Deadly Swine Flu Outbreak

MEXICO CITY, April 24 (Reuters) - The majority of the people killed in Mexico's fatal flu outbreak were adults between 25 and 45 years old, a Mexican health official said on Friday.

Elspode;560048 wrote:

This stat would seem to indicate to me that those who are more active and likely to be out and about socializing are at greater risk. Or I could be completely wrong. The stat as posted doesn't really reveal whether or not this age range is dying more than younger or older people who have been exposed, or if there are simply more members of that demographic who have contracted the flu.

piercehawkeye45;560052 wrote:

never before seen avian, swine, and human hybrid makeup.

Elspode;560048 wrote:

This stat would seem to indicate to me that those who are more active and likely to be out and about socializing are at greater risk. Or I could be completely wrong. The stat as posted doesn't really reveal whether or not this age range is dying more than younger or older people who have been exposed, or if there are simply more members of that demographic who have contracted the flu.

Sundae Girl;560424 wrote:

We had it with ebola, a flu pandemic, SARS, avian flu... now we go through it all again.

Kitsune;560453 wrote:

I stopped taking this seriously when I was forced by my company to sit in on a DHS presentation back in '08 concerning business continuity in times of disaster. I found it a bit odd that despite giving this presentation in Florida, they didn't once talk about the obvious issue: hurricanes.

xoxoxoBruce;560467 wrote:

Yabut, doesn't everyone in Florida already know about hurricanes? If they started telling you about them wouldn't most Floridians start yawning?

Sundae Girl;560424 wrote:

It's already making headlines here.
Yawn, yawn - the NHS Trusts will have to waste time and money answering media questions, reassuring the public, drawing up plans in the event of a pandemic...

We had it with ebola, a flu pandemic, SARS, avian flu... now we go through it all again.

I was interested and concerned originally. Now I'm tired of it already. Sorry, how many have died? Less than in an hour from hunger in some parts of the world? Okay, I'll zone out for a bit then.

Kitsune;560453 wrote:

B-b-b-but... what are you going to do? You can't just continue to live your life!

I stopped taking this seriously when I was forced by my company to sit in on a DHS presentation back in '08 concerning business continuity in times of disaster.

Disaster preparedness, indeed. Were we not living above limestone aquifers, I would expect them to suggest constructing a backyard bunker to live in perpetuum to protect against all threats. Wouldn't want to take any chances, would we?

Jill;560575 wrote:

I think this is much ado about little. Sure, it's a new strain. Sure, it's (possibly*) taken the lives of 80-some people in Mexico. But the flu was the cause of death in 36,000 people in the U.S. last year.

Jill;560575 wrote:

Ok, I'll step in and be the lone shoulder-shrugger.

Jill;560575 wrote:

Ok, I'll step in and be the lone shoulder-shrugger. I think this is much ado about little. Sure, it's a new strain. Sure, it's (possibly*) taken the lives of 80-some people in Mexico. But the flu was the cause of death in 36,000 people in the U.S. last year. Eighty people is statistically meaningless. Not to mention that *they don't even know that it was the swine flu that caused the deaths of those 80 people!

More info, for a bit of perspective.

capnhowdy;560454 wrote:

Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure — one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a "declaration of emergency preparedness."

"Really that's what we're doing right now. We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be."
:eyeball::eyeball::speechls:

TheMercenary;560607 wrote:

Don't waste your breath, or typing, I have tried already. It is no one's statistic until it is your own, then it is 100%.

capnhowdy;560373 wrote:

We can expect a flood of illegals as a result. Some of them will be infected. May God have mercy on our souls.

sugarpop;560641 wrote:

yea, Janet Napolitano said today they would probably be testing people at the border, and I wondered what the hell they were going to do with all the people who crossing illegally. :eyebrow:

sugarpop;560641 wrote:

I wondered what the hell they were going to do with all the people who crossing illegally. :eyebrow:

Bullitt;560673 wrote:

Next come the zombies.. you all just wait and see.
:drool::drool::drool::drool::drool: :magnum:

tw;560593 wrote:

Apparently you are reading too much fear into it. A disease that can cause a pandemic has been detected. You and everyone around you should know that - nothing more. Nobody is hyping it into fear.

