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| Swine Flu Information; Topic started May 2009- Community Information | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 30 2009, 10:37 AM (3,973 Views) | |
| Vanna White | Nov 6 2009, 07:55 PM Post #81 |
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Mom talks about toddler's swine flu death Topics Swine Flu Associated Press 7:29 a.m. CST, November 5, 2009 E-mail Print Share Text Size LA CROSSE, Wis. - A Cashton mother says there were no warning signs before her 21-month-old daughter died after contracting the swine flu. Her mother, Debra Komperud, says they attended a wedding in Wausau the day before her daughter, Aberianna Dunnam, died. That was about three weeks ago. Komperud says Aberianna was happy and energetic at the reception and fell asleep on the way home. The next morning when she went to wake her daughter, she was cold, blue and breathing heavily. The toddler was medflighted from Cashton to La Crosse. First responders did CPR several times, but Aberianna's body couldn't fight any longer. Komperud says the medical examiner called several days later and told her Aberianna had H1N1 flu. Aberianna's parents are still waiting for the complete autopsy results to see if there was an unknown health condition that contributed to the child's death. ------ Information from: WKBT-TV, http://www.wkbt.com |
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| Vanna White | Nov 6 2009, 07:59 PM Post #82 |
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Toronto (ECN) - Toronto Public Health confirmed the death of a 12-year-old boy was do to influenza A (H1N1). Evan Frustaglio died Monday in hospital. the young boy had symptoms similar to those of H1N1 at a hockey tournament this weekend. It is not known if the youth had other health problems before contracting the virus. Evan visited a clinic Sunday complaining of neck pain and a sore throat, according to what his father told the Toronto Sun. The youth returned home, while his fever seemed to diminish, but he was seized with vomiting, reported the father. He collapsed after taking a bath on Monday and was taken to hospital where he died. At least two other players in the Mississauga North Stars, the bantam hockey team which played for the young Frustaglio, suffering from symptoms similar to flu. The Greater Toronto Hockey League has taken steps to avoid possible contagion. The league president, however, urges people not to overreact to the death. Second Wave This is the third death linked to the so-called second wave of influenza A (H1N1) in Ontario. A young girl from Cornwall who had contracted the virus died Sunday. Earlier in October, a 15-year-old Timmins, Justin Bouvier, died after contracting the virus. The Health Porcupine, which serves the Timmins area, also confirm 41 cases of people contracting the virus. Authorities said the number of people suffering from the flu is likely higher, because all those symptoms does not necessarily present a clinic. The centers of vaccination against influenza A (H1N1) have opened their doors Monday in parts of Ontario. The vaccine is reserved for the moment, people over 65 years, isolated communities, pregnant women who do not want to wait for the vaccine without adjuvant and children under five years. |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Nov 6 2009, 08:02 PM Post #83 |
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http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm#c 2009 H1N1 Flu ("Swine Flu") and You November 5, 2009 7:00 PM ET On this Page: 2009 H1N1 Flu 2009 H1N1 Flu in Humans Prevention & Treatment Contamination & Cleaning Exposures Not Thought to Spread 2009 H1N1 Flu Companion Animals 2009 H1N1 Flu What is 2009 H1N1 (swine flu)? 2009 H1N1 (sometimes called “swine flu”) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) signaled that a pandemic of 2009 H1N1 flu was underway. Why is 2009 H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”? This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs (swine) in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and bird (avian) genes and human genes. Scientists call this a "quadruple reassortant" virus. 2009 H1N1 Flu in Humans Are there human infections with 2009 H1N1 virus in the U.S.? Yes. Human infections with 2009 H1N1 are ongoing in the United States. Most people who have become ill with this new virus have recovered without requiring medical treatment. CDC routinely works with states to collect, compile and analyze information about influenza, and has done the same for the new H1N1 virus since the beginning of the outbreak. This information is presented in a weekly report, called FluView. Is 2009 H1N1 virus contagious? The 2009 H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. How does 2009 H1N1 virus spread? Spread of 2009 H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object – with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Can I get 2009 H1N1 more than once? Nov 5 Getting infected with any influenza virus, including 2009 H1N1, should cause your body to develop immune resistance to that virus so it's not likely that a person would be infected with the identical influenza virus more than once. (However, people with weakened immune systems might not develop full immunity after infection and might be more likely to get infected with the same influenza virus more than once.) However, it's also possible that a person could have a positive test result for flu infection more than once in an influenza season. This can occur for two reasons: A person may be infected with different influenza viruses (for example, the first time with 2009 H1N1 and the second time with a regular seasonal flu virus. Most rapid tests cannot distinguish which influenza virus is responsible for the illness. And, Influenza tests can occasionally give false positive and false negative results so it's possible that one of the test results were incorrect. This is more likely to happen when the diagnosis is made with the rapid flu tests. More information about flu diagnosis is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/diagnosis/. Don’t Get, Don’t Spread Video Dr. Joe Bresee describes how to keep from getting the flu, and spreading it to others. What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people? The symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, including 2009 H1N1 and have respiratory symptoms without a fever. Severe illnesses and deaths have occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus. How severe is illness associated with 2009 H1N1 flu virus? Illness with 2009 H1N1 virus has ranged from mild to severe. While most people who have been sick have recovered without needing medical treatment, hospitalizations and deaths from infection with this virus have occurred. In seasonal flu, certain people are at “high risk” of serious complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions. About 70 percent of people who have been hospitalized with this 2009 H1N1 virus have had one or more medical conditions previously recognized as placing people at “high risk” of serious seasonal flu-related complications. This includes pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease. Young children are also at high risk of serious complications from 2009 H1N1, just as they are from seasonal flu. And while people 65 and older are the least likely to be infected with 2009 H1N1 flu, if they get sick, they are also at “high risk” of developing serious complications from their illness. See People at High Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications for more information about who is more likely to get flu complications that result in being hospitalized and occasionally result in death. CDC laboratory studies have shown that no children and very few adults younger than 60 years old have existing antibody to 2009 H1N1 flu virus; however, about one-third of adults older than 60 may have antibodies against this virus. It is unknown how much, if any, protection may be afforded against 2009 H1N1 flu by any existing antibody. How does 2009 H1N1 flu compare to seasonal flu in terms of its severity and infection rates? With seasonal flu, we know that seasons vary in terms of timing, duration and severity. Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Each year, in the United States, on average 36,000 people die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes. Of those hospitalized, 20,000 are children younger than 5 years old. Over 90% of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalization occur in people older than 65. When the 2009 H1N1 outbreak was first detected in mid-April 2009, CDC began working with states to collect, compile and analyze information regarding the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak, including the numbers of confirmed and probable cases and the ages of these people. The information analyzed by CDC supports the conclusion that 2009 H1N1 flu has caused greater disease burden in people younger than 25 years of age than older people. At this time, there are relatively fewer cases and deaths reported in people 65 years and older, which is unusual when compared with seasonal flu. However, pregnancy and other previously recognized high risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this 2009 H1N1. These underlying conditions include asthma, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, heart disease, kidney disease, neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders and pregnancy. How long can an infected person spread this virus to others? People infected with seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu shed virus and may be able to infect others from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. This can be longer in some people, especially children and people with weakened immune systems and in people infected with the new H1N1 virus. Prevention & Treatment Influenza Round Table: Take 3 Video Dr. Joe Bresee describes how to keep from getting the flu, and spreading it to others by taking these three steps. What can I do to protect myself from getting sick? Oct 8 This season, there is a seasonal flu vaccine to protect against seasonal flu viruses and a 2009 H1N1 vaccine to protect against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (sometimes called “swine flu”). A flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu infection. For information about the 2009 H1N1 vaccines, visit H1N1 Flu Vaccination Resources. For information about seasonal influenza vaccines, visit Preventing Seasonal Flu With Vaccination. There are also everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like the flu. Take these everyday steps to protect your health: Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. Other important actions that you can take are: Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures. Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs * (for when soap and water are not available), tissues and other related items could help you to avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious. What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing? If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze. If I have a family member at home who is sick with 2009 H1N1 flu, should I go to work? Employees who are well but who have an ill family member at home with 2009 H1N1 flu can go to work as usual. These employees should monitor their health every day, and take everyday precautions including covering their coughs and sneezes and washing their hands often with soap and water, especially after they cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, they should use an alcohol-based hand rub.* If they become ill, they should notify their supervisor and stay home. Employees who have an underlying medical condition or who are pregnant should call their health care provider for advice, because they might need to receive influenza antiviral drugs. For more information please see General Business and Workplace Guidance for the Prevention of Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Flu in Workers. What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu? Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. CDC recommends that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used.* You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands. What should I do if I get sick? For information about what to do if you get sick with flu-like symptoms this season, see What To Do If You Get Sick: 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu. A downloadable flyer containing this information also is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/2009-10/pdf/what_to_do_if_you_get_sick.pdf . What are “emergency warning signs” that should signal anyone to seek medical care urgently? Influenza Round Table: Warning Signs Video Dr. Joe Bresee describes the main symptoms of flu, including the new H1N1 flu, and when it is serious enough to seek medical help. In children: Fast breathing or trouble breathing Bluish skin color Not drinking enough fluids 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 Fever with a rash In adults: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen Sudden dizziness Confusion Severe or persistent vomiting Are there medicines to treat 2009 H1N1 infection? Influenza Round Table: Antiviral Drugs Video Influenza Round Table: Antiviral Drugs Dr. Joe Bresee explains the nature of antiviral drugs and how they are used. Yes. There are drugs your doctor may prescribe for treating both seasonal and 2009 H1N1 called “antiviral drugs.” These drugs can make you better faster and may also prevent serious complications. This flu season, antiviral drugs are being used mainly to treat people who are very sick, such as people who need to be hospitalized, and to treat sick people who are more likely to get serious flu complications. Your health care provider will decide whether antiviral drugs are needed to treat your illness. Remember, most people with 2009 H1N1 have had mild illness and have not needed medical care or antiviral drugs and the same is true of seasonal flu. What is CDC’s recommendation regarding "swine flu parties"? "Swine flu parties" are gatherings during which people have close contact with a person who has 2009 H1N1 flu in order to become infected with the virus. The intent of these parties is for a person to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity 2009 H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease. CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against 2009 H1N1 flu in the future. While the disease seen in the current 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus. CDC recommends that people with 2009 H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. Contamination & Cleaning How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)? Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for 2 to 8 hours after being deposited on the surface. What kills influenza virus? Influenza virus is destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. *What if soap and water are not available and alcohol-based products are not allowed in my facility? Updated on Sept 14 If soap and water are not available and alcohol-based products are not allowed, other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful. What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination? Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands. How should waste disposal be handled to prevent the spread of influenza virus? To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash. Additionally, persons should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste. What household cleaning should be done to prevent the spread of influenza virus? To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label. How should linens, eating utensils and dishes of persons infected with influenza virus be handled? Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid "hugging" laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry. Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap. Exposures Not Thought to Spread 2009 H1N1 Flu Can I get infected with 2009 H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork? No. 2009 H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get infected with novel HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe. Is there a risk from drinking water? Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of 2009 H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as 2009 H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water. Can 2009 H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues? Influenza viruses infect the human upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of influenza virus infection associated with water exposure. Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as 2009 H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine. Can 2009 H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water? Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this 2009 H1N1 flu is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. 2009 H1N1 in Companion Animals What animals can be infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus? In addition to humans, live swine and turkeys, we know that ferrets (which are highly susceptible to influenza A viruses) and a domestic cat have been infected with 2009 H1N1 virus. CDC is working closely with domestic and international public and animal heath partners to continually monitor this situation and will provide additional information to the public as it becomes available. How do companion animals become infected with 2009 H1N1? All available information suggests that the ferrets and domestic cat with 2009 H1N1 infections acquired the virus through close contact with ill humans. Transmission of 2009 H1N1 virus from humans to animals appears similar to human-to-human transmission Can I get 2009 H1N1 influenza from my pet? Available evidence suggests that transmission has been from ill humans to their companion animals. No evidence is available to suggest that animals are infecting humans with 2009 H1N1 virus. What do I do if I am sick with flu-like symptoms and I have pets? If you are sick with influenza-like-illness, take the same precautions with your pets that you would to keep your family and friends healthy: Cover your coughs and sneezes Wash your hands frequently Minimize contact with your pets until 24 hours after your fever is gone What should I do if I suspect my pet has 2009 H1N1 influenza virus? If members of your household have flu-like symptoms, and your pet exhibits respiratory illness, contact your veterinarian. Is there a vaccine available for my pet? Currently, there is not a licensed and approved 2009 H1N1 vaccine for companion animals. (There is a canine influenza vaccine, which protects dogs from the H3N8 canine flu virus, but it will not protect pets against the 2009 H1N1 virus and should not be used in any species other than dogs.) How serious is this disease in companion animals? Pet ferrets with naturally occurring 2009 H1N1 infection have exhibited illness similar in severity as seen with ferrets exposed to seasonal influenza viruses and 2009 H1N1 virus in laboratory settings, including sneezing, inactivity, and weight loss. The single confirmed cat exhibited respiratory illness and recovered with supportive care. Additional Information American Veterinary Medical Association http://www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/new_virus/default.asp United States Department of Agriculture http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/?navid=USDA_H1N1 Note: Much of the information in this document is based on studies and past experience with seasonal (human) influenza. CDC believes the information applies to 2009 H1N1 (swine) viruses as well, but studies on this virus are ongoing to learn more about its characteristics. This document will be updated as new information becomes available. For general information about influenza in pigs (not 2009 H1N1 flu) see Background Information on Influenza in Pigs. |
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| Vanna White | Nov 6 2009, 08:10 PM Post #84 |
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Most people that get H1N1 do just fine. Of those hospitalized, about 70% had underlying medical conditions, which means 30% had no apparent underlying medical problems that placed them at high risk. Most people that get the vaccine have no complications, although in those rare cases where there was a serious problem, it is certainly tragic. Health care workers with direct patient contact are targeted for vaccination first (to keep hospitals open if the flu hits hard.) I work at a major hospital and my office is right next to our employee health clinic where workers are lining up and getting their vaccines. No problems with it so far... |
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| Otis B. | Nov 8 2009, 08:43 AM Post #85 |
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Regarding the nasal spray: We took our newborn to the pediatrician for his first checkup and she strongly recommended that my wife and I get vaccinated since he cannot and has not built up any immunities yet. However, she recommended we not get the nasal spray since it could possibly spread to the baby. So I think the only concern regarding the "live virus" in the nasal spary is with infants under 6 months who cannot receive the vaccine anyway. |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Nov 8 2009, 10:30 AM Post #86 |
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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/21/cbsnews_investigates/main5404829.shtml Oct. 21, 2009 Swine Flu Cases Overestimated? CBS News Exclusive: Study Of State Results Finds H1N1 Not As Prevalent As Feared By Sharyl Attkisson  Click for video here: CDC quiet on Swine Flu Stats After repeated attempts made by CBS News asking the CDC to provide state-by-state data of swine flu testing before they halted individual testing and tracking, Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC Director was asked directly at a recent news conference. (CBS) If you've been diagnosed "probable" or "presumed" 2009 H1N1 or "swine flu" in recent months, you may be surprised to know this: odds are you didn’t have H1N1 flu. In fact, you probably didn’t have flu at all. That's according to state-by-state test results obtained in a three-month-long CBS News investigation. The ramifications of this finding are important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Britain's National Health Service, once you have H1N1 flu, you're immune from future outbreaks of the same virus. Those who think they've had H1N1 flu -- but haven't -- might mistakenly presume they're immune. As a result, they might skip taking a vaccine that could help them, and expose themselves to others with H1N1 flu under the mistaken belief they won't catch it. Parents might not keep sick children home from school, mistakenly believing they've already had H1N1 flu. CBSNews.com report on H1N1 In late July, the CDC abruptly advised states to stop testing for H1N1 flu, and stopped counting individual cases. The rationale given for the CDC guidance to forego testing and tracking individual cases was: why waste resources testing for H1N1 flu when the government has already confirmed there's an epidemic? Some public health officials privately disagreed with the decision to stop testing and counting, telling CBS News that continued tracking of this new and