CDC Estimates that H1N1 Will be a Catagory 2 Pandemic

[Minnie_me]

Thankfully it is a "mild" flu in that it still feels like you were hit with a truck, but that the complications are not severe for most people. Here are some warning signs to look out for though:

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Also, it seems like they are sick, get better and then have relapse, so keep an eye on her even after she feels better so she doesn't over do it.


Hope she feels better and nobody else gets it. There is a very good chance that you all WON'T get it too.

Thank you VERY MUCH for this!!! I always like to know what to watch for. So far, she just seems sick. Nothing out of the ordinary. But she's still going to sleep with me. I don't care if I get it........I want to keep an eye on her.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

That's what we moms do. What we wouldn't give if we could just take the hurt all away.


Oh, and those signs came from the CDC, just so nobody thinks I made it up. It is also on my state's heath care site.

 

[Tinijocaro]

My 8-year old DD has it right now. Took her to the dr this morning. She felt so poorly last night that I let her sleep in my bed. The dr laughed when I told him that and said, "I can't say much for your chances right now!" He said that my other DD and I will probably have it by the end of the week. Told us to rest, drink plenty of fluids and take Advil for pain/fever if needed.

I'm not too upset by this. I'm actually really relieved that it happened now rather than last week, when I was finishing up the end of the school year and had report cards, graduation, etc. hanging over my head. We have nothing planned right now, except to ride this flu out and then start our summer vacation.

DS had it 3 weeks ago, our house is tiny with 6 of us living here. DS #2 got it 3 weeks later, not sure if from him or from someone at school. I'm amazed that we didn't all get it.

 

[sissybells]

Ok I am officially freaking out. I am really starting to get nervous about this and I was just wanting to ask a few questions and get some opinions. First I am 6 and a half months pregnant so I am high risk. I have a 2 and a half year old DD. She is going to be starting a little 2 day a week preschool in Sept. and that is when I am due to give birth. Should I just keep her out until the baby is born or should I think about not having her go at all this year? After I have the baby should I tell anyone that does not get vaccinated that they absolutely cannot come ove to see the baby? I guess I am just needing a little advice from people who don't think it's a crazy thing to ask. Thank you.

 

[C.Ann]

Ok I am officially freaking out. I am really starting to get nervous about this and I was just wanting to ask a few questions and get some opinions. First I am 6 and a half months pregnant so I am high risk. I have a 2 and a half year old DD. She is going to be starting a little 2 day a week preschool in Sept. and that is when I am due to give birth. Should I just keep her out until the baby is born or should I think about not having her go at all this year? After I have the baby should I tell anyone that does not get vaccinated that they absolutely cannot come ove to see the baby? I guess I am just needing a little advice from people who don't think it's a crazy thing to ask. Thank you.

I think those are the types of questions you should ask your doctor - and the sooner the better.. Since this flu does not seem to be dying out as quickly as they had hoped it would, those are answers that you need now and the most accurate ones will come from your own physician..

Good luck - and try not to worry too much.. (I know - easier said than done..)

 

[Tinijocaro]

Ok I am officially freaking out. I am really starting to get nervous about this and I was just wanting to ask a few questions and get some opinions. First I am 6 and a half months pregnant so I am high risk. I have a 2 and a half year old DD. She is going to be starting a little 2 day a week preschool in Sept. and that is when I am due to give birth. Should I just keep her out until the baby is born or should I think about not having her go at all this year? After I have the baby should I tell anyone that does not get vaccinated that they absolutely cannot come ove to see the baby? I guess I am just needing a little advice from people who don't think it's a crazy thing to ask. Thank you.

Here's my opinion. I read that women in their 3rd trimester in the fall at at a very high risk. What harm would come by keeping your daughter home until after you deliver? She won't "fall behind" in any way-it's preschool. I would do my best to start stocking up on food so that during September, you don't have to put yourself at risk and go to grocery stores. Once the baby is born, yes, you can still get swine flu but it doesn't seem to be nearly as severe if you aren't pregnant.

As far as what to do with visitors after the baby is born-not sure what to tell you. I personally would not let anyone handle the baby until this all blows over. I know plenty of people who ask guests to wear a facemaks even when we are not in a pandemic. I would think it would be understandable if you asked the same of friends and family who wanted to visit-even though masks are not proven to prevent the spread of flus. Tough spot to be in.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Our bodies change when we are pregnant. We don't think about it, but we are HIGH risk for all flu virus infections. Something about our immunity changes so our bodies don't attack our baby that opens it up for infections. We don't feel like we are compromised, but we are. Pregnancy is right up there with asthma and autoimmune disorders.

Please consult your doctors. Both of them, baby and family. Unfortunately not every doctor is up on the latest, so you may need to research on the CDC website yourself and bring the information to them.

You do what you need to keep yourself and your babies safe. Get the facts so you are not stressing yourself with worries of unknowns.

If you are able to shelter-in-place, doing so would be considered prudent. That simply means minimizing your exposure to other people. Shopping at odd hours, staying away from crowded indoor areas. For some SIP means staying home for long durations. I think modifying the SIP so it works for your family is the best thing. I don't see the harm in keeping your daughter home with you until the spring. It is only preschool.