The Department of Homeland Security and Center for Disease Control (CDC) have issued a Public Health Advisory in response to a number of cases of swine flu reported in Texas, Ohio, New York and California which originated from Mexico. This email is directed to all U.S. employees, but particularly to employees who participated in our Sales Conference last week in Dallas, where a number of cases are currently being tracked.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_003

morethanpretty;560733 wrote:

Just got an email warning at work:



I live in and work near Dallas BTW. I'm not freaking, I don't go out, but if I was a socializer, I think right now I would not be so much. Really all the suggestions are what a person should be doing normal to avoid any sickness.

RFN my major disease paranoia is about flesh-eating bacteria. Why? Well, a friend of my mom's went to the hospital the other week with flu-like symptoms and the whole damn time she is telling the staff that there is an odd rash on her arm that needs to be checked out. The staff refused to call the doctor in to look at her for a rash (WTH?!) and by the next morning the skin on her whole arm was laid open from the flesh-eating bacteria its turns out that she had.

Kitsune;560723 wrote:

OMG teh 1918 economies!

Well, kind of. Honestly, I haven't seen the media freaking out like I thought they would. Most everyone is actually pretty restrained with only the typical survivalists hyping it up and spreading crazy rumors/conspiracies. So far, so good.

Kudos to the CDC and WHO for being on top of this. I wouldn't have expected as fast a response, nor updates as quick as they are coming in. It isn't possible to isolate this kind of disease, but the precautions being taken, including readying stocks of antivirals, is pretty impressive in this short amount of time. The avian flu panic was actually good for something!

wolf;560825 wrote:

We were talking about this a little today, and I recalled back when I was in high school, when a bunch of people died from receiving the swine flu vaccine.

wolf;560825 wrote:

We were talking about this a little today, and I recalled back when I was in high school, when a bunch of people died from receiving the swine flu vaccine.

sugarpop;560785 wrote:

Well that sounds like a lawsuit to me. Stupid ass hospital staff. Don't they know they can be sued for refusing treatment?

Pie;561147 wrote:

and has a true love of panic and pathos.

lookout123;561125 wrote:

MF. half of the people have backed out of our mexico trip for memorial day weekend. damn flu.

The name "cytokine storm" basically describes an over-reaction of a healthy immune system, that causes the body to attack itself. It can be triggered by many things, including viruses, although it's not common for human influenza A virus strains to cause it. Researchers suspect the cytokine storm effect played a roll in the 1918 flu pandemic, and may account for why that flu killed so many young adults, when normally, flu kills people with weak or underdeveloped immune systems: The very young, the old, the sick.
Based on the ages of many of the people dying in Mexico, there's been a lot of concern that the H1N1 swine flu virus is also killing via a cytokine storm effect, with the implication that this flu virus will be as deadly as the 1918 version. But, according to Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, it doesn't look like H1N1 swine flu is causing cytokine storms in its victims.

"The most pressing concern with swine H1N1 is not its ability to cause more severe disease, it is its ability to infect large numbers of humans because we don't possess any immunity to this particular novel virus strain. With respect to Mexico, I don't know...nor does anyone as far as I can tell...how many mild disease cases can be attributed to swine H1N1. I suspect there are a lot, in which case the number of deaths (as a percentage of total number of infected people) would be comparable to what we see with seasonal flu. I have no doubt that people have died of respiratory disease in Mexico, but I think we need much more information about how many total cases there are before we can say how virulent the virus is."

In other words, unless information gathering later tells us otherwise, you probably don't need to worry about cytokine storm with this flu virus.

It's also possible that Mexico City's air pollution sharpened the course of cases there.

Bullitt;561214 wrote:

The government of Mexico City just submitted a request for 5 million 4oz bottles of alcohol based instant hand sanitizer from the company a relative of mine works for. That's way more than they have stocked in the warehouse, and they don't know quite yet how long it would take to ramp up manufacturing to fill that order as soon as possible. That's over 156,000 gallons of Purell product.

Human Infections with Swine Influenza A Virus:
On April 17, 2009, CDC and the California Department of Public Health determined that two cases of febrile respiratory illness occurring in children who reside in adjacent counties in southern California were caused by infection with a swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. On April 22, CDC confirmed an additional three cases of swine influenza among residents of the two counties, two adults and one adolescent. All case-patients had symptoms of ILI. Additional testing at CDC identified swine influenza A (H1N1). All five had self-limited ILI and have recovered; one required hospitalization. Two additional cases were identified from Texas and confirmed as swine influenza at CDC on April 23.

Of the five case-patients with swine influenza A (H1N1) infection from California, two are a father and daughter and other than the father-daughter, the five case-patients have no known epidemiologic link or contact with pigs. The two new case-patients from Texas are schoolmates and an epidemiologic investigation is currently underway.