possibly changing virus was important because H1N1 has a different epidemiology, affects younger people more than seasonal flu and has been shown to have a higher case fatality rate than other flu virus strains. CBS News learned that the decision to stop counting H1N1 flu cases was made so hastily that states weren't given the opportunity to provide input. Instead, on July 24, the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists, CSTE, issued the following notice to state public health officials on behalf of the CDC: "Attached are the Q&As that will be posted on the CDC website tomorrow explaining why CDC is no longer reporting case counts for novel H1N1. CDC would have liked to have run these by you for input but unfortunately there was not enough time before these needed to be posted (emphasis added)." When CDC did not provide us with the material, we filed a Freedom of Information request with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). More than two months later, the request has not been fulfilled. We also asked CDC for state-by-state test results prior to halting of testing and tracking, but CDC was again, initially, unresponsive. While we waited for CDC to provide the data, which it eventually did, we asked all 50 states for their statistics on state lab-confirmed H1N1 prior to the halt of individual testing and counting in July. The results reveal a pattern that surprised a number of health care professionals we consulted. The vast majority of cases were negative for H1N1 as well as seasonal flu, despite the fact that many states were specifically testing patients deemed to be most likely to have H1N1 flu, based on symptoms and risk factors, such as travel to Mexico. (CBS) It’s unknown what patients who tested negative for flu were actually afflicted with since the illness was not otherwise determined. Health experts say it’s assumed the patients had some sort of cold or upper respiratory infection that is just not influenza. With most cases diagnosed solely on symptoms and risk factors, the H1N1 flu epidemic may seem worse than it is. For example, on Sept. 22, this alarming headline came from Georgetown University in Washington D.C.: "H1N1 Flu Infects Over 250 Georgetown Students." H1N1 flu can be deadly and an outbreak of 250 students would be an especially troubling cluster. However, the number of sick students came not from lab-confirmed tests but from "estimates" made by counting "students who went to the Student Health Center with flu symptoms, students who called the H1N1 hotline or the Health Center's doctor-on-call, and students who went to the hospital's emergency room." Without lab testing, it's impossible to know how many of the students actually had H1N1 flu. But the statistical trend indicates it was likely much fewer than 250. CDC continues to monitor flu in general and H1N1 through "sentinels," which basically act as spot-checks to detect trends around the nation. But at least one state, California, has found value in tracking H1N1 flu in greater detail. "What we are doing is much more detailed and expensive than what CDC wants," said Dr. Bela Matyas, California's Acting Chief of Emergency Preparedness and Response. "We're gathering data better to answer how severe is the illness. With CDC's fallback position, there are so many uncertainties with who's being counted, it's hard to know how much we're seeing is due to H1N1 flu rather than a mix of influenza diseases generally. We can tell that apart but they can't." After our conversation with Dr. Matyas, public affairs officials with the California Department of Public Health emphasized to CBS News that they support CDC policy to stop counting individual cases, maintaining that the state has the resources to gather more specific testing data than the CDC. Because of the uncertainties, the CDC advises even those who were told they had H1N1 to get vaccinated unless they had lab confirmation. "Persons who are uncertain about how they were diagnosed should get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine." That's unwelcome news for a Marietta, Georgia mom whose two children were diagnosed with "probable" H1N1 flu over the summer. She hoped that would mean they wouldn't need the hastily developed H1N1 flu vaccine. However, since their cases were never confirmed with lab tests, the CDC advises they get the vaccine. "I wish they had tested and that I knew for sure whether they had it. I'm not anxious to give them an experimental vaccine if they don't need it." Speaking to CBS' "60 Minutes," CDC Director Dr. Frieden said he has confidence that the vaccine will be safe and effective: "We're confident it will be effective we have every reason to believe that it will be safe." However, the CDC recommendation for those who had "probable" or "presumed" H1N1 flu to go ahead and get vaccinated anyway means the relatively small proportion of those who actually did have H1N1 flu will be getting the vaccine unnecessarily. This exposes them to rare but significant side effects, such as paralysis from Guillain-Barre syndrome. It also uses up vaccine, which is said to be in short supply. The CDC was hoping to have shipped 40 million doses by the end of October, but only about 30 million doses will be available this month. The CDC did not response to questions from CBS News for this report. H1N1 Misdiagnoses Could Have Consequences Click for video here: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5405872n&tag=api "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday, moderator Sharyl Attkisson spoke to Wall Street Journal reporter Alicia Mundy and Politico's Fred Barbash about a CBS News investigation finding that many people who were diagnosed “probable” or “presumed” to have 2009 H1N1 or "swine" flu actually did not have flu at all. The three-month investigation found, based on state-by-state test results, that only a small fraction of cases that doctors flagged as most likely to be swine flu actually tested positive for swine flu at state labs. The vast majority of cases were negative. Attkisson pointed out that those who think they might have had H1N1 "might mistakenly think they're immune, and might forgo the vaccine that they ought to have." "And on the other hand, if you really have had it, the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] is saying go ahead and get the flu shot anyway because you're not sure – but that's using up a limited amount of vaccine when we're hearing there are shortages," she continued. Barbash discussed a Brookings Institute study out Wednesday that found there are significant costs to the school closures going on around the country – "not just in dollars, but in terms of stress to the health care system." That's because health care workers often have to stay home with their kids. "The point is to carefully consider the costs and the benefits before you immediately rush to close a school for fear that the virus will spread like wildfire through a school," Barbash said, adding: "The virus is spreading like wildfire, but whether any school ought to be closed down – the Department of Education says only when absolutely necessary." "We want to make sure that people understand we're not trying to downplay the seriousness of swine flu, which can be very serious," Attkisson said. "But there is a risk of overreacting." H1N1 "can be mistaken for a lot of things," Mundy said. "And the trouble is, right now, if everybody thinks they have swine flu, the use of the medicines out there, the vaccine, the use of the Purell hand sanitizer, which could backfire and make your bacteria resistant to that – all that could become an issue of overuse." Watch the discussion above. Click here to read the full report on CBS News' three-month long investigation. "Washington Unplugged" appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes. Edited by IlikeLIvonia, Nov 8 2009, 10:50 AM.
