Swine Flu News

[Planogirl]

This is a long thread so forgive me if this has already been posted. I'm wondering about the state of the flu vaccine that I've heard so much about? I don't know much really except that it is in development.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Straight out of the CDC's mouth:

http://www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/t090821.htm

Mr. Jay Butler, Director of CDC's H1N1 Vaccine Task Force: I'd like to move on to talk about vaccine for the 2009 H1N1. We're making progress in developing the plans for distribution, once the vaccine becomes available. This is what we currently know and are planning. We're expecting somewhere between 45 million and 52 million doses of vaccine to be available by mid-October.
This will be followed by weekly availability of vaccine up to about 195 million doses by the end of the year. Keep in mind, these numbers are driven by a number of variables in the manufacturing process. There are five manufacturers working, so and everybody's doing the best they can to get as much virus available -- as much vaccine available as soon as possible, and so those numbers can be subject to change. Initially, the number of vaccine doses that will be available to each state will be based on the state's population.

 

[rie'smom]

Straight out of the CDC's mouth:

http://www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/t090821.htm

Mr. Jay Butler, Director of CDC's H1N1 Vaccine Task Force: I'd like to move on to talk about vaccine for the 2009 H1N1. We're making progress in developing the plans for distribution, once the vaccine becomes available. This is what we currently know and are planning. We're expecting somewhere between 45 million and 52 million doses of vaccine to be available by mid-October.
This will be followed by weekly availability of vaccine up to about 195 million doses by the end of the year. Keep in mind, these numbers are driven by a number of variables in the manufacturing process. There are five manufacturers working, so and everybody's doing the best they can to get as much virus available -- as much vaccine available as soon as possible, and so those numbers can be subject to change. Initially, the number of vaccine doses that will be available to each state will be based on the state's population.

The President's committee expects the flu to peak by Oct. 16th. The shot will probably be too late to be much good.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Who is planning to be vaccinated?

I really think my daughter and I have already had it, and my daughter's pediatrician says it is likely we had it, but there is no way to know for sure. I will probably be vaccinated to be on the safe side (as long as no problems arise with the trials) because I have asthma. I am just waiting for my son to have it. He avoided it last week, but it is spreading like wildfire through his school. If he shows no signs of it before mid-October, I will have both kids vaccinated as well.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

My youngest son will be in the trials they are conducting for this vaccine. My oldest will have to wait for the vaccine to be available to his age group.
----
Per the same link as above-
These final recommendations include target groups for vaccination, including those which according to the epidemiology that's been observed in the United States and indeed globally, focuses on the persons at highest risk of infection and severe disease, this includes pregnant women, children, and young adults aged 6 months through 24 years, as well as persons aged 25 through 64, who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications. Two other risk groups are those who are at higher risk of exposure or transmitting the virus to those who may be at high risk such as health care workers and emergency medical service workers, and persons who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age, that is, who are too young to be vaccinated.
----

I'm not sure if they picked the final line up/order to receive them or not. I would think health care workers would be in the very first group.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

I'm not sure if they picked the final line up/order to receive them or not. I would think health care workers would be in the very first group.

I read an article not too long ago where Kathleen Sebelius said they would not be requiring a doctor's note or proof that you fit into any of the categories before getting the shot. They are recommending that these groups get the vaccine as soon as possible, but they will not keep the vaccine under lock and key. I don't remember where I read it, but it stuck in my head because I had wondered if I would need a note from my asthma doctor in order to get the shot.

As long as it stays relatively mild, I don't think they are expecting issues with this plan, and I even think they are worried that not enough people will take advantage of the vaccine, especially given the fact that only 40% of high-risk individuals get the seasonal flu vaccine (and the fact that so many people are opposed to vaccines in general).

I would think, however, that this could change if the virus becomes more deadly. In that case, there could be people fighting to get the vaccine, and the government could resort to requiring proof that you fit into these "front-of-the-line" categories.

 

[luvwinnie]

did anyone see the segment tonight on NBC news (in NY) about the 27 yr old HEALTHY NYPD officer who died of swine flu? His parents are speaking out to let people know how lethal it can be. His first sympton was chest pain...no fever! His mom, a nurse, took him to ER thinking it was cardiac. It was pulmonary. Spent the next few weeks on and off respirator and they diagnosed him during that time. So tragic.

 

[rascalmom]

My 21 year old dd was diagnosed with Type A flu on Saturday; it is running rampant on her campus. So far, her symptoms are very mild, but I am watching her like a hawk (she came home - we live just 40 minutes from her campus).

The doctor put her on a course of Tamiflu, which is supposed to help lesson symptoms/shorten the recovery time.

Right now, I am just hoping the rest of the family doesn't catch it!