The viruses from all seven cases are closely related genetically and contain a unique combination of gene segments that have not been reported in the United States or elsewhere. Viruses from 6 cases are all resistant to amantadine and rimantidine and sensitive to zanamivir and oseltamivir, and sensitivity testing is underway for the remaining virus.

Vaccination with seasonal influenza vaccine containing human influenza A (H1N1) would not be expected to provide protection against swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses.

Additional information on swine influenza is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/index.htm

glatt;561420 wrote:

If it gets bad, I'll probably wear a mask on my commutes. I've got a ton of them for woodworking.

dar512;561423 wrote:

I'd check to see if woodworking masks are suitable. Are you sure they'd filter virus cells?

Illinois Logs Nine Probable Cases of Swine Flu
Story Created: Apr 29, 2009 at 2:30 PM CDT

CHICAGO (AP) - The head of the Illinois Department of Public Health says the state has logged nine probable cases of swine flu, all in northern Illinois.

Dr. Damon Arnold says five of the probable cases are in Chicago, while two are in Kane County and single cases are being reported in both Lake and DuPage counties. The people diagnosed range in age from 2 to 57.

Arnold says all of the cases so far have been mild and nobody has been hospitalized.

Arnold appeared at a news conference Wednesday called in the wake of Chicago's decision to close an elementary school after one student there was found to have a probable case of swine flu.

Arnold, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Gov. Pat Quinn and other officials all stressed that the state is working hard to prevent further illnesses.

Clodfobble;561517 wrote:

We have at least one confirmed case in a child here in Austin, and that kid's elementary school has been shut down for two weeks.

Tiki;561582 wrote:

Here's a helpful poster for combating swine flu hysteria:[/url]

glatt wrote:

You probably don't know this, but are they going to extend the academic year into the summer by two weeks? That's a long time to just close a school.

UHL explains 'What happens to my test for swine flu?'

As health care professionals across the state of Iowa test for swine influenza A, people may be wondering, "Who conducts the testing for swine flu and how are positives determined?"

The central hub for such testing in Iowa is the University Hygienic Laboratory, which is the state's public health and environmental lab. The Hygienic Laboratory was established by Iowa law and serves all 99 Iowa counties.

When suspected swine flu specimens are brought to the Hygienic Lab, located just north of Iowa City, the scientists and support staff follow these steps:

--Specimens are processed and prepared for analysis and assigned a bar-coded label for data entry.

--Once the specimens are in the virology section of the lab, scientists look for the influenza A virus.

--Once testing is complete, laboratory analysts verify results. Specimens received by the Hygienic Laboratory in the morning are generally ready for reporting by the end of the day.

--If the novel strain of influenza is suspected to be present, the specimen is sent on for confirmatory testing, which is currently being conducted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

--In the coming days, the Hygienic Laboratory expects to receive testing kits from the CDC so that confirmatory testing can be conducted in Iowa.

--If the CDC (and later the Hygienic Laboratory) confirms a positive for the novel strain of swine flu, CDC notifies the Hygienic Laboratory, which in turn notifies the Iowa Department of Public Health and the physician who ordered the test.

"In this process, it's important to remember that not every person who goes to the doctor not feeling well is tested for swine flu," said Christopher Atchison, director of the Hygienic Laboratory. "Physicians will determine if patients meet CDC criteria for testing before they collect specimens and send them to us. Besides the swine flu, regular seasonal influenza is still being detected by the lab."

Atchison said the Hygienic Laboratory is anticipating a surge in testing from this outbreak of a new strain of swine flu. Since the outbreak began, the laboratory has distributed approximately 1,900 specimen collection tubes to health care providers across the state.

"Health care providers are preparing for the onslaught of testing," said Michael Pentella, Ph.D., associate director of infectious disease testing at the Hygienic Laboratory. "Their efforts are very important."

STORY SOURCE: University Hygienic Laboratory, 102 Research Park, H101 OH, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-5002

Dear Members of the University of Iowa community:

As you've likely heard, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that the University Hygienic Laboratory has identified two probable cases of H1N1 influenza (sometimes referred to as "swine flu") within the state, both involving southeast Iowa residents or visitors. One person who may have been infected with the flu attended a conference in Coralville.

Neither person has required hospitalization, and the Johnson County Department of Public Health is not recommending post-exposure prophylaxis (preventive treatment with antiviral medications) for people who may have come in contact with the Coralville visitor.

