How hard would it be to infect the USA with the Flu?

[vampire]

My grandma was born in 1918 and she used to tell horror stories she heard as a child. And every time I had the flu, she would look at me as I wasn't gonna make it.

You Americans has too laxed an attitude towards antibiotics.  It takes around 5 months before your immune system is up to speed after an antibiotics cure. You also have the added benefit of several resistant strains in the wild. Antibiotics used in farming also has the same effect on the general population.

Since the 1970'ies Europe has been increasingly restrictive administering antibiotics from general practices. The broard spectered effective antibiotics are only used on hospitialized patients, if their prognosis is life threatening. Likewise vets are thightly controlled and if they administer antibiotics for growth purposes, they loose their license.

The difference in Europe,  is pehaps a less powerfull drug lobby. TB very seldom occur among our homeless.

Huh? Americans too lax about antibiotics? Do you understand that I can't even get antibiotics without a prescription here.

Europeans are too laxed about antibiotics, I can buy them over the counter. Specifically I meant eastern european countries that chew on antibiotics like candy. And you can buy them OTC.

But I am quiet sure that western countries like France and Italy use more antibiotics than USA.

edit: flu has no relevance to antibiotics, you need antivirals anyway

[Luno]

I was answering to a combined statement which also included TB and bacterial infections. Good to hear that US has become more carefull with antibiotics. My knowledge about you might be outdated. You are also right that not all european countries are equally thight about it. I live in Scandinavia And my GP wont perscribe anything other than the least effective, she is dead serious about it. Not that I ever nedded them, but I asked her about her opinion on it.

We have had doctors on tv stating that they are reluctant to use the effective antibiotics for terminal geriatric patients, that the choice is between saving very sick children or prolonging old peoples life another month!!

My oldest daughter, when she was 9, got a spinal pneumokok infection after an ear infection. She got 200mL of the heavy stuff for three days, and I'm forever greatfull. If she had had a resistant strain, there would'nt have been enough time to try other antibiotics..