Posted on 06/24/2009 8:04:24 AM PDT by metmom
One thing that we didn’t have two years ago for these threads is Twitter. Twitter, for all its faults, is outstanding in terms of getting real eye-witness information on what’s going on.
It’s just a thought. Twitter threads are actively followed, and reports from those tweets are then forwarded pretty quickly. Turns regular joes into on-scene reporters. The Iran thing is just one instance of its effectiveness. You can Tweet from within quarantine areas, etc.
RinaseaofDs is the correct freeper name to be added to the flu list I accidently left out the s in the previous post .
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com
Health officials await specifics for H1N1 flu plans
July 20, 2009
By SUSAN FRICK CARLMAN scarlman@scn1.com
School may be out and the days may be long and summery, but the flu virus that has swept the globe over the past three months hasn’t taken a vacation.
Reported cases of H1N1 influenza in Illinois had climbed to 3,357 last Friday, when the state released its weekly tally. The number represents a 74 percent increase over five weeks. DuPage County’s case count rose from 82 to 141 over the period; while Will County saw its total rise from 102 to 147, 19 of them in Naperville.
Of the 15 deaths traced to the virus statewide, 12 were in Cook County. None has occurred in either of the local counties.
As participants convened in Springfield last week for the 2009 Illinois Public Health and Emergency Preparedness Summit, focusing on what state health czar Damon T. Arnold called “pandemic preparedness plans,” area health officials continued preparing for an increase in people sickened by the flu strain when fall comes. At Edward Hospital in Naperville — where the influx of new cases has let up a bit since June — that means an ounce of prevention.
“Specifically we’re looking at our stockpile of infection protection,” said Mary Anderson, infection control manager, who noted that efforts are directed toward ensuring there are adequate stores of masks, gowns and gloves to ward off extensive sharing of the virus in-house.
“We’re anxiously awaiting news on vaccine for H1N1, but we are definitely making plans to prepare our staff for seasonal flu,” she added.
Although specifics are scarce, Anderson and other health professionals expect to begin public H1N1 flu shots by mid-October. The vaccine is currently in clinical trials, which are expected to last until early August.
In the interim, the DuPage County Health Department is assuming the role of information provider, along with preparing for any part it might eventually play in administering the vaccine.
“We have done a significant amount of planning already, and we are looking at how we’re going to staff a potential H1N1 outbreak in the fall ... we want to be able to inform the public,” said David Hass, public information officer.
The Will County Health Department also aims to be ready when the flu comes back, although media services manager Vic Reato said the effort remains in “a holding pattern” until more information comes through. In addition to the matter of timing, it is still unknown if priority will be given to specific target groups and whether the shots will be administered singly or in multiple doses.
“Also, we’re waiting to see: is public health going to be predominantly responsible for distributing the vaccine, or will there be other means?” Reato said. “Those are all things that need to be determined on the federal level before we can make definitive plans.”
For now, the area agencies are trying to be at the ready.
“It is a very, very top priority,” Hass said.
What can we expect from H1N1 this fall? Mayo Clinic expert looks south for answers.
Renee Tessman
http://www.kare11.com/life/community/health/healthfair_article.aspx?storyid=820237
Brace yourself. We could be in for a particularly nasty flu season this fall and winter.
We’re not talking about seasonal flu. This is the H1N1 variety.
From his office at the Mayo Clinic in southern Minnesota, flu pandemic expert, Dr. Greg Poland is keeping a close eye on the southern hemisphere and how H1N1 virus is spreading. Because while we’re in the midst of a sunny summer, it’s winter flu season there. Poland says, “We’re talking tens of thousands of cases and close to 1,000 deaths by now.”
He continues, saying, “One thing of concern early on in Argentina in part is they were seeing case fatality rates that were somewhere in the 2 to 2 1/2% range. Now in the U.S. our case fatality rate has been under, well under, 1%. About .4 to .5%. But 2 to 3% is the same case fatality rate that historians think happened in 1918.
The 1918 flu pandemic killed more than 600,000 in the U.S. So the question is, could H1N1 become as deadly?
Poland, who is a liaison on the Advisory Committee on Vaccination Practices and who is chair of the Pandemic Preparedness Panel for the Secretary of Defense, says there are concerns.
One is that in the southern hemisphere, H1N1 has completely replaced seasonal flu.
