Swine Flu - Pandemic?

[heyang]

As far as I've heard, just about every person who has gotten H1N1 was either in Mexico or came into contact with someone who had been there recently. The largest cluster is linked to a group of students in Queens who were in Mexico for spring break. Most of their relatives have not even gotten sick.

LOL - we've been blaming one of our co-workers for every sneeze and sniffle. He was in Cancun on vacation. It's not him - he's been back to work for 2 weeks and hasn't sneezed/coughed in front of any of us. If anything, everyone else is sneezing due to seasonal allergies right now.

However, I plan to get a flu shot for the 1st time this year. As with the 1918 pandemic, the virus returned during the winter flu season and caught people unawares because they thought it had passed. The current weather in the Northern Hemisphere might be playing a role in preventing it's spread - for some reason, flu viruses are more prevalent during the winter months.

 

[skatingbc]

As far as I've heard, just about every person who has gotten H1N1 was either in Mexico or came into contact with someone who had been there recently. The largest cluster is linked to a group of students in Queens who were in Mexico for spring break. Most of their relatives have not even gotten sick.

The flu is starting to spread around thos who haven't gone to Mexico. In BC, there are 3 cases of it being spread. I think there will probably be more and more cases of it spreading.

 

[Ladskater]

2010 Vancouver Olympics May Be In Jeopardy.."

If the new "Swine" Flu or whatever it is called now becomes pandemic it may have a negative impact on the 2010 Games here in Vancouver. The media has already stated that people will stay away from attending the games if the flu breaks out again in the Fall leading up to the 2010 Games. It's going to be bad enough for the games with the economy the way it is. I have a feeling our Olympics are doomed after all....

 

[gocaroline]

I heard that you can take Tamiflu ahead of time to try to prevent getting the flu. If this is getting worse, I think I may do that.

 

[MissCleo]

Good luck getting some Tamiflu. The hospital where I work has recently made a policy in which Tamiflu is placed under restricted use. Only cases that has been confirmed by the infectious disease physician and director of pharmacy are allowed to use Tamiflu.

 

[heyang]

I heard that you can take Tamiflu ahead of time to try to prevent getting the flu. If this is getting worse, I think I may do that.

You really don't want to take antibiotics unless you're sick. You run the risk of it not being effective when you really need it - superviruses, etc.

 

[Tonichelle]

OMG! Toni! You're actually supporting the admittedly very liberal NPR?! What's this world coming to!

Seriously, I'd have liked NPR to be a bit less liberal, or to have another news source that would be as good at reporting news but with a slight conservative slant. Can't have everything though...

yes they are liberal and what not, but their style of reporting the NEWS vs OPINION is actually easier for me to handle... with the television networks they are almost winking at one another when they pretend to report "news"

NPR is less sensationalism as well.

actually I hate news reports period... if it weren't for the fact that we need to know what's going on...

 

[gocaroline]

the first global flu epidemic in 41 years:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/un_un_swine_flu

 

[decker]

You really don't want to take antibiotics unless you're sick. You run the risk of it not being effective when you really need it - superviruses, etc.

You are absolutely correct that we shouldn't do anything to encourage more rapid development of resistant flu strains, which misuse of Tamiflu could cause. But the flu is a viral infection, not bacterial. So Tamiflu is an antiviral medication, not an antibiotic.

FWIW, I think we can never have too many PSAs about hand washing, coughing into your sleeve instead of your hand, and such. I'm in health behavior, but it's all public health.

I never cease to be disgusted by the number of otherwise seemingly intelligent people who don't do Hygiene 101 (and just good manners). I have seen people leave the restroom without washing hands even at the local health department and in our school of public health! I mean people wearing ID badges, not just the general public.

Susan

 

[Tonichelle]

we've had a few cases here in Alaska... first one that has caused people to sit up and take notice was reported last night... someone who has not travelled outside is sick.. meaning someone brought it in... dun dun dun!

 

[heyang]

Novartis just announced that they've developed a vaccine for swine flu. It's going into clinical testing and they anticipate having it available in the fall, which is about the right time for the 'real' flu season for the Northern Hemisphere.

 

[tricia90]

I hope that's true! I have a girl starting college in the fall and I cannot imagine a better place for any infectious virus to spread than a dorm. Scary!!

 

[heyang]

Actually, the dorms aren't as bad as preschool and elementary schools. College students are old enough to understand how viruses and bacteria are spread.

I've never gotten a flu shot and I did get it this past year. Since I am getting on a plane just before Thanksgiving (going to Vegas to help celebrate my older friend's 50th), I plan to get the flu shot this year since the confined space and just general air travel makes people more susceptible.

While swine flu is dangerous, it really hasn't proven itself to be more lethal than other flus.

 

[Tonichelle]

agreed on all counts, heyang!

that being said I'm still not convinced the flu vaccine works and my dad is a med tech and swears by them. but since he's had to get one every year he's gotten teh flu... and he used to NEVER get sick. granted he works with sick people every day, and that makes him more likely to get something, but I'm not convinced the flu would be any WORSE for him if he didn't get the shot.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

This is soooo overhyped.

I haven't taken any kind of vaccine in maybe 30 years. If you read the ingredients, you will not take the vaccine. Keep a good immune system and you will never have to worry about germs or viruses. Btw, vaccine's do make the pharmaceuticals lots of money. Hence the overhype.

 

[Grgranny]

If you are on medicare, you pay nothing.

 

[seniorita]

yes but there are so many who run and buy tamiflu and whatever else in dozens..
If you read the actual details , the deaths of this flu are mostly too elderly people and sensitive cases. When a young person died they found it was also something else the problem.
Normal deaths of flu in a year reach 36.000 and nobody really get anxious.
Too much fuss to terror people.

 

[heyang]

The big deal about this flu is how quickly it's spread [even where it is not flu season] and that it's a new variant. It's still going on - it's just not being talked about as much by the media right now.

Flu vaccines are always hit or miss - they are guessing what strains may hit. I don't know how often they have been correct. Even if you still get the flu after having the vaccine, it's supposedly not as bad as compared to not being vaccinated.

I know I've gotten the flu the last couple of years - never got the vaccine shots. The last 2 years were probably the worst because the 'off' feelings lasted longer even though the major symptoms were over in 3 days or less.

If I wasn't getting on a plane during the beginning of flu season and right before the holidays, I'd probably risk not getting a shot.

It will be interesting to see if this flu repeats the pattern of the 1918(?) pandemic. There was a brief outbreak and everyone thought it was 'gone', but it returned with a vengeance during the official flu season.

 

[icedancingnut31]

I am just so sick of people worrying about the swine flu. Yes its bad but most people who get it don't die. The people who did die either came from developing countries with a weak healthcare system which did not have the resources to treat them, already had a weakened immune system from something else, or were young children or elderly people who are more susceptible to dangerous illnesses than most people. I went to a doctor and a nurse said the Swine flu was nothing to worry about. I go to a division 1 university with over 40,000 students and the administration is sending us constant updates about it which scares people more than informs them. I also don't see that many people wearing face masks but if I see one I try to stay away from them and sanitize my hands.

But people if you are really worried that you have the swine flu just go to this website and you will find out :http://doihaveswineflu.org/

I hope that's true! I have a girl starting college in the fall and I cannot imagine a better place for any infectious virus to spread than a dorm. Scary!!

I lived in a dorm when this hype started and no one I know who lived there got sick. Don't worry.