Swine flu: what you should know about the vaccine and protection
Filed under: Healthcare, Sanofi Aventis
Swine flu is being billed as a potential killer this winter, but health officials still tell us the best public defense is washing our hands. Everyone should get H1N1 flu shots, the feds say, yet media reports warn there may not be enough vaccine. Some suggest the seasonal flu shot actually increases the chances of getting swine flu, while others say it reduces the chances. Confused? Scared? If so, you're not alone.With this in mind, DailyFinance looked into some of the concerns and realities surrounding the virus and how best we can protect ourselves. Here's what we found out:
Concern: H1N1 vaccine won't be available for a long time.
Reality: It's already here. The first doses of swine flu vaccine arrived Monday.
Concern: There won't be enough H1N1 vaccine for everyone in time for flu season.
Reality: Of the 250 million doses of vaccine in both spray and injectable forms ordered, 600,000 doses of nasal FluMist were being shipped this past week. We have a ways to go. Many states and hospitals say they are getting far fewer vaccines in the first batch shipped than originally anticipated.
For example, Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, one of the first hospitals in New York City to receive the H1N1 vaccine, so far received only 500 doses of the 120,000 doses ordered. Meanwhile, 37 states are reporting widespread activity of influenza.
Visits to doctors for influenza, hospitalization rates for influenza and the proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza are higher than normal -- and increasing, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It seems then that while all the ordered vaccines may eventually arrive, they've already missed the beginning of the season.
Concern: Seasonal flu vaccine increases the chances of getting H1N1.
Reality: Mexico released a study suggesting seasonal flu vaccine offers some protection against H1N1 vaccine. Canada said it found the opposite: that seasonal flu vaccine lowers the immunity against H1N1. This is one question that is still open, although many dub the Canadian study as the "Canadian Problem," as it hasn't offered the data for review yet.
The likely scenario, many agree, is that seasonal flu vaccine actually provides no benefit and no harm against swine flu.
Concern: There are differing reports over whether to get the H1N1 vaccine or the seasonal flu vaccine, or both.
Reality: Right now, the CDC recommends getting both shots when they become available as the strains are different and despite the H1N1 flu likely to be the most common one this season, CDC still expects that seasonal flu will also circulate.
Concern: The Health and Human Services Department says everyone should get vaccinated, but there aren't enough vaccines.
Reality: For the different flus, there are different groups at risk.
Concern: It's not clear whether it's better to get the vaccine in the form of a shot or nasal spray.
Reality: A recent study recently found that standard shots were twice as effective against regular seasonal flu as the newer nasal spray. It's important here to emphasize that the study was about regular seasonal flu vaccine, not the H1N1 vaccine.
Experts say both kinds might be equally effective against the swine flu in children and adults.
Concern: There's little clarity on whether to get one or two doses.
Reality: To date, most studies (the most recent one from Sanofi Aventis (SNY)) suggest that a single dose would be enough for most of the population, although the exception is young children through 9 years of age, who should get two doses of vaccine, about a month apart. Older children and adults need only one dose, the CDC vaccine information statement says.
Concern: Getting the vaccine creates other problems.
Reality: There has also been some misleading information from some anti-vaccine groups as well as fears tracing back to the vaccine fiasco in 1976 when a swine flu vaccine caused the Guillain-Barré syndrome. But the CDC and HHS assure the public, especially parents who are asked to immunize their kids as they are in the higher risk group (19 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported this week alone), that the vaccine has been tested and is as safe as seasonal flu vaccine.
Concern: Hand washing can't be the best prevention method we have besides the vaccine.
Reality: It's been hammered into us ever since swine flu gained pandemic status that washing hands is the best way to prevent infection. But CNN aired reports expressing doubts about hand washing as a preventative measure. "Washing hands really is wonderful for preventing many diseases, such as the common cold, but it's not very helpful to prevent influenza," Arthur Reingold, professor of epidemiology at the University of California-Berkeley, told the network.
A spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN that, indeed, there isn't strong evidence that hand washing fights H1N1. It seems a simple sneeze takes all that hand washing out the window. That said, don't stop washing your hands as it is still the best and simplest available option we have (barring avoiding any public places).
