appalling.

pumpkinpumpkin

Must be an interesting news day.In Manitoba, the Swine Flu is sweeping through Indian Reservations at a MUCH higher rate than other communities. I read on the news this morning that Health Canada has sent large quantities of body bags to several Northern reserves...just in case of an epidemic. It just seems wrong to me.[url]http://tinyurl.com/o474eq[/url]

FutureMrsDudley55

Whoa. Body bags? That would scare the hell outta me if I lived there.

*BeachBride0410*

Gee did anyone think of sending them the vaccine, then they wouldn't need the body bags.

tidetravel

Please tell me they are also sending vaccines.

NuggetBrain

Gee did anyone think of sending them the vaccine, then they wouldn't need the body bags. This times a billion.

J&K10910

Hmm, I hope that's not all they plan on doing to "help."

TheSaltyPeanut

Oh wow... that is wrong.

vallyhoo

That reminds me after Hurricane Katrina hit in NOLA, the Mayor ordered something like 10,000 body bags. Fortunately that number was grossly overestimated. Fortunately.

cdeshane

Gee did anyone think of sending them the vaccineI wonder if they would use them though. Depending on the beliefs of the tribe.

ac_in_dc

Yeah, they sent 6,000 body bags to NYC after 9/11.

crfische

My weird brain immediately went here:

pumpkinpumpkin

Yah, it just seems to disrespectful. Like...why not fly in a nurse with 1000s of Tamiflu shots instead...

pumpkinpumpkin

I wonder if they would use them though. Depending on the beliefs of the tribe. Yes, they would use them. I haven't heard if they're sending vaccines or not. I think the vaccines in Canada are supposed to be ready soon, and there's going to be more than enough for every Canadian to get the shot.

vicmo5

I'm pretty sure they can't send the vaccines until they're actually ready, which won't be until October.  But yeah, I'm pretty sure body bags are little extreme. 

3plus2=5

I've been reading about this for the past day or so and I was just digusted when I first heard about it.  FI has been working on reserves for the past couple of weeks and there is a huge fury right now among the natives.

raynes

H and I were discussing this last night. Face masks and body bags. Honestly, what the heck else are they going to do? The vaccine's not ready yet, so they can't send that, sending people up is useless, what are they going to do? You could send them some of the brochures on how to help keep it from spreading, but what good is that going to do? I think it's being blown out of proportion.

pumpkinpumpkin

there's been a few reserves send them back. I can see Health Canada's POV, in terms of the vaccines not being available. I guess it would prevent the health centers from running out. But still...still insensitive and disrespectful.

vicmo5

Haven't doctors already said that face masks are going to be useless in preventing H1N1?

raynes

I'm just curious as to what the people on the reserves would expect as an alternative? If it was a more localized issue, then by all means, send in the big guns, but this is everywhere.

pumpkinpumpkin

Yep, I'm pretty sure I heard that too.

tidetravel

Education is probably more important than body bags at this point.  I don't think it's being blown out of proportion at all.  It's basically saying, "well, since ya'll are gonna die anyway..." 

Nebb

The treatment theyre (native canadians living on reserves such as that) are getting with this swine flu is rediculous. I recall a while back the government wouldnt or didnt send hand sanitizer becaues they assumed it would get drank (drunk) instead of used correctly.

pumpkinpumpkin

I know exactly what you mean, Raynes. The thing is, I've been watching it on the news for weeks that these reserves are calling for answers on why they're so much more likely to obtain the flu. Health officials are working on it. I know they're also calling (publicly, through medias, etc) for something to be done to prevent it from spreading quicker in these First Nations communities. But there's nothing that can be done. They expect the impossible, on a lot of things. It is insensitive though. Extra body bags should have been sent to non-reserve communities, too.

tidetravel

The leaders of the tribes stated what they want to do:He adds Long Plain is preparing for a flu outbreak by holding educational sessions with community members and establishing information kits for distribution.  Meeches says they're also putting together the logistics for vaccinating their people en masse, and while no dates or location has been confirmed they have asked their staff to donate some time and take direction from medical personnel. 

raynes

tide, I reread my post and gave it a bit more thought and that comment (the one I made) was unnecessary. [url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090918/body_bags_090918/20090918?hub=TopStories]Here's an article[/url]from CTV with a little more info. Side note, my cousin works for the minister of Aboriginal affairs in Ottawa. I'm guessing he's busy right about now...

vicmo5

I agree that education is going to be key in preventing the spread of H1N1, but it's hard to say what will happen in such closed off communities.  Not just Indian reservations, secluded communities like the Amish, etc. as well.

pumpkinpumpkin

I recall a while back the government wouldnt or didnt send hand sanitizer becaues they assumed it would get drank (drunk)I don't remember hearing this...but I can see why this would be believed. There's a reason they can't get mouthwash and Lysol...and they've been known to pay up to $400 for a mickey of whiskey. At THIS point though, they shouldn't be denied the hand sanitizer and other things...denying them of those preventive items is just ridiculous at this point.

ac_in_dc

It's probably something genetic, right? I mean, native americans didn't co-evolve with pigs the same way that europeans and asians did, and so probably haven't developed the same kind of resistance to swine-related infections, genetically speaking. I don't know the history of pigs in africa, but either way many african americans have a good bit of european ancestry, plus all of the continents on the eastern hemisphere except australia have a much longer history of genetic mixing, trade, etc.

raynes

The CTV article said that the shipment was hand sanitizer, facemasks and body bags. Also that the body bags were more of a restocking thing to the communities that were hardest hit last spring.

NuggetBrain

Wait, they have reservations in Canada where people aren't allowed to have mouthwash?

vicmo5

AC, the swine flu isn't so much the swine flu as it is a mixture of avian flu, swine flu, etc.  Nobody has immunity from it, which is why it's so serious.