Kitsune;561604 wrote:

Oh, god, that is so wrong.

...but it might suddenly end up in the breakrooms at my office later today. :D

Oh noes, I have contracted Bacon Lung!

capnhowdy;561330 wrote:

23 Month old child dies from swine flu in Texas town.:eek::eek:

This link has some interesting stuff.

xoxoxoBruce;561833 wrote:

Yeah, a Mexican kid that crossed into Texas for treatment, presumably with family or some other exposed adult(s). Thanks a lot.

A preliminary analysis of the H1N1 swine flu virus isolated from human cases in California and Texas reveals that six of the eight viral gene segments arose from North American swine flu strains circulating since 1998, when a new strain was first identified on a factory farm in North Carolina.

This genetic fingerprint, first released by Columbia University’s Center for Computation Biology and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton,[1] has now been reportedly confirmed by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and virologist Ruben Donis, chief of the molecular virology and vaccines branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Robert Webster, the director of the U.S. Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization, and considered the "godfather of flu research,"[2] is reported as saying "The triple reassortant in pigs [first discovered in the U.S. in 1998] seems to be the precursor."

Shawnee123;563830 wrote:

I'm thoroughly disappointed in this flu.

Seasonal influenza is deadly enough -- each year it is involved in 250,000 to 500,000 deaths globally. But most are the elderly or those with some kind of chronic disease that makes them more vulnerable to flu, such as asthma.

ELDERLY ADVANTAGE

The elderly seem to have some extra immunity to this new H1N1, which is a mixture of two swine viruses, one of which also contains genetic material from birds and humans. It is a very distant cousin of the H1N1 virus that caused the 1918 pandemic that killed 50 million to 100 million people.

A study published in the journal Nature on Monday confirmed that the blood of people born before 1920 carries antibodies to the 1918 strain, suggesting their immune systems remember a childhood infection.

The work by Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka also supports other studies that this new H1N1 strain does not stay in the nose and throat, as do most seasonal viruses.

"The H1N1 virus replicates significantly better in the lungs," Kawaoka said. Other studies have also shown it can cause gastrointestinal effects, and that it targets people not usually thought of as being at high risk.

"Obesity has been observed to be one of the risk factors for more severe reaction to H1N1" -- something never before seen, Kieny added. It is not clear if obese people may have undiagnosed health problems that make them susceptible, or if obesity in and of itself is a risk.

On Friday, a team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Michigan reported that nine out of 10 patients treated in an intensive care unit there were obese. They also had unusual symptoms such as blood clots in the lungs and multiple organ failure.

None have recovered and three died.

The CDC estimates at least a million people are infected in the United States alone and clinics everywhere are advised not to test each and every patient, so keeping an accurate count of cases will be impossible. The United States has documented 211 deaths and WHO counted 429 early last week.

TheMercenary;581325 wrote:

New flu resembles feared 1918 virus: study

[SIZE=2]Bacteria played role in 1918 viral flu deaths, scientists say[/SIZE]


[SIZE=2]Research on the 1918 flu pandemic indicates that the virus triggered a massive immune response that injured the lungs, allowing bacterial infection. Findings may influence preparations for pandemics.[/SIZE]

link

Gov't calls for volunteers to test swine flu shots

Jul 22 11:43 AM US/Eastern
By LAURAN NEERGAARD

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is calling for several thousand volunteers to roll up their sleeves for the first swine flu shots, in a race to test whether a new vaccine really will protect against the virus before its expected to rebound in the fall.
The National Institutes of Health's infectious disease chief, Dr. Anthony Fauci, (FOW'-chee) tells The Associated Press that scientists first will test different doses of the swine flu vaccine in healthy adults and, if there are no immediate safety concerns, quickly begin testing babies and children.

The studies will begin at eight medical centers around the country—in Baltimore; Iowa City, Iowa; St. Louis; Nashville; Seattle; Atlanta; Cincinnati and Houston.

glatt;583117 wrote:

amazing that it's so active after school is out.

Apparently this is what medical staff (semi-seriously) use to categorise their patients. You think you have flu. You're gazng out into the garden/ yard/ back wall. You see £20 fluttering in the breeze. If you go and get it, it's not flu.