Reality: Of the 250 million doses of vaccine in both spray and injectable forms ordered, 600,000 doses of nasal FluMist were being shipped this past week. We have a ways to go. Many states and hospitals say they are getting far fewer vaccines in the first batch shipped than originally anticipated.
For example, Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, one of the first hospitals in New York City to receive the H1N1 vaccine, so far received only 500 doses of the 120,000 doses ordered. Meanwhile, 37 states are reporting widespread activity of influenza.
Visits to doctors for influenza, hospitalization rates for influenza and the proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza are higher than normal -- and increasing, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It seems then that while all the ordered vaccines may eventually arrive, they've already missed the beginning of the season.
Concern: Seasonal flu vaccine increases the chances of getting H1N1.
Reality: Mexico released a study suggesting seasonal flu vaccine offers some protection against H1N1 vaccine. Canada said it found the opposite: that seasonal flu vaccine lowers the immunity against H1N1. This is one question that is still open, although many dub the Canadian study as the "Canadian Problem," as it hasn't offered the data for review yet.
The likely scenario, many agree, is that seasonal flu vaccine actually provides no benefit and no harm against swine flu.
Concern: There are differing reports over whether to get the H1N1 vaccine or the seasonal flu vaccine, or both.
Reality: Right now, the CDC recommends getting both shots when they become available as the strains are different and despite the H1N1 flu likely to be the most common one this season, CDC still expects that seasonal flu will also circulate.
Concern: The Health and Human Services Department says everyone should get vaccinated, but there aren't enough vaccines.
Reality: For the different flus, there are different groups at risk.
According to the CDC, people who should get a seasonal flu shot include:
- Adults 50 and older.
- All children age 6 months to 18 years.
- Pregnant women.
- People with chronic health problems like asthma, heart disease or a weakened immune system.
- Health care workers.
- Caregivers of people at high-risk, including babies younger than 6 months of age.
Those first in line for swine flu shots should be:
- pregnant women,
- people who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and day care providers),
- health care and emergency medical services personnel,
- people 6 months through 24 years of age, and,
- people 25 years through 64 years of age who have certain medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.
Concern: It's not clear whether it's better to get the vaccine in the form of a shot or nasal spray.
Reality: A recent study recently found that standard shots were twice as effective against regular seasonal flu as the newer nasal spray. It's important here to emphasize that the study was about regular seasonal flu vaccine, not the H1N1 vaccine.
Experts say both kinds might be equally effective against the swine flu in children and adults.
Concern: There's little clarity on whether to get one or two doses.
Reality: To date, most studies (the most recent one from Sanofi Aventis (SNY)) suggest that a single dose would be enough for most of the population, although the exception is young children through 9 years of age, who should get two doses of vaccine, about a month apart. Older children and adults need only one dose, the CDC vaccine information statement says.
Concern: Getting the vaccine creates other problems.
Reality: There has also been some misleading information from some anti-vaccine groups as well as fears tracing back to the vaccine fiasco in 1976 when a swine flu vaccine caused the Guillain-Barré syndrome. But the CDC and HHS assure the public, especially parents who are asked to immunize their kids as they are in the higher risk group (19 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported this week alone), that the vaccine has been tested and is as safe as seasonal flu vaccine.
Concern: Hand washing can't be the best prevention method we have besides the vaccine.
Reality: It's been hammered into us ever since swine flu gained pandemic status that washing hands is the best way to prevent infection. But CNN aired reports expressing doubts about hand washing as a preventative measure. "Washing hands really is wonderful for preventing many diseases, such as the common cold, but it's not very helpful to prevent influenza," Arthur Reingold, professor of epidemiology at the University of California-Berkeley, told the network.
A spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN that, indeed, there isn't strong evidence that hand washing fights H1N1. It seems a simple sneeze takes all that hand washing out the window. That said, don't stop washing your hands as it is still the best and simplest available option we have (barring avoiding any public places).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
10-10-2009 @ 8:40AM
Richard said...
Baxter patented the vaccine 8 months before the first case of H1N1 last year in Mexico. How convenient?
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 3:45PM
Westdude said...
10-10-2009 @ 8:40AM
Richard said...
Baxter patented the vaccine 8 months before the first case of H1N1 last year in Mexico. How convenient?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reply - The truth is that Americans believe any form of propaganda. If swine flu really exists, was it created in laboratoy, like AIDS?