 

[Terry36]

My 21 year old dd was diagnosed with Type A flu on Saturday; it is running rampant on her campus. So far, her symptoms are very mild, but I am watching her like a hawk (she came home - we live just 40 minutes from her campus).

The doctor put her on a course of Tamiflu, which is supposed to help lesson symptoms/shorten the recovery time.

Right now, I am just hoping the rest of the family doesn't catch it!

My 10 yo DD was also diagnosed with Type A today and prescribed Tamiflu. I will keep her home the remainder of the week.

 

[luvwinnie]

Hope both your daughters are better soon.

 

[luvwinnie]

If anyone wants to read about the NYPD officer
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/08/31/2009-08-31_brooklyns_finest_succumbs_to_swine_flu.html

 

[Pennykay]

We had a healthy police officer die in Michigan from it, also. Half of the force was off with it at one point. So sad.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Preliminary results from trials in China show that only one dose of the vaccine may be needed. American officials are cautiously optimistic that this could prove to be true. If only one shot is needed, people reach will reach the desired level of immunity faster, and there will be more shots available for everyone.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090902/ap_on_re_as/as_china_swine_flu_one_dose_vaccines

A little five-year-old boy died in our area on Monday. He got sick on Friday and died on Monday. I truly hope they can get this vaccine out and that it will prevent this from happening to other families.

 

[Terry36]

My 21 year old dd was diagnosed with Type A flu on Saturday; it is running rampant on her campus. So far, her symptoms are very mild, but I am watching her like a hawk (she came home - we live just 40 minutes from her campus).

The doctor put her on a course of Tamiflu, which is supposed to help lesson symptoms/shorten the recovery time.

Right now, I am just hoping the rest of the family doesn't catch it!

How is your daughter doing today? Mine just has a cough and a congestion....thank goodness.

 

[luvthatdisney]

A local high school sent home 30-40 today in our area with suspected H1N1. None of the students will be tested due to the cost of the tests. Many also have been diagnosed with other illnesses, like strep throat.

I work at a different school in the system and it is very scary. To close this school 10% of the student body has to be sick, so when it reaches 131 kids out of school due to illness they will close it.

At our school we use alot of the Lysol spray in the front office area and have hand sanitizer available in each classroom. What else can a school employee do to reduce the spread? Besides hand-washing and the other precautions given by the school system, I just feel there is more I can personally do. Any thoughts???

 

[Tinijocaro]

http://www.newfluwiki2.com/

Check out how many news items there are for the United States. It seems that just a couple weeks ago, there were much less. You can go back on the right hand side and view news from previous days only as far back as August 26, but the United Statees section has really grown just since then.

 

[luvwinnie]

Article about how it attacks the lungs
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hSjzUk4a0SoIMTOLww9vZDfTijgg

 

[Shutterbug]

Pregnant Ohio woman dies from swine flu.
The baby was delivered before she died and is doing well.

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/20709926/detail.html

 

[Pennykay]

I thought this was interesting. It talks about how swine flu is quite often misdiagnosed.



"Although many schools are reporting the massive outbreaks, others are attributing the absenteeism to other causes. Since over 50% of H1N1 infections do not produce fever, a runny nose is considered and allergy or a cold. A cough is diagnosed as bronchitis. Gastro-intestinal problems are call the "stomach flu". A sore throat is diagnosed as strep throat. Conjunctivitis or pink eye is attributed to other infections. Influenza A positive cases are called seasonal flu or "normal flu, even though over 99% of influenza A positive cases at this time are swine flu.

Thus, the true extent of the swine flu infections are grossly underestimated, but the increase in hospitalized and fatal cases in the upcoming weeks will focus attention on the true cause of the massive outbreaks in schools."

 

[sbell111]

I thought this was interesting. It talks about how swine flu is quite often misdiagnosed.



"Although many schools are reporting the massive outbreaks, others are attributing the absenteeism to other causes. Since over 50% of H1N1 infections do not produce fever, a runny nose is considered and allergy or a cold. A cough is diagnosed as bronchitis. Gastro-intestinal problems are call the "stomach flu". A sore throat is diagnosed as strep throat. Conjunctivitis or pink eye is attributed to other infections. Influenza A positive cases are called seasonal flu or "normal flu, even though over 99% of influenza A positive cases at this time are swine flu.

Thus, the true extent of the swine flu infections are grossly underestimated, but the increase in hospitalized and fatal cases in the upcoming weeks will focus attention on the true cause of the massive outbreaks in schools."

The other option is that H1N1 is overcounted in some areas because actual cases of allergies, colds, bronchitis, 'stomach flu', strep, etc are mistakenly called 'swine flu'.