Posted on 08/24/2009 11:41:07 AM PDT by Brugmansian
It turns out that age and immune-system strength may not be a factor with this virus. That’s because, just like the SARS and avian flu outbreaks, it's believed the problem is not so much the virus itself but how your body responds to it.In past flu pandemics, young and healthy adults who were more likely to be affected than the very young or elderly. This is because their bodies showed an overreaction of their immune response, with respiratory-system inflammation that was ultimately deadly. A stronger immune system fighting those infections meant an overly strong response and greater odds of fatality.
But not to add to the hype, keep in mind that the cases reported so far in the United States have been mild. For those deaths in Mexico, it’s uncertain why young and healthy people are dying. One theory is the virus has already mutated into a stronger version; public health officials are investigating. It's also important to note that antiviral medications such as Tamiflu are showing to be effective in treating this swine flu; there were no such medications in the 1918 pandemic.
Okay, that's what I needed to know. Thanks.
Now, back to last night's question: Does a case last spring give immunity for the fall, even if minor mutations have occurred; or is the new shot better protection?
Apologize for not replying. Saw the question, thought about it, meant to look around and see what the CDC and doctors say but didn't. So I don't know. If I had it I probably wouldn't bother with a shot but that's partly due to just being lazy about these things.
Oh and thanks for helping me clarify the bias. I should have immediately said that if the confirmed case bias is the same every year, differences in how deadly a virus is are obvious year over year. Its a doh for me for not being clear in the first post.
And while all this may be true, what you fail to mention is the recommendation of the CDC for a course of 2 vaccinations this flu season... the seasonal flu as one visit and the H1N1 as two separate injections given three weeks apart. I don’t see a dedicated follow-up after the first.
I personally don’t trust mass vaccination in public schools, either. I will not consent to have my children inocculated this way.
And to those who have asked about swine flu associated deaths... yes. They were young and healthy before on ventilators, then gone.
I don’t doubt H1N1 is a threat, but I do doubt a gov’t preferred pharm. co’s ability to develop a safe and effective vaccine in <6 mos from outbreak to administration.
Yes it is. Wasn't aware of the intensity of it. It is disheartening. SARS is the one which bugs me. A lot of money and effort went into containing it, some in China risked the wrath of the communist government by exposing it and today SARS is used as an example of "see it was all hype!".
Appreciate the comments.
My friend is not one to jump to conclusions. He is very level headed.
Not a problem; the unclear is carified, and that’s what counts.
The wife & I both had a nasty case late Spring.
Considering our track records with vs without flu shots, I’d rather avoid them, unless doing so is higher than the normal annual risk.
Not a vaccinophobe; small pox was always up to date; hepatitis, tetanus, and others were too. We’ve both just always have a bad reaction to flu shots, and usually fair better without them.
An that's certainly not an irrational doubt.
I’m going to have to wait until the actual vaccine is chosen and they begin to administer it before I can make up my mind. I want to see which company gets the bid, how they make it and what they make it out of before my kids get the jab.
I *do* want my kids to get vaccinated, especially my son. When my daughter and I get sick, it’s normal. We’ll get a virus and get a low-grade fever and snuffy for about a week, then we’re fine. When my son gets the same virus, his immune system goes into instant overdrive. Fever of 102-104, desperately ill. In a day or two, he’s 100% while his sister and I are still snuffing.
He’s exactly the type that is in the most danger from this flu. Over-reactive immune system. Good in most cases, not so good with SARS and Swine Flu.
But the shots scare me. I don’t think that the long-term effects are found out until it’s much too late. Baxter’s little stunt of putting live bird flu virus in their flu vaccines last winter has made me straight-up paranoid.
I’ve never bought into the conspiracy theory that “THEY” want to reduce the population with a vaccine - but now I’m actually starting to buy into a it. At least I’m starting to see the patterns enough to make me wary.
I might have to get my son vaccinated because he’s just too damn vulnerable to the virus, but let my daughter skip it. She’s refusing any more shots anyway. (She’s almost 18, so I’m going to let her make up her own mind on this one.)
Perhaps I’m missing something. Those 25 deaths were in the 1970s for a different vaccine for a different strain of the swine flu.
“But I’m seeing too many people down-right scared silly about this. Concern is healthy. Panic is not.”
The CDC is doing what they are supposed to do. My recommendation would be avoiding the 24 hour news channels.
I do. I know of two whole families impacted. 3 members in one family alone...and my nephew. A member in my military unit just got back from the midwest...attending a funeral for his mid-50's brother who died from this.
In Argentina...the mortality rate was near 2%. We are seeing it near 1%. You obviously aren't looking if you aren't seeing anything. Maybe its where you live. Some places are having a harder time than others.
That’s my point. No coverage now or 33 yrs ago about the vaccine related injuries or deaths.
The 1918 pandemic was pre-infection control or Tamiflu or even 24 hr emergency room access. Not even an IV.
I don’t even think the info given about this strain of flu has been truthful. The news out of Mexico in April had details of this being a mutated variation of 4 different viruses transferred to a human host. (Aerosolization to a population outside one of the largest populations on the planet, Mexico City?)Can we say man-made? 4 different strains mutating to one neat and tidy virus to become a global pandemic?
I am by no means a conspiracy theorist, just very skeptical about a virus with genetic variants from North American Mexican influenza, North American avian influenza, human influenza, and swine influenza virus typically found in Asia and Europe finding it’s way to a tiny town in Mexico and spreading to a small boy from a pig farm next to his corrugated tin shack?? Really? Seriously?
What do we hear about this mutation now? Nada!
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