The H1N1 Virus

[Bit]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

We have had many infants, and young tweens die here in Maryland of the H1N1 Virus. The elderly who have gotten it, are in the hospital now. I really never believed that anyone would die from a flu today. Not with the healthcare tech. we have, and the increasing knowledge we are gaining with the use of the internet.

Oh my gosh Andrew, didn't you know? The regular seasonal flu--the flu everyone gets, that comes around every year--is the real killer. 36,000 people a year die in the US from regular seasonal flu--despite education, despite medication, despite hospitalization, when people catch it the regular seasonal flu still kills thirty-six thousand people a year, every year, in the US.

The reason you're hearing so much about H1N1 is that it's out of season; it came into this country in April and lasted all summer and into fall. According to the CDC, it's a mutated flu that is part swine flu and part bird flu. Influenza viruses do this all the time, mutate or recombine, and that's why there's a new vaccine every flu season.

Next year, H1N1 will just be another part of the seasonal flu. This year, because it's new and out of season, it's scaring everyone--but it STILL isn't making as many people sick (or killing as many people) as the regular seasonal flu does every single year.

[dixie]

My son had the H1N1 last month. Luckily his case wasn't severe, although he was sick for most of the month and missed almost 3 weeks of school. Thankfully, he seems to have finally recovered fully.

[Vlasta]

My employer made a flu shot mandatory this year , if not you were out! .... unless you are allergic to vaccine or you bring from your primary MD excuse for some type of medical conditions you cannot get vaccinated .Rightfully, many people were angry about it .
My company used to be very good , but it's getting very arrogant and demanding in many ways due to the unemployment rate , because there are other positions beside medical.

H1N1 was not mandatory , I went and I got vaccine anyway . I have been vaccinated for many things in my lifetime due to travel ... so I was what the heck . I didn't got any s/s that other people were describing beside in 24 hours I developed cold sore on my lip .

I will see if I catch anything since I am around a lot of ill people . I was lucky so far . I will definitely update if anything .

[Andrew, Jr.]

Hi Cath,

The folks who I mentioned in my post got sick and or died from the swine flu. Yes, I knew about the reg. flu killing people. The swine flu reminds me of the flu pandemic from 1918 Spanish Flu that killed 50 million of people worldwide.

[Blaze]

As for the H1N1 it is coming to a slow down. But once again, it has mutated to a stronger virus, hence when it doe's reappear, it will create just as much havoc as it did earlier.
In the hospital environment, most of us wanted the Shot, it is a dead virus of H1N1, if you do have any type of upper respiratory problems, smoker, low immune system, I highly suggest the Shot. While if you are healthy and young, they are pushing the Live Virus the Nasal Spray. Most area's are up to date and moving along with the shots.
It was very difficult to keep up with all the vaccinations because of the high volume of trying to meet the demands of the seasonal flu vaccines as well as trying to make a mass productions of the H1N1 flue vaccines that take a tad longer because they have to be developed in a egg. If you are allergic to Eggs, then this shot is not recommended for your use.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Bit

Oh my gosh Andrew, didn't you know? The regular seasonal flu--the flu everyone gets, that comes around every year--is the real killer. 36,000 people a year die in the US from regular seasonal flu--despite education, despite medication, despite hospitalization, when people catch it the regular seasonal flu still kills thirty-six thousand people a year, every year, in the US.

The reason you're hearing so much about H1N1 is that it's out of season; it came into this country in April and lasted all summer and into fall. According to the CDC, it's a mutated flu that is part swine flu and part bird flu. Influenza viruses do this all the time, mutate or recombine, and that's why there's a new vaccine every flu season.

Next year, H1N1 will just be another part of the seasonal flu. This year, because it's new and out of season, it's scaring everyone--but it STILL isn't making as many people sick (or killing as many people) as the regular seasonal flu does every single year.

This is very true.

I had the H1N1 virus when it wasn't cool quite yet....in May. It kicked my ass to Hell and back. I went from a scratchy throat to being flat on my back in bed with very high peaking fevers and earthshaking chills in about 12 hours.

12 FLIPPIN' HOURS!

I have a cold now and the difference is so obvious. This is slow moving but I can function and go about my life with it, although it is annoying. Before, I felt as if I was stopped in time in my misery and the world kept spinning. Or maybe it was just the vertigo I experienced while I had the virus. I'm not sure now, but I know it's super tough.

[FeminineAllure]

I got my first ever flu shot a couple of weeks ago and I was just at my doctors last week to get my first ever pneumonia shot.
I was so sick last febuary with a 105 fever, upper respitory and severe diarrhea non stop for a week. It was the sickest I ever was in my life.
My Dr. believes it could have been the H1N1 because he explained the pneumonia usually is not accompanied with GI symtoms but H1N1 sometimes is. I ended up in the hospital was released and back again with a pneumonia diagnosis. But my Dr. joked I probably already had the antibodies for H1N1.
I asked him if he had the shot and is it safe? He waited a month but did get the shot. His office will have it in January. I do not think I am going to receive it though. If it becomes mandatory I will. I have no problem doing what I need to do to protect my health.