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| For4 | Nov 15 2009, 09:18 AM Post #87 |
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While agreeing it is very much a personal, family choice when deciding to get the H1N1 vaccination, I would love to see information posted here on where people are actually finding the vaccination for their children. I have repeatedly called our large pediatric practice over the past 1 1/2 months and they rarely (2X's) have it and the few doses they are getting are going to children with the most compromised health issues. A google/yahoo search in our area will give a list of pharmacies that are participating but they all are out of stock (if they were even carrying the pediatric dose). A friend attended the Schoolcraft clinic yesterday and stood in line for 4 hours. I have contacted a couple of other pediatrician's offices (Henry Ford on Schoolcraft and Providence on Newburgh) and found that while they had the vaccine at that time, they were only giving it to their current patients. Geesh, already feels like healthcare rationing and I find that very scary. |
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| Auntie A | Nov 15 2009, 09:56 AM Post #88 |
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Try the Wayne County Health Dept. You can look up the times and locations on the internet. Some days they have walk-in clinics and you do not need an appt. Even if you wanted an appt. you proably won't be able to make one until January. Good luck. I know it is frustrating and we should just be able to go into our doctor's office and get the immunization. |
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| George | Nov 15 2009, 10:50 AM Post #89 |
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The Wayne County Health Department had a clinic yesterday @ Schoolcraft College. The health department is having a second clinic on December 5th at that location. Here's a link to the health department's website for other locations and times. LPS did send out an email reminder about the clinic. To obtain future information maybe you should sign up for the email blast from the district. I hope this helps. http://www.waynecounty.com/mygovt/hhs/publichealth/docs/H1N1%20Clinic%20Schedule.pdf By the way, I was talking with a health department worker regarding the H1N1 issue and questioned whether or not it was worse than what we thought. Her response was a somber nod. I think it's better to be safe than sorry, IMO. I had my child vacinated even with her protests. All she kept telling me was that she didn't believe in the Swine Flu vacine and that I had to listen to whining for 3 1/2 hours while standing in line. It was worth it, just not to have to worry. Edited by George, Nov 15 2009, 10:51 AM.
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| IlikeLIvonia | Nov 15 2009, 11:53 AM Post #90 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1z7KSEnyxw&feature=player_embedded Doctor Admits Vaccine Is More Deadly Than Swine Flu Itself & Will Not Give It To His Kids |
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| Purple Haze | Nov 15 2009, 12:30 PM Post #91 |
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when LPS sent by email the information about the Wayne County immunizations, I called immediately - had to wait two weeks, but the lady who was answering the phone was taking appointments in December after seeing the "cattle call" at Schoolcraft yesterday, I'm glad I made the call even one child dying of this disease is too many - just my take on this... |
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| For4 | Nov 15 2009, 01:20 PM Post #92 |
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ILikeLivonia - I appreciate much of the info you have posted and as parents, we have tried to educate ourselves as much as possible of the pros and cons. I believe as you do, that some people/children have and will have a negative reaction to the immunization, while others will greatly benefit and perhaps have their life saved, which is why I said it is very much a personal choice and we have to way the odds for our children and family. My family has tolerated immunizations very well in the past while I feel equally as confident that a neighbor's child at 6 months had devastating reactions to "required" immunizations. There is no one size fits all in my opinion. With that said. I wish I had called Wayne County as soon as that LPS email came out. They are now scheduling appts. in January. Unless I come up with other info, we will probably be joining that "cattle" drive in December. Can't imagine what that will be like with snowboots, long johns etc. Bringing me full circle to my original question. If anyone hears about other clinics providing the H1N1 shot by appt., it would help some of your neighbrs. And I will continue to contact my pediatrician's office in hopes they get some in before December. |
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| shamu | Nov 16 2009, 08:57 PM Post #93 |
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My pediatrician has the nasal mist. You'd probably have to switch to their office to get it though. We love the practice and have been going there for over 10 years. It's Medical Center Pediatrics in Bingham Farms. (13 Mile and Telegraph area). |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Nov 17 2009, 11:00 AM Post #94 |
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Obama Administration Launches Deceptive Swine Flu Propaganda Blitz To Counter Growing Criticism from Scientific and Medical Community by Richard Gale and Dr. Gary Null Global Research, October 29, 2009 Progressive Radio Network - 2009-10-26 President Obama and his top health officials are engaging in a major public relations effort to divert attention away from whether its swine flu vaccine is effective and safe – to whether there is enough of it to go around. And the media, as always, is cooperating fully. This echoes the way media debate was manipulated during the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. Instead of debating whether we should even be fighting those wars, the media debated only whether we were using the correct military strategy. Increasing numbers of scientists and doctors are issuing harsh criticisms of the Government’s plan to vaccinate (forcibly if necessary) virtually the entire U.S. population with what they claim is a poorly tested vaccine that is not only ineffective against swine flu, but could cripple and even kill many more people than it helps. The CDC’s public relations campaign has been running “scare” ads that portray swine