Flu Epidemic

Flu Epidemic.  Shortage On Vaccine.  Shortage On Tamiflu. 01/12/2013 0 Comments Flu Epidemic: Hospitals Crack Down On Workers Who Refuse Shots CHICAGO — Patients can refuse a flu shot. Should doctors and nurses have that right, too? That is the thorny question surfacing as U.S. hospitals increasingly crack down on employees who won't get flu shots, with some workers losing theirjobs over their refusal. "Where does it say that I am no longer a patient if I'm a nurse," wondered Carrie Calhoun, a longtime critical care nurse in suburban Chicago who was fired last month after she refused a flu shot. Hospitals' get-tougher measures coincide with an earlier-than-usual flu season hitting harder than in recent mild seasons. Flu is widespread in most states, and at least 20 children have died. Most doctors and nurses do get flu shots. But in the past two months, at least 15 nurses and other hospital staffers in fourstates have been fired for refusing, and several others have resigned, according to affected workers, hospital authorities and published reports. read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/12/flu-vaccine-nurses_n_2464663.html Flu Epidemic: Officials, Drug Stores Say Call Ahead Before Getting Vaccine The heightened demand for the flu vaccine has caused some providers to run out of doses, however officials said there are still plenty to go around and are encouraging people to call ahead before driving to a local clinic to get immunized. National drug store chain Rite Aid is moving some of its supplies around to make sure each of their locations remain stocked, spokeswoman Ashley Flower said. "In select areas, just like everybody else, we are experiencing a reduced amount of shots," Flower told ABC News Radio. "We would certainly advise our customers to call their local Rite Aid before coming in to see what the status of the vaccine is at their location." read more at http://abcnews.go.com/Health/flu-epidemic-officials-drug-stores-call-ahead-vaccine/story?id=18198019 Flu Widespread Flu widespread in 47 of 50 United States, but eases off in some areasThe flu is rapidly spreading across the nation, widespread in all but three states: California, Mississippi and Hawaii. But there's a tiny bit of good news — it's backing off a bit. It may have already peaked in some parts, like the Southern states. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/flu-spreads-u-s-eases-areas-article-1.1238794#ixzz2Hp4yBwnD

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New Report On Swine Flu (H1N1)

The following story is timely and tells the wide-reaching story about the possible effects of the new school season and Swine Flu (H1N1). The source is www.WPXI.com.
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In an e-mail to students Monday night, CMU officials said there have been 18 students in the last week who have contacted Student Health Services with flu-like symptoms.

University officials said they do not test for the H1N1 virus at CMU because the tests are too expensive, and it takes too long to get test results back from Centers for Disease Control. By the time the test results come back, the patient in question has already recovered from their flu symptoms, officials said.

"Students who live off campus have been asked to stay home and avoid contact with others, while students in residential housing who do not come from areas near Pittsburgh are being taken care of by staff members in Student Health Services, Housing, Dining and Student Affairs," a CMU e-mail said. "In accordance with the latest directive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), students will remain in isolation until they are fever-free for 24 hours after they have stopped taking fever-reducing medications."

One student told Channel 11 News that half of the people on her floor are sick. "I just got over a cold. I think it's because orientation was so overwhelming. And we shook like 1,500 people's hands," said CMU freshman Olivia Harris. "Bad idea."

Another student said he just returned from India, where they're shutting down an entire city due to the swine flu. He said he appreciates the university taking the necessary precautions.

"I think it's good informative e-mail and people should know about it," said Shashank Pradahn.

To reduce the risk of an outbreak, health officials urge students, faculty and staff who feel ill with flu-like symptoms to monitor their temperature. Those who develop a fever of 100 degrees or more should isolate themselves from others and stay out of classes, officials said. They are also urged to immediately call Student Health Services.

On Tuesday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that a massive school closing wouldn't stop the spread of the swine flu virus, saying vaccinations must be the defense against a menace that one report said could infect up to half of the population.

"What we know is that we have the virus right now traveling around the United States," Sebelius said in a nationally broadcast interview. "And having children in a learning situation is beneficial ... What we learned last spring is that shutting a school down sort of pre-emptively doesn't stop the virus from spreading."

Sebelius appeared on NBC's "Today" show one day after a special presidential advisory panel presented a grim report to the Obama White House, saying among other things that a "plausible scenario" for the United States later this year is wide-scale infections, possibly 30,000 to 90,000 deaths, mostly among young children and young adults, and perhaps as many as 300,000 sick enough to require intensive care unit treatment at hospitals.

The fall resurgence in swine flu could occur as early as September, with the beginning of the school term, and the peak infection may occur in mid-October, officials said.

Health Officials Admit Swine Vaccine Could Cause Deaths

Burning question...will the Swine Flu Vaccine cause dealths like it did in the '70s? Like adding fuel to the already out-of-control, burning fire, here is the answer...

"Czech Republic Refuses Baxter Swine Flu Vaccine On Safety Grounds
Health officials admit fast tracked shots could cause deaths

Government health officials in the Czech Republic have refused to buy H1N1 flu vaccines from US pharmaceutical firm Baxter International, citing safety concerns.

According to a report by the Czech News Agency CTK, one of the largest English language news outlets in the country, the Czech Health Ministry has halted talks with Baxter citing “the firm’s inability to guarantee that the vaccine is safe and who will bear the risks for possible side-effects.”

The country plans to buy vaccines to cover 25 percent of its population of ten million, but has said it will not buy swine flu vaccine from Baxter before it has acquired a European registration.

“It is a pity, but, unfortunately, at the moment when we accepted the bids, Baxter was unable to confirm that it will deliver a registered vaccine,” Health Minister Dana Juraskova said.

Instead, the country will likely buy its supplies from Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline, but only after the vaccines have undergone regular clinical tests and gained European Medicines Agency registration.

In another CTK report, Deputy Health minister Marek Snajdr was quoted as saying the vaccine “may have side effects and it may even cause death if used”.

Confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in the country remain below 150, according to all estimates, and no one has died from the virus."

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