10-10-2009 @ 9:49AM
Jose said...
Seems to me our "Expert Health Officials" have no idea what to do, or when to do it. I saw where most of the vaccines were being made in CHINA, and there was a risk of Mercury poisoning. Which is worse, the flu or being poisoned?
Since China has over 1/3 of the worlds population, why are they making vaccines for us, why not themselves?
We have such inept people running our government departments, no one has any experience in the jobs they were picked for. It's all about scratching backs... it's all about politics. It's like going to the races and betting on ALL the horses... surely ONE will win...
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 6:53PM
RockyMGirl said...
Jose, my son told me the same thing; he said that the level of mercury contained in one vaccine is 25 times the level considered toxic... truly scary stuff. He also said he's read and seen clips where there are covert groups of militia preparing (practicing) in the case of people rioting against taking the vaccine, as they anticipate the Feds will make it mandatory for people (particularly children) to get the vaccine. Wish I knew what the real truth is since the government is not really telling us the whole truth.
10-10-2009 @ 10:19AM
Woody said...
does this mean after age 64 you are just outta luck....
what kinda deal is this....
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 10:35AM
dwight said...
no it means that most healthy people over 25 have been exposed to many virus in their lifetime and have built up some immunity to H1N1. Most problems seem to be children who have no natural immunity yet.
10-10-2009 @ 7:51PM
Polly said...
Very good point. The CDC claims that people over 64 (on the dot???) were exposed to earlier variants of the new flu and thus some have some immunity; however, the CDC-cited serology study from May (MMWR July 30) and the NEJM-reported serology study (NEJM Sept 10) both show that only 33 percent of seniors showed immune-level antibody crossreactivity to this virus; of the 115 seniors in the NEJM study, a high percentage of those alive in 1918 had this level of antibody response, but the percentage declined for each decade of birth, so that someone born in the 1930s or 1940s really has only a couple of percentage points more chance of immunity than has someone in his/her 40s or 50s. I think we're dealing with "hey they're gonna die soon anyhow and grab grab grab the scarce crucial resource for us strong younger folks" agism and selfcenteredness here.
10-10-2009 @ 9:09PM
Nancy said...
that's part of the health plan....you and I aren't in it! Get ready for the "death" talk!
10-10-2009 @ 10:37AM
Joe said...
We obviously don't trust our government to not murder us. How can you then vote for ANY of these people?
Reply
10-12-2009 @ 2:42AM
Donnak said...
EXCELLENT point. EXCELLENT. Its high time we start really doing our homework on candidates and stop merely voting a straight republican or democratic ticket. We've for to put people up there that we can trust..... and not from lip service but have the voting proof behind them to SHOW us who they really are/have been/will be.
10-10-2009 @ 10:37AM
Andy said...
What you should know is that it contains squaline and mercury, who knows what else.
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 10:51AM
Annie said...
We still need to know whether the H1N1 vaccine is safe for pregnant women and that it will not cause harmful effects on new born babies. Lest we forget the deformed babies caused by the FDA approved drug, Thalidomide, given to pregnant women in the 1960's for morning sickness!! We still see the results of this "untested"drug in children of the 60's who were born with deformed arms!!
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 3:25PM
drstuarts said...
Dear Annie:
If you would look it up, you would find that Thalidomide was not approved by the FDA in the 1960's. You would also find out that there were only 7 cases of birth defects attributable to Thalidomide use in the USA because of the FDA refusing to approve it. The vast majority of birth defects occurred in Europe, where its use was approved by various national regulatory boards. It has been recently approved for use by the FDA in selected cases of multiple myeloma. It never ceases to amaze me that people post such egregious falsehoods on the internet, especially when the facts are less than three mouse clicks away.
10-10-2009 @ 10:53AM
Annie said...
You are absolutely right that we do not trust our government for the "whole" truth. Trust must be earned and our leaders have a lot of "earning" to do!!
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 1:11PM
pissedoffkitty6 said...
would somebody please just release a strain of small pox or something really deadly. enough with joke flus and that nonsense. lets get some hardcore viruses on the market.this is what happens when the world population gets out of control. time to thin the herds.. natures way of balancing population.