Don't freak out. Get educated.
Prayers and Pixie Dust for you.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

Does anyone know if you catch H1N1 now, if you would have an immunity to it in the fall? I would almost rather have it now if that's the case, kwim? While it's relatively mild flu.

Do we know that there will be a vaccine in the fall for this, and will there be enough? No one in my home would be considered high risk, unless kids under 8 count.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

You will IF it is the same virus. The thing with virus is that it constantly mutates. Flu and common cold mutate. That is why you keep catching a cold and why the vaccine has to be made new every year. The flu you had last year may not be the flu you get this year. The flu shot you got last year may not help at all this year. Course the shot you get this year may not help at all either. I think it was the 2007-2008 flu shot that ended up with a 40% coverage instead of the 70-80% that they hope when they pick which flu strains to make the shots for.

The Type A H1N1 Novel, formally known as swine flu, is travelling all over the world. The one that circulates this fall may be the same one from this summer OR it may be a mutated one that arrives by airplane from another part of the world. Mutated just means that parts of it swap out for other parts. It doesn't always mean that it will become more contagious or more deadly. There is no way to know what will happen in the fall. It may change itself enough that your body won't recognize it and you will go through the whole gamut of sickness again.

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/vaccine/allocationguidance.pdf

It really upsets me that the CDC has it on their website and yet is not making common knowledge. There is tier system of who gets the shots. Government officials get it first. Doctors/healthcare works, police, firemen, correction officers, high risk people and then the common person.

There will NOT be enough vaccine for me this fall. I am not high risk. I am not a healthcare worker and I am not in the government. I realize this. I accept this. They can only make so much vaccine at one time. Even adding the adjuvant [which not approved by the FDA yet] to stretch the supply, there is just no way to make enough for everyone this fall.

Again, look for yourself. The information is out there.


So after all that, it is your call. Getting it now is no guarantee you will have immunity to a fall virus. It is a moderate virus - per the new WHO and CDC definitions. There is no crystal ball to say a fall virus will be severe.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Does anyone know if you catch H1N1 now, if you would have an immunity to it in the fall? I would almost rather have it now if that's the case, kwim? While it's relatively mild flu.

Do we know that there will be a vaccine in the fall for this, and will there be enough? No one in my home would be considered high risk, unless kids under 8 count.

All we know is in 1918, people who got it in the first wave had 70% immunity during subsequent waves. If the virus mutates too far from the original, then maybe no immunity, but everyone is just guessing-even the experts. No one knows. I've heard f people having swine flu parties to try to get it during this so called mild wave. You take a risk with that because there are some really sudden, deaths occuring in young age groups. Not an alarming number, but it's a risk I won't take. I too would rather get it now in hopes that I would have some protection later.

Keep an eye on Argentina- some strange things are happening there right now. Here's a link to a site that lists very current happenings concerning the swine flu. Scroll down to read about Argentina.

http://trancy.net/

We've had two deaths of children here in Buffalo in the past week-the mom of the latest one said that both children were perfectly healthy, while some news reports mention pre-existing conditions. Who's lying is what I want to know. We also have another child in critical condition in the same hospital.

 

[sbell111]

... It really upsets me that the CDC has it on their website and yet is not making common knowledge.

That statement seems contradictory, to me.

... There is tier system of who gets the shots. Government officials get it first. Doctors/healthcare works, police, firemen, correction officers, high risk people and then the common person.

There will NOT be enough vaccine for me this fall. I am not high risk. I am not a healthcare worker and I am not in the government. I realize this. I accept this. They can only make so much vaccine at one time. Even adding the adjuvant [which not approved by the FDA yet] to stretch the supply, there is just no way to make enough for everyone this fall. ...

The 'tier' system seems logical. I can't think of a way to make it better. (Of course, I'm in the first tier.)

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexWyattMommy
... It really upsets me that the CDC has it on their website and yet is not making common knowledge.

That statement seems contradictory, to me.The 'tier' system seems logical. I can't think of a way to make it better. (Of course, I'm in the first tier.)

It's there, but the NEVER mention it when they talk about having a vaccine ready for the fall.

Honestly, I think the tiers are set up okay. I would put doctors over governors, but other than that, I think it is how it should be. Healthcare workers, safety worker they are necessary.

My beef is that they are leading us common folks to think that WE are getting the vaccine this fall. We aren't. And again, I am okay with that. I just want everyone to know that they need to take precautions to keep themselves away from the virus or have a plan to take care of the sick folks in their house, not rely on the government to take care of us.

 

[JoyG]

We've had two deaths of children here in Buffalo in the past week-the mom of the latest one said that both children were perfectly healthy, while some news reports mention pre-existing conditions. Who's lying is what I want to know. We also have another child in critical condition in the same hospital.

I posted this on this thread already, but the last week of school in Buffalo was downright scary! 5 of my 24 students caught the flu (that I know of) and I'm sure many more were infected.