Poland says, “What’s happening down there is mimicking what was seen in 1918 and again in 1968. This pandemic virus is fitter and is outpacing, outcompeting, replacing all the seasonal virus.”
Plus there are a few H1N1 cases that have been resistant to the anti-viral drug Tamiflu.
Of course vaccine is being made for H1N1 but manufacturers say they may only get 30% to half the doses they originally hoped putting even more pressure on a tiered rationing system that would give health care workers and children the vaccine first.
Poland says many kids may get the vaccine in mass vaccination clinics at schools. He says, “Because it’s such an efficient way to immunize large numbers of kids that, after all, are the primary vectors for this virus.”
Because H1N1 is still considered milder here in the U.S. some have talked about getting exposed, a sort of H1N1 party, before the virus possibly gets worse in the fall. But Poland says that is a big no no because some healthy children have died from H1N1 in the U.S.
Plus, he says, transmitting the virus through more and more people is not a good idea because that’s how it mutates and changes. That could make it tougher to fight.
Some good news is a study recently showed as many as forty percent of people over age 50 and 60 may have some level of immunity to H1N1. That may be why we’re not seeing higher numbers of illness in older people.
Just spent the last 40 minutes doing just that.
The latest seems to be that the vaccine will likely not be available until ‘end of the year’. October seems to be out now.
Does anyone know whether the base of the vaccine will be egg whites as in common vaccines?
Some good informative sites On H1N1 which should have the answer to your ?’s
Here is a site with an interesting interactive map with the latest h1n1 articles.
http://outbreaks.globalincidentmap.com/home.php
Attached Images outbreaks.jpg (63.9 KB, 42 views)
Great Site A+
( The below site has personal accounts , preps , links , school closings & more )
Pandemic Alert
from you can find news reports , numbers , etc.. found here a great website .
Just click to get on the main forum
http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewtopic.php?t=3232&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=705
Another Good Site
Link where article came from
Another Great Site Just Go the the last page of the thread
Here ia a link to another site with good info on the flu
Comprehensive Flu Thread, Latest reports, States, Countries, Closings.
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=330395&page=59
http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Anti-Viral_Remedies_Influenza_6.html
Top Five Anti-Virals
Anti-Viral #1 - Super ViraGon
My favorite liquid anti-viral product remains Jon Barron’s Super ViraGon - a potent combination of garlic, olive leaf extract (a powerful anti-viral!), onion, ginger, zinc and other nutrients. I keep this in my own emergency supply of natural medicine.
It’s available from www.BaselineNutritionals.com for a very fair price (order five for the best discount).
Anti-Viral #2 - Fitura PowerImmune
The PowerImmune anti-viral tincture offered by Fitura (www.Fitura.com) combines organic Echinacea, Cat’s Claw, Shiitake Mushroom, Olive Leaf and many other ingredients (all organic). This is another “medicine chest” product I keep in good supply. It’s also good to travel with. I personally take a dropper full of this product each time I board an airplane.
Living in Ecuador, this is also a “first aid” product I keep with me in the Valley of Longevity. Of course, if a pandemic were to strike, I would just go to my garden and eat all the natural anti-virals located there, but if I’m caught traveling — or I need an extra boost of herbal concentrates, PowerImmune is one of my top choices.
Anti-Viral #3 - Lomatium Dissectum
This product is the “secret” anti-influenza herb that very few people know about, even in the natural health industry. The root of the Lomatium is perhaps Mother Nature’s “perfect” anti-influenza herb because its anti-viral action is combined with a respiratory clearing action that’s especially useful for dealing with the secondary infections caused by many strains of influenza.
The indigenous American Indians grew Lomatium and used it as medicine. If you live in the American Southwest (or other dry, hot climates), you can probably grow this medicine, too. It might be one of the best investments you can make in your own health defense, because herbs that are growing in your yard are always more potent than herbs found in bottles.
If you can’t grow it, of course, you’ll need to buy it. Here’s one recommendation of an existing Lomatium tincture:
Nature’s Answer has a 1-ounce tincture that’s available at Vitacost.com for a ridiculously good price (http://www.vitacost.com/Natures-Ans...). This product will probably be wiped out of inventory shortly after this special report goes public, so get some of this quickly if you want it in your natural medicine chest.
Anti-Viral #4 - HerbPharm Virattack Compound
Speaking of Lomatium, HerbPharm offers an herbal tincture that combines it with St. John’s Wort (also a powerful anti-viral), lemon balm, olive leaf and other powerful anti-viral herbs.