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 1:31PM
REY said...
STOP THE PROPAGANDA SCARE, VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE DIYING OF IT, THIS IS SCARE TACTIC ORGANIZED AT GLOBAL LEVEL BY THE W.H.O AND
IN THE U.S BY THE CDC WITH THE DISGUSTING COMPLICITY OF OUR CORRUPTED MAIN STREAM MEDIA, THEY COME BACK AGAIN WITH FAKE NEWS LIKE 17 CHILDREN DIED THIS WEEK.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DIE EVERY YEARS OF COMPLICATIONS AFTER CATCHING COMMUN FLU
EVERYB YEAR.
PEOPLE THIS IS A SCAM ORGANIZED BY THE GLOBAL RULING ELITE, A DOSE OF 2000UI OF VITAMIN D3 AND 1000Mg OF VITAMIN C DAILY
WITH A MEGA DOSE OF COMMUN SENSE WILL DO
MUCH BETTER THAN BELIEVING THESE CROOKS AND THEIR UN TESTED VACCINE.
THERE IS NO PANDEMIC, LOOK AROUND YOU, HOW MANY MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY NEIGHBORS OR FRIENDS DIED OF THE SWINE FLU LATELY ?
THE ONLY DEAD ARE ON OUR TV AND NEWS PAPERS....WAKE UP !
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 2:11PM
irritated said...
Rey, you should try some relaxation techniques. You seem like one of those paranoid nut types. I was at the hospital last night with my daughter. 76 (not 17) children have already died from this bird flu. Thank God, my child tested negative. It is a very real threat. Go to the CDC website and educate yourself.
Reply
10-11-2009 @ 12:15PM
Peter Draggin said...
Irrtated - Ray is not paranoid...you are. !7 children died out a population of about 350 million people, and you are at the height of worry! Gimme' a break. More kids than that die every day from starvation, accidents, and general stupidity,
both their own and often their parents.
That's the trouble with this country anymore - too many people believe almost everything they hear or read, especially the constant lies and denials from our own government and other biased "officials"with a personal agenda or profit motive. Try using your head for something other than a hat rack or storage dump for all the garbage you read on AOL and hear on stations like FOX, who ponder to the basically brain dead and cowards.
10-11-2009 @ 12:01AM
Donna said...
You expect us to "trust" the AMA and the goverment ? You would have to be heading to the "funny farm" if you do ! Mordern medicine........is called a practice for a reason..........think about it . Be blessed.
Reply
10-10-2009 @ 2:50PM
rey said...
INSTANT: POOR IGNORANT THIS NEW H1N1 VACCINE PATENT APPLICATION # 60/966.724 BY BAXTER HEALTHCARE CORP IS DATED 08/28.07 TWO YEARS BEFORE THE DISEASE APPEARED IN MEXICO, THE PATENT WAS APPROVED ON AUGUST2008 AND PUBLISHED ( #2009/0060950) IN MARCH 2009.
IT IS CO OWNED BY DYNCORP A PRIVATE MILITARY CONTRACTOR WHO WAS CONVICTED FOR EXPLOITING YOUNG WOMEN TO PROSTITUTION IN BOSNIA IN THE 90'S. AND IS NOW PAID BY UNCLE SAM TO GUARD OUR MEXICAN BORDER (WHERE THE FLU STARTED) THIS H1N1 IS A COMBINATION OF 3 STRAINS COOKED IN LAB DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS SHOWS THAT THIS "DIRTY TRICK" WAS DONE BEFORE AND IT IS THE BEST WAY TO SELL VACCINE GLOBALLY
YOU ARE THE ONE WHO SHOULD EDUCATE YOURSELF CHECK W.H.O (INTERNAL MEMO ADMITTING TO RELEASING PANDEMIC VIRUS INTO POPULATION VIA "MOCK UP" VACCINE.
HERE THE WEB SITE ADDRESS :
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/h1n1_safety_vaccines_20090805/en/print.html
BY THE WAY BAXTER INC DID SPREAD THE AIDS VIRUS "BY ACCIDENT" THROUGH INFECTED VACCINES YOU CAN CHECK GOOGLE :
BAXTER LAB SPREAD DISEASES...
Reply