I can't believe how fast it swept through my classroom. No one was sick then a week and a half later it seemed like everyone had it. I'm very concerned about the start of summer school and then the new year in September. Parents of students in my class were sending their sick kids to school b/c they couldn't afford to take off to watch them at home, or b/c they didn't want them to ruin their perfect attendance or b/c they wanted them to clean out their desks on the last day.

I saw the list of priority in receiving the flu shot and I'm wondering why teachers wouldn't be included in round one. Firemen come in contact with more sick people than teachers?

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

We've had two deaths of children here in Buffalo in the past week-the mom of the latest one said that both children were perfectly healthy, while some news reports mention pre-existing conditions. Who's lying is what I want to know. We also have another child in critical condition in the same hospital.

Over 1/4 of the deaths have no reported "underly conditions".

I wish I knew the voices of authority are push the pre-existing conditions for causing the deaths and yet aren't letting us know what those conditions are. How can we protect ourselves or loved ones or know to rush them to the hospital at the first sign of infection if they have those conditions if we don't know what the conditions are?

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

I posted this on this thread already, but the last week of school in Buffalo was downright scary! 5 of my 24 students caught the flu (that I know of) and I'm sure many more were infected.

I can't believe how fast it swept through my classroom. No one was sick then a week and a half later it seemed like everyone had it. I'm very concerned about the start of summer school and then the new year in September. Parents of students in my class were sending their sick kids to school b/c they couldn't afford to take off to watch them at home, or b/c they didn't want them to ruin their perfect attendance or b/c they wanted them to clean out their desks on the last day.

I saw the list of priority in receiving the flu shot and I'm wondering why teachers wouldn't be included in round one. Firemen come in contact with more sick people than teachers?

Here is the website to our nations pandemic plans.
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/federal/index.html

They started this 2005 and I guess it is still a work in progress because they didn't do half the things they thought they should back then.

One of them was to close the schools - anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks. If they closed the schools, then teachers wouldn't need the vaccine.

I re-read the transcript from the last CDC update.
http://www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/t090626.htm
It looks like they are going to revisit the distribution of the vaccine.
Although we haven't made decisions about actual vaccination and who will be vaccinated should a safe and effective vaccine be developed and available, it's very important for states and communities to begin intensifying their efforts on planning to administer a vaccine should such be necessary in the fall. So, we want to do what we can to help states and local health departments and the partners within their communities move forward in that planning. We want states and communities to be ready to offer and administer the vaccine should one become available against this novel H1N1 virus and to help with that, we expect to be providing specific planning scenarios to states and communities that they can use in trying to understand which populations they'll need to be reaching. While the CDC and our partners have not finalized those planning scenarios, based on what we're currently seeing with respect to the virus and the epidemiology, we want states and communities and health care providers to be thinking about how they would be able to vaccinate younger people, pregnant women, people who have underlying health conditions like diabetes and answer ma that put them at higher risk from severe complications from this new influenza virus so the idea that this virus has been greatly affecting young people including school children, pregnant women, babies, and adults, particularly younger adults with those underlying conditions, those are the kind of populations that the state, local and health care providers can really begin thinking about. That action doesn't mean we've finalized any vaccine recommendations. Of course, we'll be looking to the advice of the advisory committee on immunization practices and other stake holders as well as the public as we move forward in our plan, but it's very important for planning to go on and to move forward expeditiously because if we do need to vaccinate, we'll need to have good plans in place.

 

[sbell111]

Honestly, I think the tiers are set up okay. I would put doctors over governors, but other than that, I think it is how it should be. Healthcare workers, safety worker they are necessary.

My beef is that they are leading us common folks to think that WE are getting the vaccine this fall. We aren't. And again, I am okay with that. I just want everyone to know that they need to take precautions to keep themselves away from the virus or have a plan to take care of the sick folks in their house, not rely on the government to take care of us.

You have to realize that many, many people are going to choose not to get the vaccine. In all my years, the only time I every got the flu vaccine was when I was in the Marines and didn't have a choice. I wouldn't get it this year, but my wife is pregnant.

I saw the list of priority in receiving the flu shot and I'm wondering why teachers wouldn't be included in round one. Firemen come in contact with more sick people than teachers?

If students and teachers get sick, you close the schools. If firemen get sick, people die.

 

[JoyG]

One of them was to close the schools - anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks. If they closed the schools, then teachers wouldn't need the vaccine.

I have to wonder why our superintendant did not close our city schools the last week, esp. after the first Buffalo student died. I have a hard time trusting that he'll make the best decision for my health...or that of my kids.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

You have to realize that many, many people are going to choose not to get the vaccine. In all my years, the only time I every got the flu vaccine was when I was in the Marines and didn't have a choice. I wouldn't get it this year, but my wife is pregnant.If students and teachers get sick, you close the schools. If firemen get sick, people die.

My husband doesn't get the flu shot either. Gets the flu every year too. Lucky me with nursing duties. But he did both times when I was pregnant. For you for keeping your wife and new child safe.



JoyG - I think it is a Department of Health issue. They make the call about if the schools can close. Not the Department of Education. And when the CDC didn't recommend school closures, the DOHs followed those instructions.