A study linking squalene, as experimental vaccine adjuvant, to individuals with the clinical signs of Gulf War syndrome was published in 2002. The published findings strongly suggest that the squalene contaminated vaccines could be responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome symptoms seen in the study group, and recommended that a large scale epidemiological study be performed to verify or correct this.[4] Despite repeated assurances that the vaccine was safe and necessary, a U.S. Federal Judge ruled that there was good cause to believe it was harmful, and he ordered the Pentagon to stop administering it in October 2004.[5]

You can do your own research

jinx;586047 wrote:

Yes, I can. I thought maybe you'd know though. Not interested in opinion...

Hey merc, can you confirm/deny that the swine flu vaccine is using squalene as an adjuvant? Thanks in advance...

jinx;581547 wrote:

Seems like the more effective/less abused antibiotic route would make more sense than iffy vaccines then. Swine flu vax didn't work out too well last time, what with it killing more people than the flu and all...

A major unsolved challenge in adjuvant development is how to achieve a potent adjuvant effect while avoiding reactogenicity or toxicity.3 Most newer human adjuvants including MF59 [COLOR=Red](this is the one in the swine flu vaccine, just fyi)[/COLOR],4 ISCOMS,5 QS21,6 AS02,7 and AS048 have substantially higher local reactogenicity and systemic toxicity than alum. Even alum, despite being FDA-approved, has significant adverse effects including injection site pain, inflammation, and lymphadenopathy, and less commonly injection-site necrosis, granulomas, or sterile abscess.9
...

Because of frequent adverse reactions, the major human use of oil-in-water emulsions has been in therapeutic cancer and HIV vaccines29 although Adjuvant 65 was previously used in a prophylactic influenza vaccine.

Although potent, such adjuvants induced severe local reactions in some recipients.33


Originally, Syntex adjuvant (containing squalene oil, a non-ionic surfactant, poloxamer L121, and threonyl muramyl dipeptide) was developed as a replacement for CFA.39 However, this adjuvant proved too toxic for human use40 and Chiron subsequently developed MF59 adjuvant as an alternative.


Because of excessive reactogenicity and/or toxicity, the current version of MF59 used in an adjuvanted influenza vaccine (FLUAD) registered in Italy does not contain MTP but instead just squalene oil and surfactants.43,44 Published data suggests addition of MF59 only induces a modest (about 25%) increase in antibody levels in the elderly and no difference in younger individuals when compared to unadjuvanted influenza vaccine.4,45 Furthermore, there was little evidence that MF59 is antigen-sparing for influenza vaccines, since the same antigen dose is required for MF59 as for the unadjuvanted vaccine.4,45


Limitations of MF59. On the negative side, MF59, like all other oil-in-water adjuvants, is associated with major increases in injection site pain and reactogenicity.4 Another concern with squalene oil is its ability to induce chronic inflammatory arthritis in susceptible animal models.48 Susceptibility to squalene arthritis is genetically determined, raising the risk that adjuvants based on squalene oil may also induce or exacerbate inflammatory arthritis in genetically susceptible humans.48

Also in Europe, some manufacturers have conducted advance studies using a so-called “mock-up” vaccine. Mock-up vaccines contain an active ingredient for an influenza virus that has not circulated recently in human populations and thus mimics the novelty of a pandemic virus. Such advance studies can greatly expedite regulatory approval.

Cicero;592446 wrote:

I was listening to a radio show today....The host was saying that through "herding instinct" the herd will get vaccinated and leave everyone else to die. A new social class will develop that has been vaccinated vs the ones who have not.

I thought that was utter bullshit.

piercehawkeye45;592587 wrote:

120 people got it at the Minnesota state fair yesterday....

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/251761/

Shawnee123;592572 wrote:

So when the world mimics The Stand, which side will you be on? I want to be on the side that Gary Sinise is on, 'cause he was hawt in that movie!

Clodfobble;593265 wrote:

Is there a second page I'm not seeing? I don't see an endorsement to take the vaccine, but it also seems to end rather abruptly so I figure I must be missing something.

The flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza may not be worthwhile to treat seasonal influenza in healthy adults, British researchers reported on Friday. "Recommending the use of antiviral drugs for the treatment of people presenting with symptoms is unlikely to be the most appropriate course of action," wrote Jane Burch of the University of York and colleagues.


The drugs worked a little better in people who have a high risk of complications, such as patients with diabetes or asthma, with Relenza cutting sickness by almost a day and Tamiflu by three-quarters of a day, on average.