flu as a full-blown “pandemic” responsible for snuffing out countless lives, and which, unless stopped by universal vaccination, could kill millions of American citizens. But scientists and health officials throughout the world have called the governments claims unjustified and deliberately misleading. For example, Dr. Anthony Morris, a distinguished virologist and former Chief Vaccine Office at the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA), states that “There is no evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza” and that “The producers of these vaccines know they are worthless, but they go on selling them anyway.” And in November 2007, the UK newspaper The Scotsman, made public warnings by the inventor of the “flu jab,” Dr. Graeme Laver. Dr. Laver was a major Australian scientist involved in the invention of a flu vaccine, in addition to playing a leading scientific role in the discovery of anti-flu drugs. He went on record as saying the vaccine he helped to create was ineffective and [that] natural infection with the flu was safer. “I have never been impressed with its efficacy,” said Dr. Laver. We hear the assumption being made by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that the number of deaths from the H1N1 virus is at pandemic levels and now a “national emergency.” One would assume that with all of its resources, the New York Times’ October 26 front page story on the CDC’s statistics would be accurate: 20,000 hospitalizations and 1,000 deaths due to the swine flu. However, this is all fiction. And it is a fiction solely based upon the CDC’s own contradictory statements and actions. Our independent investigations into the clinical trials and statistical studies of influenza vaccines reveal glaring discrepancies. Let us not forget that it is this same New York Times, with its “star” reporter Judith Miller, who led America into believing that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, tried to purchase yellow cake uranium from Niger, and had dealings with al-Qaeda. And let us also remember that it is the same CDC and health officials in Washington, including President Ford and his top health advisor F. David Matthews, who pushed through and propagandized an untested vaccine during the 1976 swine flu scare, which resulted in thousands of severely neurologically damaged Americans and about 500 reported deaths. Aside from permanent paralysis, many of these vaccine victims also underwent torturous processes for many years to get the government to recognize their illnesses and help cover their costs. Not only was the CDC’s prediction and vaccination campaign for the 1976 flu season a total disaster, it also turned into a deadly scandal, witnessed across the United States on 60 Minutes when Dr. David Sencer, then head of the CDC, confirmed that the vaccine was never field tested, that there were only several reported incidents of H1N1 infection and none of these had been officially confirmed, and then lied about the CDC having no prior evidence that the swine flu vaccine could cause severe and permanent neurological damage. The end result from the 1976 debacle cost the government $3.5 billion in damages, two-thirds were for severe neurological injury and death directly due to the CDC’s vaccination campaign. Therefore, being anti-vaccine or pro-vaccine is not the most urgent issue. What is critical is whether or not there is legitimate, sound science to support either position; in this regard, the vaccine manufacturers and our federal health agencies have failed in the past, and continue to fail today. And they fail dismally. There is absolutely no evidence for sound-scientific protocol or anything resembling a gold-standard behind the swine flu infection statistics and vaccine efficacy and safety clinical trials to support Obama’s and his health advisors’ claims. Instead, the reports on hospitalizations and deaths due to the H1N1 virus are grossly distorted. What we are really witnessing is “official” science and statistics that are little more than propaganda. One unfortunate development over the years is the notion that there is such a thing as a “flu season.” The truth is that we move annually into periods where there are dramatic increases in flu-like causing pathogens, however, the majority of these are unrelated to any strain of influenza virus. There can between 150 and 200 different infectious pathogens—adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza, the very common coronavirus and, of course, pneumonia—that produce flu-like symptoms, and worse, during a “flu season.” For example, how many people have heard of bocavirus, which is responsible for bronchitis and pneumonia in young children, or metapneumovirus, responsible for more than 5 percent of all flu-related illnesses? This is true during every flu season and this year is no different. Furthermore, all flu vaccinations, including the swine flu, are useless for protecting people from these many prevalent infectious organisms. If we take the combined figure of flu and pneumonia deaths for the period of 2001, and add a bit of spin to the figures, we are left believing that 62,034 people died from influenza. The actual figures determined by Peter Doshi, then at Harvard University, are 61,777 died from pneumonia and only 257 from flu. Even more amazing, among those 257 cases only 18 were confirmed positive for influenza. A separate study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics for the flu periods between 1979 through 2002 revealed the true range of flu deaths were between 257 and 3006, for an average of 1,348 per year. The recent CBS Investigative Report, published on October 21, is one example. After the CDC refused to honor CBS’s Freedom of Information request to receive flu infection data for each individual state, the network performed independent outreach to all fifty states to get their statistics. Their report contradicts dramatically the CDC’s public relations blitz. For example, in California, among the approximate 13,000 flu-like cases, 86 percent tested negative for any flu strain. In Florida, out of 8,853 cases, 83 percent were negative. In Georgia and Alaska, only 2.4 percent and 1 percent respectively tested positive for flu virus among all reported flu-like cases. If the infectious-rate ratios obtained by CBS are accurate, the CDC’s figures are significantly reduced and agree with earlier predictions that the H1N1 virus will be simply an unwelcomed annoyance. So we are in the midst of an enormous medical hoax, a design and purpose that has yet to unfold completely, that will nevertheless reap huge revenues