Posted on 10/21/2009 8:04:06 AM PDT by MsLady
(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 Center for Disease Control, 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.
Why the uncertainty about who has and who hasn't 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)."
On Aug. 4, CBS News asked the CDC for e-mail communications to states and other documents regarding the guidance and its rationale. When CDC did not provide us with the documents, such as state-by-state numbers prior to halting testing and tracking, 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.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/21/cbsnews_investigates/main5404829.shtml
Dang, I tried to make a link. I failed again :( one of these days.....
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/21/cbsnews_investigates/main5404829.shtml
Another government foul-up and cover-up. First they declare an epidemic, then specifically prevent the counting of cases. Somebody got flush out of this one.
>CDC is no longer reporting case counts for novel H1N1<
Because it’s mostly hype and the public knows this?
Or is it to keep fear of the unknown alive?
Any confirmation of this from a reliable news source?
Almost certainly.
Tragically a 4 year old child just died in my city. Her sister had previously been diagnosed with the swine flu so when the younger child got sick the assumption was made she had the same illness.
I’ve been told that the child actually had a bacterial infection.
The hysteria over swine flu MIGHT have contributed to this very sad and tragic death. I emphasize it MIGHT have contributed.
Cases of flu—especially the more common seasonal flu—are ALWAYS overestimated. Anyone reporting sick to an ER or a doctor with a cold or flu-like symptoms during flu season is deemed to have the flu. Most do not have the flu at all, but the common cold or just plain tiredness.
The REAL problem is when the overestimate of pandemic flu incidence are used by a corrupt government to justify martial law-like measures against their citizenry. That is a SERIOUS disease, but not one caused by a virus.
>The hysteria over swine flu MIGHT have contributed to this very sad and tragic death.<
It’s possible.
If the docs have made up their mind it’s flu, they will not give antibiotics to the patient because everyone knows antibiotics will not get rid of a virus.
Definitely, they do, and when I called my daughter in to school the other day, they immediately assumed it was Swine Flu. “No,” I told them, “it’s the normal one.” The school secretary almost sounded disappointed.
Ok, I have my tinfoil hat on now. I've heard even Glen Beck say there are no interment camps or designated places for quarantine in America. I don't know that I believe that. If they did it to Japanese American's during WWII. And the way our government has treated American Indians in the past. Why wouldn't they do the same type of thing now? Especially under this administration.
Who stands to gain and how if the Rosie O'Donnell (aka Swine, H1N1) flu numbers are inflated? If we can answer that question we might be able to figure out why there is such hysteria...
I sincerely doubt CBS will say these words on the air!
Millions will get the swine flu. They won’t even have symptoms! They won’t even know they had the swine flu, it is that mild.
This is VERY strange and suspicious.
But it’s a good sign that CBS decided to investigate it and publicize the results. This one is going out to my list.
The way it was done, there’s not much doubt that the decision to stop testing was a political decision. Abrupt, without explanation, contrary to obvious medical principles, and in the face of state objections.
I suggest that we pass this one on to Drudge.
Gun owners are more susceptible to the H1N1 virus. Film at eleven./
I’m being sarcastic, but I do agree with your point.
P.S. I forgot to mention the closer: that CBS News filed a freedom of information request two months ago for an explanation of what happened, and they still haven’t heard back.
Most transparent administration in history.
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