Do NOT Let Your Child Get Flu Vaccine -- 9 Reasons Why

Posted by: Dr. Mercola October 06 2009


This year it is more important that you protect your children and loved ones from the flu vaccines than influenza itself. This article on Lew Rockwell discusses how:

1. The swine flu is simply another flu. It is not unusually deadly.

2. This is the first time both seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines will be administered. Both seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines will require two inoculations. This is because single inoculations have failed to produce sufficient antibodies. This is an admission that prior flu vaccines were virtually useless. Can you trust them this time?

3. Adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost production of antibodies but may trigger autoimmune reactions. Some adjuvants are mercury (thimerosal), aluminum and squalene. Why would you sign a consent form for your children to be injected with mercury, which is even more brain-toxic than lead?

4. This is the first year mock vaccines have been used to gain FDA approval. The vaccines that have been tested are not the same vaccines your children will be given.

5. Over-vaccination is a common practice now in America. American children are subjected to 29 vaccines by the age of two. Meanwhile, veterinarians have backed off of repeat vaccination in dogs because of observed side effects.
6. Modern medicine has no explanation for autism, despite its continued rise in prevalence. Yet autism is not reported among Amish children who go unvaccinated.

7. Researchers are warning that over-use of the flu vaccine and anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza can apply genetic pressure on flu viruses and then they are more likely to mutate into a more deadly strain.
8. Most seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus strains tested from the United States and other countries are now resistant to Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Tamiflu has become a nearly worthless drug against seasonal flu.

9. Public health officials are irresponsible in their omission of any ways to strengthen immunity against the flu. No options outside of problematic vaccines and anti-flu drugs are offered, despite the fact there is strong evidence that vitamins C and D activate the immune system and the trace mineral selenium prevents the worst form of the disease.

2. This is the first time both seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines will be administered. Both seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines will require two inoculations. This is because single inoculations have failed to produce sufficient antibodies. This is an admission that prior flu vaccines were virtually useless. Can you trust them this time?

3. Adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost production of antibodies but may trigger autoimmune reactions. Some adjuvants are mercury (thimerosal), aluminum and squalene. Why would you sign a consent form for your children to be injected with mercury, which is even more brain-toxic than lead?

9. Public health officials are irresponsible in their omission of any ways to strengthen immunity against the flu. No options outside of problematic vaccines and anti-flu drugs are offered, despite the fact there is strong evidence that vitamins C and D activate the immune system and the trace mineral selenium prevents the worst form of the disease.

Clodfobble;599646 wrote:

So, yes, the statements are factual. Got it.

Both seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines will require two inoculations. This is because single inoculations have failed to produce sufficient antibodies. This is an admission that prior flu vaccines were virtually useless.

Why would you sign a consent form for your children to be injected with mercury, which is even more brain-toxic than lead?

Over-vaccination is a common practice now in America.

Meanwhile, veterinarians have backed off of repeat vaccination in dogs because of observed side effects.

Researchers are warning that over-use of the flu vaccine and anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza can apply genetic pressure on flu viruses and then they are more likely to mutate into a more deadly strain.

Tamiflu has become a nearly worthless drug against seasonal flu.

No options outside of problematic vaccines and anti-flu drugs are offered, despite the fact there is strong evidence that vitamins C and D activate the immune system and the trace mineral selenium prevents the worst form of the disease.

Are you going to tell me that there's nothing unhealthy about smoking Camel cigarettes, since I can't prove to you that Camels are significantly worse for you than Pall Malls?

piercehawkeye45 wrote:

This is worded horribly or is complete bullshit. Just because mercury is an adjuvalnt doesn't mean it is the one being used.

jinx;599669 wrote:

Is FluMist for swine or seasonal flu?

Afluria® is indicated for active immunization of persons age 18 and older against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B present in the vaccine. The indication is based on the immune response elicited by Afluria®; no controlled clinical studies have demonstrated a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with Afluria®.

FLULAVAL is indicated for active immunization of adults (18 years of age and older) against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B contained in the vaccine. This indication is based on immune response elicited by FLULAVAL, and there have been no controlled trials demonstrating a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with FLULAVAL. FLULAVAL is not indicated for use in children.

FLUARIX is indicated for active immunization of adults (18 years of age and older) against influenza disease caused by influenza virus types A and B contained in the vaccine. This indication is based on immune response elicited by FLUARIX, and there have been no controlled trials demonstrating a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with FLUARIX. FLUARIX IS NOT INDICATED FOR USE IN CHILDREN.