This is a superb combination. It’s really, really powerful in defending against influenza infections. Vitacost offers it at nearly half off the retail price (http://www.vitacost.com/Herb-Pharm-...).
I definitely recommend getting some of this. You might also wish to check your local health food stores to see what they have in stock. During a pandemic, I can practically guarantee you won’t be able to find any of these medicines, because people will engage in “panic buying” of these natural anti-virals. It’s smart to have a few on hand now, before the next pandemic strikes.
Anti-Viral #5 - Olive Leaf Extract
One taste of real olive life extract and you’ll be convinced: This is powerful stuff! The best-known phytochemical in olive leaves is oleuropein, a very potent antimicrobial medicine that also has natural anti-viral properties.
Your best value on a standardized extract, in supplement form, is the NSI brand from VitaCost (http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Olive-L...). I personally like the liquids better (http://www.vitacost.com/Natures-Ans...), but the taste is a big turn off for most consumers. If you’re not into chugging really bizarre-tasting liquids, go with the capsules instead.
Ideally, your best way to have this medicine nearby is to grow your own olive trees. To make the medicine, just gather leaves from the trees, wash them, add them to a large container of water and boil it into a concentrate. This liquid can be consumed internally or used topically. Seek the direction of a naturopathic physician, of course, before consuming this internally, and be especially cautious if you are pregnant.
The shelf life of most of these natural medicine products is about 1-2 years. That can be roughly doubled by refrigerating the products (highly recommended).
It sounds like a sci-fi horror movie: Farmed fish could turn your brain into goo! But there’s a scientific basis for this concern: It turns out that farmed fish are fed ground-up animal byproducts that could contain prions — the “folded proteins” that cause mad cow disease. Scientists are now concerned that these farmed fish could become prion carriers, and that people eating them could end up having their brains turned to goo (to use a non-technical term).
Read more in today’s story by Sherry Baker:
http://www.naturalnews.com/026666_disease_farmed_fish_mad_cow.html
Live teleconference with the Health Ranger: This Thursday at 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern), I’ll be hosting a live teleconference event, and you’re invited. (There’s no charge, and no registration needed.) Read the details here:
http://www.naturalnews.com/026667_health_Moxxor_Health_Ranger.html
Must-see video: You’ve got to see this disturbing video about the 1976 swine flu vaccine from a 60 Minutes report: (Unbelievable)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7oL7wdQqKQ
Most swine flu cases have a very high fever . Alot of swine flu cases have diarrhea and vomiting . Was your friend tested by a GP or was she told over the telephone that she had it ?
I read in England cases are being confirmed over the telephone . You & your friend’s symptoms seem very similar to allergies
or the common cold .
The PANDEMIC FLU INFORMATION FORUM
http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewtopic.php?t=3232&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=705
has doctors , nurses etc who post regular . They have posters from England , etc.. They have many news stories just from England etc.. The forum has an ask the moderators thread & a Personal reports & concerns - the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic thread .
I would ask them on the personal concerns thread if they thought it was swine flu or allergies etc..
Was your friend given a nasal swab to confirm it ? Because the main symptoms your friend didn’t seem to have . High Fever , Severe Body Aches ( Most cases people have been in bed sweating too hot , getting very chilled too cold , etc.. )
If you friend was given Tamiflu without having severe symptoms that can be an area of concern .
I’m glad your feeling better :)
Commentary
Tamiflu Resistant Pandemic H1N1 Spread to Canada and Japan
Recombinomics Commentary 04:15
July 22, 2009
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07220901/H274Y_Canada_Japan.html
“We know the exact, specific mutation, and this is a mutation that has been reported before in human viruses that were resistant to Tamiflu, so it’s not totally unexpected,” said Boivin.
Boivin said he suspects the Quebec father was already infected when he was given a low preventive dose of the antiviral drug Tamiflu.
The above comments describe another case of oseltamivir resistance in pandemic H1N1 swine flu. The description indicates the resistance is due to H274Y because all reported oseltamivir resistance since 2007 has been H274Y in H1N1. Earlier this month there were three cases described, and two of the three were also on prophylactic oseltamivir. However, since all cases have involved H274Y, the treatment may simply be aiding in the detection of H274Y, rather than selecting for de novo mutations. Sequence data reports consensus sequences, so a low level of H274Y would not be seen unless multiple clones were sequenced or levels increased due to the elimination of wild type H1N1 by oseltamivir treatment.
