Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009081947169
People largely ignorant about swine flu and its precautions
By Jassim Alghamdi and Mohammad Al-Foqani
JEDDAH ? As the number of swine flu cases and deaths increase in the Kingdom, Ministry of Health officials continue to provide the public with information about the cause of the disease and what can be done to prevent it. Despite this awareness campaign, Saudi Gazette has found in interviews with members of the public that there exists a wide variety of opinions much of it without any factual basis and some of it very far from the truth.
Mohammed Al-Khirish, a Saudi private school teacher, knows little about swine flu except that King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has promised to pay for the treatment of the disease.
?I think that there have been 49 deaths because of this dangerous virus,? said Al-Khirish, ?but luckily King Abdullah is going to provide the vaccines soon,? he added.
Khalid Al-Shihri, an employee at King Abdulaziz University, thinks that the H1N1 virus is especially dangerous to overweight people and women.
?I know absolutely nothing about the disease except that it easily affects woman and those who are obese,? said Al-Shihri.
Al-Shihri showed no interest in following up the number of infected cases or deaths locally.
Mahmoud Izaz, an English literature graduate from KAU, seemed more educated about the disease when he said that one should wash one?s hands many times a day and avoid being in crowded places. ?The disease came from the West where they breed pigs,? said Izaz, ?but I think it is less dangerous than bird flu.?
However, Mosa Madani, an educational advisor in a private school in Jeddah, confidently told Saudi Gazette that the H1N1 virus thrives on acidic environment, and thus people should ingest more alkalis, like sodium carbonate, which, he said can be found in pharmacies.
It turns out that Madani?s advice has been widely discussed in Arabic Internet forums and websites even though no scientific references or sources have ever been cited.
Dr. Tarek Ahmed Madani, Professor of Internal and Infectious Disease and Chairman of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Department at KAU, said ?what is posted on websites regarding the H1N1 virus thriving in an acidic environment is not based on scientific fact. There is nothing in medical research literature to support this view, and it is simply not true?.
Abdulrahim Safar, a Passports Department official at King Abdul Aziz International Airport, seemed certain how the disease entered the Kingdom. ?I think it?s like any other kind of flu, it came from Western countries through airports,? he said, adding, ?I know that there has been just one death.?
Ahmad Ali, a university student, thinks that this pandemic came from some Asian countries brought to the Kingdom by housemaids and nurses.
Salih Assiri, a Saudi school teacher, said, ?Despite the publicity, I know that there are some cases that cannot be cured. I believe it is a punishment from God. But if one says his prayers, no illness shall come to him. I think that there can be some precautions taken to avoid the infection, such as, wearing masks in crowded areas, like hospitals and airports. However, a good Muslim should have faith in God?s mercy.?
Mohammad Sa?ad, an employee in Jeddah?s city hall, said, ?I know that there have been some people that have been hospitalized, but they got well within a week. I know that there have also been a few deaths, but I don?t know exactly how many.?
? SG
People largely ignorant about swine flu and its precautions
By Jassim Alghamdi and Mohammad Al-Foqani
JEDDAH ? As the number of swine flu cases and deaths increase in the Kingdom, Ministry of Health officials continue to provide the public with information about the cause of the disease and what can be done to prevent it. Despite this awareness campaign, Saudi Gazette has found in interviews with members of the public that there exists a wide variety of opinions much of it without any factual basis and some of it very far from the truth.
Mohammed Al-Khirish, a Saudi private school teacher, knows little about swine flu except that King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has promised to pay for the treatment of the disease.
?I think that there have been 49 deaths because of this dangerous virus,? said Al-Khirish, ?but luckily King Abdullah is going to provide the vaccines soon,? he added.
Khalid Al-Shihri, an employee at King Abdulaziz University, thinks that the H1N1 virus is especially dangerous to overweight people and women.
?I know absolutely nothing about the disease except that it easily affects woman and those who are obese,? said Al-Shihri.
Al-Shihri showed no interest in following up the number of infected cases or deaths locally.
Mahmoud Izaz, an English literature graduate from KAU, seemed more educated about the disease when he said that one should wash one?s hands many times a day and avoid being in crowded places. ?The disease came from the West where they breed pigs,? said Izaz, ?but I think it is less dangerous than bird flu.?
However, Mosa Madani, an educational advisor in a private school in Jeddah, confidently told Saudi Gazette that the H1N1 virus thrives on acidic environment, and thus people should ingest more alkalis, like sodium carbonate, which, he said can be found in pharmacies.
It turns out that Madani?s advice has been widely discussed in Arabic Internet forums and websites even though no scientific references or sources have ever been cited.
Dr. Tarek Ahmed Madani, Professor of Internal and Infectious Disease and Chairman of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Department at KAU, said ?what is posted on websites regarding the H1N1 virus thriving in an acidic environment is not based on scientific fact. There is nothing in medical research literature to support this view, and it is simply not true?.
Abdulrahim Safar, a Passports Department official at King Abdul Aziz International Airport, seemed certain how the disease entered the Kingdom. ?I think it?s like any other kind of flu, it came from Western countries through airports,? he said, adding, ?I know that there has been just one death.?
Ahmad Ali, a university student, thinks that this pandemic came from some Asian countries brought to the Kingdom by housemaids and nurses.
Salih Assiri, a Saudi school teacher, said, ?Despite the publicity, I know that there are some cases that cannot be cured. I believe it is a punishment from God. But if one says his prayers, no illness shall come to him. I think that there can be some precautions taken to avoid the infection, such as, wearing masks in crowded areas, like hospitals and airports. However, a good Muslim should have faith in God?s mercy.?
Mohammad Sa?ad, an employee in Jeddah?s city hall, said, ?I know that there have been some people that have been hospitalized, but they got well within a week. I know that there have also been a few deaths, but I don?t know exactly how many.?
? SG