Influenza Virus Vaccine, Fluvirin vaccine, Types A and B (Surface Antigen) is a sterile parenteral for intramuscular use only. It is a purified sub-unit vaccine. Fluvirin vaccine is prepared from the extraembryonic fluid of embryonated chicken eggs inoculated with a specific type of influenza virus suspension containing neomycin and polymyxin. Multidose vial, 5-mL. Contains thimerosal, a mercury derivative (25 mcg mercury
per 0.5-mL dose). Thimerosal is added as a preservative.

Characteristics of Fluzone vaccine
* Fluzone vaccine contains three inactivated (killed) influenza viruses: type A (H1N1), type A (H3N2), and type B1,2
* Fluzone vaccine is a split virus vaccine; this type of vaccine is generally associated with fewer adverse reactions in children1,2
* Fluzone vaccine viruses are grown in chicken eggs and the final product contains small amounts of egg protein; therefore, it should not be given to anyone with hypersensivity to eggs or egg products1,2
* Fluzone vaccine is available in both pediatric (0.25mL per dose) and adult (0.5mL per dose) formulations1,2
* Fluzone vaccine is available with no thimerosal as a preservative (prefilled syringe) and with thimerosal as a preservative (multi-dose vial)1,2
* All presentations of Fluzone vaccine are latex free1,2


FluMist® is a vaccine indicated for active immunization of individuals 2 - 49 years of age against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B contained in the vaccine.
Each 0.2 mL dose contains 106.5-7.5 FFU (fluorescent focus units) of live attenuated influenza
virus reassortants of each of the three strains for the 2009-2010 season: A/South Dakota/6/2007
(H1N1) (an A/Brisbane/59/2007-like), A/Uruguay/716/2007 (H3N2) (an A/Brisbane/10/2007-like), and
B/Brisbane/60/2008. (3)
During the 2004-2005 flu season, a large study was done comparing FluMist to the flu shot. This study included over 4,000 children 2 years to 5 years of age. In this study, the group of children who received FluMist had fewer cases of flu than the group who received the flu shot. However, since flu strains change from year to year, past study results do not guarantee future flu season results.

In Adults, Shots are Best - NYT article

2009 H1N1 Vaccine
Every flu season has the potential to cause a lot of illness, doctor’s visits, hospitalizations and deaths. CDC is concerned that the new H1N1 flu virus could result in a particularly severe 2009-2010 flu season. Vaccines are the best tool we have to prevent influenza. CDC hopes that people will start to go out and get vaccinated against seasonal influenza as soon as vaccines become available at their doctor’s offices and in their communities. The seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against 2009 H1N1 influenza. However a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and may be ready for the public in the fall. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine – it is intended to be used along-side seasonal flu vaccine.

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel made up of medical and public health experts, met July 29, 2009, to make recommendations on who should receive the new H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. While some issues are still unknown, such as how severe the flu season, the ACIP considered several factors, including current disease patterns, populations most at-risk for severe illness based on current trends in illness, hospitalizations and deaths, how much vaccine is expected to be available, and the timing of vaccine availability.

The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine include:

Pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated;
Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants younger than 6 months old might help protect infants by “cocooning” them from the virus;
Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism in this population could reduce healthcare system capacity;
All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
Children from 6 months through 18 years of age because cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread, and
Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population; and,
Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
No shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine is expected

TheMercenary;599670 wrote:

They have both. But the only H1N1 vaccine out is in the mist form which should not be given to prego women.

FluMist must not be given to: people with history of hypersensitivity to eggs, egg proteins, gentamicin, gelatin, or arginine; people with life-threatening reactions to previous influenza vaccinations; and children and adolescents receiving aspirin or aspirin-containing therapy.
The following people either may not be able to get FluMist or may be able to get it only in certain situations: children less than 24 months of age; people with asthma or active wheezing, or children less than 5 years of age with recurrent wheezing; people with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome; people with a weakened immune system; people with long-term medical conditions including heart disease, kidney disease, and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes; and pregnant women.

jinx;599688 wrote:

What's the name of it?

Area health departments receive H1N1 vaccine
Healthy 2- to 4-year-olds given priority for nasal spray vaccine
Posted: October 7, 2009 - 12:15amAdvertisement
By Dana Clark Felty
Toddlers are most likely to spread colds and viruses and suffer worst from the flu, public health officials say.

That's why 2- to 4-year-olds will be the first to receive the area's first shipment of H1N1 vaccine.

"We know that 2- to 4-year-olds are a group that is experiencing a high rate of hospitalization from H1N1, and we know they're very effective at spreading germs," said Dr. Diane Weems, chief medical officer for the Coastal Health District.