for the vaccine industrial complex. Another example is a recent alarmist report issuing from Georgetown University, also usurped by federal health officials and their multimedia comrades to fuel a campaign of fear and panic. The report announced that over 250 students were infected by swine flu when in fact none of these students were tested for H1N1 infection. The university’s figure was based solely on a count of student visits to the health clinic and calls into an H1N1 hotline. This is not the first time the CDC’s predictions for influenza strains have been overstated and miscalculated. In an interview on Swedish television, Dr. Tom Jefferson, head of vaccine studies at the prestigious international Cochrane Database Collaboration, after reviewing hundreds of influenza studies and statistical analyses, has said the WHO’s and CDC’s “performance is not very good.” And in an ITN News interview last month, Jefferson called the swine flu pandemic a “juggernaut they [the WHO, government agencies and vaccine makers] created.” For the 1992-1993 season, the prediction was off by 84 percent. For the 1994-1995 season, it was off 43 percent for the primary strain and off 87 percent and 76 percent for two other strains. The Laboratory Center for Disease Control’s study comparing vaccine strains with the strains appearing during the 1997-1998 season found the match was off by 84 percent. Again Dr. Jefferson in a Der Spiegel interview remarked, “there are some people who make predictions year after year, and they get worse and worse. None of them so far have come about, and these people are still there making these predictions. For example, what happened with the bird flu, which was supposed to kill us all?... Swine flu could have even stayed unnoticed if it had been caused by some unknown virus rather than an influenza virus... An influenza vaccine is not working for the majority of influenza-like illnesses because it is only designed to combat influenza viruses. For that reason, the vaccine changes nothing when it comes to the heightened mortality rate during the winter months.” Our review of all clinical trial studies conducted by the H1N1 vaccine makers for pre-licensing in the American market—CSL, Novartis, Sanofi-Pasteur, Medimmune and now GlaxoSmithKline—reveals they were poorly designed and feebly executed. Any professor in molecular biology or virology would fail a graduate student who presented a paper relying on research conducted in the manner of the studies the vaccine corporations submit to the FDA. Nevertheless, it is this lack of sound randomized, double-blind controlled placebo studies, particularly for inactivated virus vaccines, that our government is declaring definitive and is using to justify mass vaccination of our population. Last week, Switzerland’s health authorities rejected Novartis’ new swine flu vaccine, Celtura, being targeted for women and children, because the company’s studies were insufficient to guarantee its safety. In addition, the new Novartis vaccine, which uses a cell base from dogs, was found to be contaminated with canine-specific bacteria. The Swiss newspaper, Tagesanzeiger, also noted there remains some suspicion that Novartis’ new vaccine may be a repackaging of an earlier 2008 vaccine responsible for killing almost two dozen homeless people during an illegal clinical trial in Poland. This is the same Novartis whose Fluvirin H1N1 vaccine being distributed in the US relied only on a hasty clinical efficacy and safety trial enrolling only a small number of health adults. Novartis likely remains unperturbed. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant has reported a $6.1 billion profit so far this year and expects to boost sales for the final quarter with its swine flu vaccine. In July, the CDC announced it would cease testing and counting H1N1 virus infections. Their public reason was simply that they are convinced there is a pandemic and, therefore, accurate monitoring was unnecessary. On August 30, the CDC declared the states should report influenza and pneumonia-associated hospitalizations and deaths together, not singling out actual cases of H1N1 infection if there happen to be any actually confirmed from a laboratory. This has always been the CDC’s policy, and the 36,000 figure of annual flu deaths repeated ad nausea on their website and spewed from the media’s health pulpits for several years straight, does not distinguish between pneumonia, influenza and other flu-like pathogenic deaths. Perhaps it would make very little difference because the current rapid diagnostic tests for the H1N1 virus can range in only 10-50 percent accuracy. Elsewhere in the world, particularly in Europe, civilians are increasingly rejecting the H1N1 vaccine. Recent polls in Germany and Austria show only 13 and 18 percent respectively willing to take the shot. In Sweden, four vaccine related deaths have been announced and almost 200 healthcare workers have reported becoming more seriously ill from the vaccination than they might have from a flu infection. In the US, anywhere from 90-99 percent of adverse events go unreported. If people would simply shut off the CDC’s supported propaganda noise being blasted across the airwaves and newspapers— the spectacle of newscasters being inoculated, interviews with government health officials or private doctors and academics receiving consultation fees from drug makers, and the drivel of the New York Times—and simply do their homework, Americans would wake up and realize the hoax behind the swine flu pandemic. All of the information is before us. Nothing is hidden. All the contradictions and hypocrisies are contained within the massive vaccine industrial complex—including the government health agencies and professional medical associations. The lie is too large for them to not expose themselves if we simply look. Richard Gale is the Executive Producer of the Progressive Radio Network and a former Senior Research Analyst in the biotechnology and genomic industries. Dr. Gary Null is the host of the nation’s longest running public radio program on nutrition and natural health and a multi-award-winning director of progressive documentary films, including Vaccine Nation and Autism: Made in the USA. Dr. Null is also the plaintiff on a law suit against the FDA to prevent the launch of the swine flu vaccine until safety studies have been thoroughly conducted. Richard Gale is a frequent contributor to Global Research. Global Research Articles by Richard Gale http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=GAL20091028&articleId=15860 Edited by IlikeLIvonia, Nov 17 2009, 11:05 AM.
