About Swine Flu

[summerw77]

Hi all! I'll be on more now since I have pulled my 1 year old out of daycare due to swine flu. We discussed it with his pulmonologist and he said since he now has reactive airway disease (thanx RSV) it would be best to limit his exposure to other kids during swine flu and other respitory issues. He is now on steriods and albuterol daily so this should help him be sick less. I know I am NOT doing the vaccine, there is a lot of debate about the ingredients in it. For one it has thimerisol, a mercury based ingredient. For 2, it has squalene an adjuvant that the pharmaceutical companies have been granted protection by the US Government to NOT be able to be sued over because it triggers a bad immune response. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDeta ... yid=260781

I'm not happy about having to spend 6 months inside. I can't go to work except a couple days a week when dh is off. I'm going to get very depressed I think. This REALLY sucks. Also, they had a story on the news the other night that a regular flu shot is showing an increased risk for swine flu? Anyone else see that? I dont care because I never do flu shots and never will but wish I'd have caught the whole story.

[caryn]

Holly, my insurance company is requiring me to get both, or pay higher premiums. It's one of those preventative care things; I think my other choices involved sitting through 10 hours of classes on nutrition or hiring a lifestyle counselor. And I'm normal weight and normal bp and normal cholesterol.

[surefoott]

Both of my college stepdaughters have had "the flu"; they each live in their respective college towns, but what is interesting is that the Health Unit doesn't even want to see them; they just prescribe something to help with the symptoms over the phone. Both were told 24 hours after the fever that they could go back to school/work; and now both have colds. They each live in apartments, but some of the dorms have been quarntineed, yet none of the kids have been seen by the doctor! We have had some people here at work with flu but when going to the doctor, found it was another flu and not H1N1. My mother had a bad reaction to a flu shot years ago so I have never got them! My kids have, though; but I don't know about the H1N1 vaccine!

[kdreher]

Michael has had flue shot #1 and has to get the second one. I am not yet sure about the H1N1 for any of us. I will be getting the flu shot next week.

[hols537]

Another question - what are your docs saying about the vaccine? Will your kids be getting it? Will you?

[hols537]

Sorry to hear Oscar's got croup. Hope he's feeling better quick!

[caryn]

The H1N1 strain is almost the only one out there at the moment, probably because we have very little immunity in the population at the moment but lots of us have some immunity to the seasonal flu. Which is why swine flu's getting all the coverage. :-)

In the meantime, Oscar's down with the croup today, which IIRC usually means he's been infected with influenza virus. Oh joy.

[kdreher]

I have to admit that I'm tired of al the hype and people not being informed. I think adults need to take the time to go to the CDC site and read up on it and how to prevent it.

We had 90 cadets come down with flu like symptoms and 45 test positive - this summer at work. the 45 were treated, in isolation from other cadets/staff, and released in less than one week. Some were released within 24-48 hrs - no one died or required hospitalization. Our drs work closely with the CDC and found that the spores die off in 8 hrs if anyone who has the H1N1 comes in contact with say a desk, and that while they are using the 24 hr rule they are finding that now it can be up to 7 days once determined to test positive..but many schools etc are using teh 24 hr rule of being fever/symptom free.

The seasonal flu is a much harsher strain then H1N1. We will vaccinate with the flu and Im not yet sure about H1N1 mainly due to this vaccine being so new. The biggest prevenative is proper handwashing, coughing into crook of arm/elbow and not hand, etc.

People don't realize that the seasonal flu is much worse and that just last year over 36,000 people die from complications...yet the news is making people nuts over the H1N1. We have measures in place at work and very knowledgable ppl as well.

We will probably spend a lot of time this winter at home with Michael having asthma, but he does go to daycare. I am not worried at all but will be very cautious and try to fend any illness off as much as possible.

[hols537]

I just read this on the CDC site http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/ ... ans_qa.htm:

Can partients who are allergic to eggs receive the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine?
Asking persons if they can eat eggs without adverse effects is a reasonable way to determine who might be at risk for allergic reactions from receiving influenza vaccines. Persons who have had symptoms such as hives or swelling of the lips or tongue, or who have experienced acute respiratory distress after eating eggs, should consult a physician for appropriate evaluation to help determine if influenza vaccine should be administered. Persons who have documented (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity to eggs, including those who have had occupational asthma related to egg exposure or other allergic responses to egg protein, also might be at increased risk for allergic reactions to influenza vaccine, and consultation with a physician before vaccination should be considered. A regimen has been developed for administering influenza vaccine to asthmatic children with severe disease and egg hypersensitivity (J Pediatr 1985;106:931-3.).

[mellybute]

I plan on hibernating!! LOL With a seven week old and a 3 1/2 year old that cannot get the regular flu shot because he is allergic to eggs, it is scary!! They have already closed a preschool here completely because 6 children were sick, one confirmed swine flu. I called my son's pediatrician and they don't know what the H1N1 vaccine will be made with. Do any of you know?? I am crossing my fingers that it isn't eggs so my son can get the vaccine.