The District's eight-county region will receive 3,200 doses this week, about 6 percent of the initial batch of 54,800 doses of vaccine received by the state.

Healthy children visiting public health clinics with their parents in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, McIntosh, Liberty and Long counties will be offered H1N1 vaccine in the form of nasal spray.

Late this week or next week, some doses will be distributed to private and nonprofit clinics that have expressed an interest in ordering vaccine for their patients, Weems said.

"The hope is that as parents take their children to their pediatricians office, they may be able to access the vaccine or talk to their pediatrician about the vaccine," she said.

More vaccine is expected in coming weeks, as nasal spray and injections.

Public health officials say the spray contains live flu virus, but cannot cause the flu. Side effects include low-grade fever, runny nose, nasal congestion and cough.

Spray vaccine takes less time than shots to produce, which is why it was the first to become available. Public clinics will not charge for the vaccine itself but may charge an administrative fee that can be billed to Medicaid, Medicare and some private insurance companies.

The spray vaccine requires two doses, about a month apart, for children younger than 10.

Local officials expect more shipments to arrive in time for patients to receive their second doses.

Facts about H1N1 vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend getting vaccinated as soon as vaccine is available. Area health departments now have H1N1 flu vaccine in the form of nasal spray for healthy children 2 to 4 years old.
-- The H1N1 vaccine does not prevent seasonal flu.
-- The nasal spray does not contain thimerosal or other preservatives some people believe are linked to autism.
-- The vaccine requires two doses - about a month apart - for children younger than 10.
-- Officials say the spray contains live flu virus, but cannot cause the flu.
-- Side effects include low-grade fever, runny nose, nasal congestion and cough.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In late July, the CDC abruptly advised states to stop testing for H1N1 flu, and stopped counting individual cases.

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.

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.

jinx;603021 wrote:

While the CDC claims that "Most flu cases are H1N1", even though

TheMercenary;603192 wrote:

Funny. I have heard nothing but the opposit. Most cases are and have always been the routine seasonal flu.

musikbox10;603485 wrote:

One of our local high schools has 25% of it's student body with confirmed H1N1 cases.

Rapid influenza diagnostic tests positive for A or A/B are highly predictive of novel H1N1. H1N1 is less likely if the rapid test is positive for B. Negative rapid tests do not rule out H1N1. Several commercial laboratories offer H1N1 PCR testing, but routine confirmatory testing is not necessary and treatment decisions should not be delayed pending off-site test results. Because of the widespread prevalence of the disease and finite capacity of the ADPH laboratory, ADPH must restrict testing to hospitalized patients, pregnant women, and a fixed number of patients seen weekly by a statewide network of designated practices. This approach will allow ADPH to confirm the diagnosis in severely ill persons and pregnant women and identify circulating influenza subtypes.

skysidhe;606758 wrote:

The only person I know who has gotten really sick is the only person I know who received the swine flu vaccine.

xoxoxoBruce;606932 wrote:

People that get the shot, let there guard down, engage in more risky behavior?

xoxoxoBruce;606932 wrote:

People that get the shot, let there guard down, engage in more risky behavior?

Shawnee123;607015 wrote:

Like having sex with swine? :p

classicman;607028 wrote:

only in o-HI-o

"Governments around the world have spent billions of pounds on a drug that the scientific community now finds itself unable to judge," said Dr Fiona Godlee, editor of the British Medical Journal

jinx;620316 wrote:

Doctors query ability of Tamiflu to stop severe illness
Review published in British Medical Journal accuses flu drug manufacturer Roche of withholding evidence from trials



Why? :eyebrow:

The 1918 flu epidemic was probably the deadliest plague in human history, killing more than 50 million people worldwide. Now it appears that a small number of the deaths may have been caused not by the virus, but by a drug used to treat it: aspirin.


Dr. Karen M. Starko, author of one of the earliest papers connecting aspirin use with Reye’s syndrome, has published an article suggesting that overdoses of the relatively new “wonder drug” could have been deadly.
What raised Dr. Starko’s suspicions is that high doses of aspirin, amounts considered unsafe today, were commonly used to treat the illness, and the symptoms of aspirin overdose may have been difficult to distinguish from those of the flu, especially among those who died soon after they became ill.
Some doubts were raised even at the time. At least one contemporary pathologist working for the Public Health Service thought that the amount of lung damage seen during autopsies in early deaths was too little to attribute to viral pneumonia, and that the large amounts of bloody, watery liquid in the lungs must have had some other cause.