LiveBlog of CDC SwineFlu Webcast

I'm currently following the outbreak of Swine Flu related twits (twats?) & stories pouring over the net. It looks like most of the US has put aside pirates and Pakistan for pigs and the diseases they carry.

A disease that is an unholy chimera of pig, bird, and human virus parts!

CDC webcast @ 2:30 about swine flu (audio only) http://tinyurl.com/cudt9m - smooth jazz hold music now playing


I'm waiting for the CDC webcast to begin (smooth jazz & classical music is the hold music).

Maybe I'll try liveblogging it!

Sorry, I'm geeking out over this horrible, possibly big pandemic (status pending per WHO) but this is the first time I've been jacked-in when a big event is breaking.

2:34 - "conference will begin momentarily" - over Tears in Heaven

2:40 - still waiting. No worries, it's not like the fear of a pandemic flu outbreak is scaring the crap of out of people.

2:43 - Richard Besser, M.D., Acting Director, CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Tom Harkin Global Communications Center (Building 19), Press Room

So I wonder what would happen if I call in to the "media only" line? Do they authenticate my credentials prior to letting me press "1" to ask a question?

888-795-0855 MEDIA ONLY
866-556-1092 NON MEDIA
210-234-0118 INTERNATIONAL
Passcode CDC Media

2:47 - It begins!

2:48 - "public concerned" - you should see the twitterverse updates about it!

2:50 - local approaches? In one area a man shot a gun in the air over infected patient- that didn't seem to help. In another, a girl was given Tamiflu - that seemed to help.

Total # of confirmed US cases - 8

2:51 New swine flu lets whole family of the infected join in the fun of solving the puzzle by being guinea pigs

2:53 - CDC initial way of dealing with the new virus: Cover hands when you cough, wash your hands - continue to travel to Mexico.

Questions in the Room:

Growing more concerned, why?
Lots of people dying in Mexico.

Lauri Daniel ABC news: Travel to Mexico restricted? No, Lauri (check spelling of her name later) he already said you could still travel, but wash hands.

To the phones!

"Been looking @ one part of virus - it's similar, but whole genome hasn't been done" between Mexico & Cali samples

Pandemic threat level: No change at this time. WHO will let you know when to panic.

David - Washington Post: Can you give us some sense about # of cases/deaths in Mexico? 60/100?

A: Call Mexican Gov & WHO. Continue to speculate & makeup #'s as necessary to keep ratings up.

WXI ATL: paraphrase - do we know how people got sick?
A: Don't know yet. But stop the buggery just to be safe.

The room seems confused or not interested in asking questions compared to phone lines.

Comment from my peanut gallery: "It was our plan for border control all along. Send infected swine."

News Flash: CDC States common behavior for San Diego-ites to travel to/from Mexico.

WebMD Q: What might we see happen that would get CDC to up threat level?
A: There's a plan in place to deal with pandemic (had it for years). See: "pandemic flu planning" on CDC site. WHO not calling it pandemic officially yet.


When can we get a computer generated simulation showing the virus spreading over the US and the world Outbreak style?

Maggie Fox - Reuters - Are CDC in Mexico? Containing the virus?
We are not in Mexico yet, (lack of use of "magic word" being used cited as main reason).

Canada is helping with this!? Bilateral cooperation? This is why Science is wrong.

Pick your favorite Outbreak quote to apply to the situation: http://tinyurl.com/ch2w9b

Two more questions left!

1 - Did someone screw a pig?
2 - travel screening?

CDC out.

How'd I do on my first liveblog? Please wash your hands before commenting.