In addition to the H274Y in Quebec, a sequence released today from Yamaguchi Province in Japan also had H274Y. The characterization sheet provides little detail on the patient, but Yamaguchi Province gives detailed reports on each H1N1 confirmed case, and the reports give no support for the development of H1N1 in contacts under prophylactic treatment. Therefore, it is likely that the Yamguchi isolate is from a sample collected prior to Tamiflu treatment.
The sequence of A/Yamaguchi/22/2009 is distinct for the other two published sequences with H274Y. However, like A/Hong Kong/2369/2009, there are several NA sequences which are exact matches, other than position H274Y. These precursors are widespread, and the earliest isolate is from the United States (Sullivan county in New York), and all subsequent isolates are from other countries (Japan, China, Brazil) once again raising questions about surveillance of mild H1N1 cases in the United States. In Japan there have been no reported pandemic H1N1 deaths and most of the cases in in Yamaguchi province have been mild and patients have recovered without hospitalization.
These two cases of resistance raises the total to five and all involve H274Y, the same polymorphism reported in seasonal H1N1, where the level quickly rose to 100% last season and is reported at 100% in the southern hemisphere this season. The presence of H274Y on seasonal H1N1, which is co-circulating with pandemic H1N1, offers the opportunity of recombination between seasonal and pandemic H1n1 to allow the H274Y to jump from seasonal H1N1 to pandemic H1N1.
The reports of H274Y in five patients this month raises concerns that the frequency will rise in the near term, with recombination and genetic hitchhiking driving the levels to 100%, due in part to widespread use of oseltamivir and in part to the large reservoir of H274Y in seasonal flu.
I'm glad that you , your family & friends are all doing well :)
Thanks , DvdMom
Here’s another case in England with a really high fever , & breathing issuses .
Most of the severe cases I read about also have HIGH fever as a common symptom .
UK:
Dad tells of son’s swine flu hell
Date: 22 July 2009
By Chris Wilkinson
http://www.wigantoday.net/wigannews/Dad-tells-of-son39s-swine.5482593.jp
A Wigan dad has spoken of his worry as he watched his 10-year-old son suffer a bout of swine flu.
Derek Fairhurst was so concerned about son Josh’s health that he spent two sleepless nights watching over him as the youngster fought the virus at their Bamfurlong home.
Worryingly, Mr Fairhust was first told that Josh was not suffering from swine flu but a viral infection and was prescribed pain killers rather than the anti-viral drug Tamiflu.
But, five days after Josh fell ill and was sent home from Abram Bryn Gates Primary School, his GP conceded that he probably had fallen victim to the illness given his symptoms.
He is now recovering at home and through the worst of the illness.
Mr Fairhurst said: “He was a mess for two nights, his temperature was sky high and his breathing was bad.
“For the first few days he was being sick and had diarrhoea, he couldn’t keep anything down and was screaming in pain because of his stomach.
“It got to a point where it was pretty frightening.”
Josh began complaining of aches in his back and legs on the Friday of his penultimate week in school.
His dad picked him up and the exhausted youngster collapsed on the sofa as soon as he got home.
Over the following hours his condition worsened prompting Mr Fairhurst to contact an on-call doctor, only to be told that Josh was most likely suffering from a viral infection as swine flu had yet to reach Wigan.
That diagnosis was changed five days later and after several days of confusion apparently caused by the shift in management of the pandemic from ‘containment’ to ‘treatment’, Josh was prescribed Tamiflu.
It has been a difficult time for Mr Fairhurst, a single dad who also cares for his mentally disabled daughter Jenna, 23.
He said: “You are tied to your house, people won’t come to you because they are frightened that they will contract the illness and you can’t go out to get groceries and the things you need.
“It has been an absolute nightmare.”
But, he is most sad because Josh missed his last week at primary school.
Mr Fairhurst said: “He has never had a day off school before and now he has missed out on all the fun of his last week.
“Unfortunately it is just one of those things and there’s nothing we can do about it, but he is really disappointed.”
********Boivin said he suspects the Quebec father was already infected when he was given a low preventive dose of the antiviral drug Tamiflu.
_________
Do you know if there are different dosage amounts of Tamiflu? And it should be taken at the FIRST sign of flu symptoms (fever, aches, etc.)
I thought it was all the same dosage amount.
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