H1N1 Swine Flu!

The host Jane Clayson has one 3-years old and one 5-years old. Last week one of her daughter’s friends was ill. Later he felt so sick that he had to go to the hospital. Test came positive back for H1N1, swine flu. As the mother of the two little kids, she feels a little bit afraid. The public health officials tell us that children are in the high risk group. Jane Clayson’s William 2 weeks ago got the swine flu shot. The nurse told him washed his hands often and with sanitizer. The public health group also announced that an increase of the flu influence this week. The H1N1 viruses are moving target. A lot of people have focus on the vaccine. It’s not enough to go around. So many people are waiting for the vaccines. It’s frustrating to public officials, doctors and nurses who trying to both manage and help people. The host visited one clinic all the people wore face respirator. Most people feel better within a week. Some people get pneumonia which is the serious illnesses and some die. People in line wait for hours to get the H1N1 flu shot. The officials were informed that there is another delay. They have to ask the patience of the public. Within a few weeks, there will be more vaccine. There will be 15 to 20 clinics open every week. They hope the vaccine growing on time and can be shipped to the patients on time. Pregnant women and young children should first get the vaccine. 540 children have died in this country. The Boston Globe reported this morning that at Bay State 65% of laboratory confirmed cases are children under 18 years-old. This flu still hits toward the younger population. The swine flu is unpredictable. Sometimes one part of the city is bad, or one part of the city is not bad. And we don’t completely understand the reason for this. Does it hit the urban areas or suburban areas? In the spring, Boston is the hardest city that be hit in this country. We have 4 neighborhoods that very hard to hit. Some of them are hardly hit at all. Two thirds of the pregnant women looking for the vaccine but they can’t get it. That is very true statistics that suburban areas are very hard to find vaccine, even the health care provider. The professor suggests that first parents should be patient. The vaccine should be out at the beginning of December. Second, wash your hands with sanitizer. Third, stay home and don’t touch somebody when he is sick.

One listener said he thought the public media made the flu overblown. The doctor said he didn’t think the flu was overblown, everybody should get the vaccine and they should get it every year. Because there is good evidence that this vaccine did protect people. It doesn’t protect 100%. It’s like the seat-belt. When you get into the car, you get the seat-belt. Someone concerns the safety of the vaccine. The production process has been tested very well. This has been through testing to clinical trials. Within 20 or 30 years, it has safety record.

A lot of people complain that they think government should pay more money to improve the technology. They think the vaccine should out faster. The vaccine grows in eggs and produced from eggs. There is new technology available now. It has been tested, it has been go through licensed. The important is the vaccine vaccinates the massive people.