% chance that VividSeats has tickets for those. This site almost earned the number 1 spot for this unique attribute alone. While the breadth of their offering is impressive, VividSeats suffer from just a few flaws. The biggest (but certainly not a deal-breaker) is that they don’t allow resellers to auction off their tickets.

#1 TicketMaster.com

TicketMaster

They’re not called Ticket Master for nothing. They are number 1 because they do everything better than the other sites. Their pricing schemes, while not the best, are very good. Ticket Master has amazing features and their ease of use is unmatched. For those new to buying tickets online, Ticket Master is a good site to try first. The only chink in their armor is their variable service charge. Other than that, this site is close to perfect.

These are five sites you won’t regret checking. Don’t line up on the ticket box or the scalper because the best place to buy sports tickets is online.