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From: meyer@waltz.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Herpes Mania
Message-ID: <37100001@waltz.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 15-Jan-85 11:19:00 EST
Article-I.D.: waltz.37100001
Posted: Tue Jan 15 11:19:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 18-Jan-85 02:33:31 EST
Lines: 37
Nf-ID: #N:waltz:37100001:000:1892
Nf-From: waltz!meyer    Jan 15 10:19:00 1985

I have to say that this whole hype on "HERPES 1" is sadly out of hand.  If
you saw Night Line last night (Monday 1/14) where they talked about this 
very issue, Dr. Tim Johnson indicated that HERPES 1 is nothing more than
what we all know as the virus that causes "cold sores".  The more important
point is that 60% to 80% of the entire population carries this virus in
their saliva, and only a very few of these people will react on occation
with the unsightly cold sore on their lips.  Thus, it is more likely that
an individual will catch the "dreaded" disease from someone other than a
person that happens to break out occationally with the sore.  Another
point was that this virus doesn't float around in the air -- you can't
get it by just being in the room.

As to the idea of putting this kiddo through all these precausions is
absolutely crazy!  Since most of the other kids have the same virus
already anyway (from other sources -- maybe even mom and dad!), they
also should be placed under the same testing and take similar precausions
if they carry the virus.  Not quite so nice, huh.

Now, I agree that common sense should prevail.  If the kiddo (who does
have an extreme case) has blisters all over his hands, he should stay 
home to get that cleared up.  I don't think that I would want anybody
with any type of infection to smear it all over me.  But on the other
hand, there is no reason to flip out either.  

To put this kiddo through the ringer as an outcast is a tragedy and I
hope that the information provide by Night Line has put the minds
of most people to rest about the issue.

I guess I should be thwarted from society too -- I occational break
out in a cold sore about once a year.  Not fun, but I hate getting
a cold worse.

Dane Meyer
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