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| Otis B. | Nov 17 2009, 11:00 AM Post #95 |
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I've heard through a few people that the Detroit clinics have virtually no wait. The only issue is you would probably have to take your kids to some shady areas. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flu clinics This week's H1N1 flu vaccine clinics: Macomb: Noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday for pregnant women and their families. Noon to 7 p.m. Thursday for health care workers/volunteers only. Both clinics will be held at Freedom Hill in Sterling Heights. Wayne: Clinic to be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Huron High School, 32044 Huron River, New Boston. Also, at the Wayne health department branch (33030 Van Born), the vaccine is given to those who walk in from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. By appointment at Wayne branch, Taylor branch (26650 Eureka) and Redford Township branch (17421 Telegraph Road). Register on the health department Web site or call (734) 727-7000. Detroit: Recreation centers will offer the vaccine from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 211 for information. Oakland: No public clinics this week. http://www.detnews.com/article/20091117/LIFESTYLE03/911170332/1040/State-H1N1-death-toll-rises |
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| Otis B. | Nov 17 2009, 11:23 AM Post #96 |
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ILikeLivonia: Would it be possible to just post links to your articles so we don't have to wade through quotes from Dr. Quackenheimer on how the H1N1 vaccine is really a plot by aliens to abduct your brain? Thanks so much. -- OB |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Nov 17 2009, 04:59 PM Post #97 |
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To vaccinate or not? Some wary on H1N1 choice Dr. Mehmet Oz: "I bet half the people in the country have concerns" The H1N1 vaccine is made with the same process as the seasonal flu shot Survey: Only 40 percent of adults are "absolutely certain" they will get vaccine Two key issues for skeptics are the safety of vaccine and their own vulnerability updated 9:24 a.m. EDT, Fri October 9, 2009 By Elizabeth Landau CNN (CNN) -- Mary Peterson of Des Moines, Washington, doesn't believe the vaccine for the novel H1N1 flu has been studied enough to get it for herself and her daughters, who are 1 and 3 years old. Mary Peterson's daughters, 3 and 1, will not be getting the new vaccine, she said. "I wrestled with it," she said. "I think the side of caution in this case is just waiting until we have more information." Peterson is one of many parents who are discussing -- whether in real life or on Twitter -- their skepticism of the vaccine. The vaccine is being distributed as an intranasal spray this week, and will arrive next week in injection form, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, earlier this week. The CDC and other public health authorities say the new vaccine is safe, and are encouraging everyone to get it, especially those in high risk groups. But experts acknowledge that many people struggle with the decision. Take a quiz about H1N1 flu » "I bet half the people in the country have concerns," Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of the "Dr. Oz Show" and professor of surgery at Columbia University, told CNN's Anderson Cooper earlier this week. "Be knowledgeable, though, that the H1N1 swine flu vaccine is built on a chassis of the older original seasonal vaccine. So, it should have similar risks, which have proven to be very low," he said. Priority groups for the vaccine include pregnant women, caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6 months, people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years, and anyone ages 25 to 64 with existing health problems, according to the CDC. A recent survey from the Harvard School of Public Health found that just 40 percent of adults say they are "absolutely certain" they will get the H1N1 vaccine. An additional 41 percent said they "will not get it," and the rest of the sample had various degrees of certainty. iReport.com: Are you getting the vaccine? "You've got a significant group of people who at the moment wouldn't do it," said Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health, who led the study. Still, nearly 60 percent of those who say they don't think they'll get vaccinated would change their minds if there were sickness or death in their community, the study found. See H1N1 in your geographic area » Moreover, 51 percent of parents said they were "absolutely certain" to get it for their children. Again, about 60 percent of the skeptical parents would change their mind in the event of community sickness and death. One major group of people who say they probably won't get the vaccine are those primarily concerned about safety, Blendon said. Peterson isn't against all vaccines -- she and her daughters have already gotten the seasonal flu vaccine, for example. But she is concerned about mercury in some of the new vaccine varieties. Thimerosal, a mercury preservative found in the multi-dose vial H1N1 vaccines, has been controversially linked to autism, though no studies have proved that theory. Peterson said she is also concerned about the toxicity of mercury. But the CDC says there is no evidence that thimerosal is harmful to pregnant women or fetuses. Vaccine companies are making vaccine types for both seasonal flu and H1N1 flu without this mercury-based preservative. The other main reason that people cite for not getting the vaccine is that they do not believe they are vulnerable to the disease, Blendon said. Crystal Fincher, who works in sales in Seattle, Washington, has both safety and vulnerability in mind. She has decided against vaccinating herself and her 12-year-old son both because she doesn't believe there is enough safety information about it, and because she doesn't think she and her son are in high-risk groups. Fincher said her son's own physician told her the risks of combining the new H1N1 vaccine with his other scheduled vaccines -- for example, tetanus and diphtheria -- are not yet known. "I just don't feel like there's a risk of having a complication from swine flu is high enough to proceed to taking that, but I would be open in the future once there was more data available," she said. Teresa Rogers, a pharmacy technician in Rockford, Michigan, said she will not be getting the swine flu vaccine because she believes it has not been tested enough. Her children, who are grown, will probably not get it either, and her co-workers at the pharmacy are split. "I'm not going to be a guinea pig," she said. But Karen Walrond, a photographer and writer in Houston, Texas, said she will vaccinate her 5-year-old daughter, whose asthma flares up as a result of colds and flus. "We will probably go ahead and risk it," she said. Walrond herself will probably also get vaccinated, if only "in moral support" of her daughter, she said. Oz said he will get the vaccine, but his wife will not, and the kids will go along with her, as in most families. "I think we're going to have this battle within American families and within our culture. It should be a productive one, though," he said. "It's about getting the middle mass of Americans to say, 'You know what, this is what I think: I'm going to go with the system and get the vaccine.' " http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/09/h1n1.vaccine.skepticism/index.html |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Nov 17 2009, 09:41 PM Post #98 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB5-Y08qbjo Congressman (DR.) Ron Paul on the Recent Swine Flu Scare |
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| Otis B. | Nov 18 2009, 08:04 AM Post #99 |
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Ron Paul. Great source for medical information. |
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| uh-oh | Nov 18 2009, 09:26 AM Post #100 |
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Actually, I think you are the one heeding the advice of the Dr. Quackenheimer's out there. Just keep on drinking the kool-aid the CDC and others feed you(there are no valid, reliable clinical trials to ensure the safety of the this or many other vaccines.) Thank you so much! |
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