thks for the links, they are very informative. but as I read it, especially the cnn link I found which confirms your reg. flu stats - the majority of deaths from reg. flu were with other underlying health complications - which is the case with H1N1.
what the recent findings are being report is (yes by the media but also confirmed by the official sources) are healthy children who are dying (no underlying health issues) which is what is alarming. when the media reports this as quoted from official sources, it makes this a front & center issue regardless if it pales against the statistics of related to reg. flu deaths.
my kids have had the reg. flu, my whole family has had the flu at some point in our lives. we all survive like it was a very bad cold.
but what makes H1N1 scary enough is healthy children/teens seem to be more impacted now where incidences of death are becoming more frequent.
I stand corrected that the reg. flu bug can & has caused many deaths - a great many more than H1N1, but as reported by the CDC many with underlying health issues compounded by reg. flu.
I want to "grow up" & live life but also want to take our precautions.
as for heart attacks & cancer, yes one can take drugs, eat certain foods, have operations to prevent these illnesses from taking lives, but those are choices also, are they not? but many who have heart attacks & cancer, did they choose to not do things to avoid them & figure when it happens deal with it? then why are there so many deaths in these categories also?
so my position on the flu, reg. & H1N1, we choose to take the vaccines (but dang it if it were only available to take!). for my kids I am not relying on statistics, I am relying on what is being experience in recent times to choose to give them the protection (& a fighting chance) so we don't become part of the limited few that may be subject to serious complications. we hope if any of us catch it, we have similar experiences as you & our g/friend, just a bad cold, no fever.
my daughter had hi-grade fever of 105 for 3days str8. it was not a bad cold symptom like you & your g/friend had. so plse! don't tell me & my family politely in a nicer way when we contract the H1N1. what solace can you provide while we as parents suffer with our children going through this? shed no tears for us, we do not ask for your compassion.
as for the avian flu, we panicked yes for our relatives but not here at home, cuz we had a relative that succumbed to it in Hong Kong who died. as for the west nile, didn't hit so close to home - we only knew our neighbor who had a relative in Staten Island that contracted west nile, debilitating but didn't die, & a long recovery. my wife though was hyper about our kids getting mosquito bites - it lingers in our minds.
but back to the main issue of my posting - we choose to take both when they are finally available. I believe others should also, especially children. so big deal it's not as statistically high as the reg. flu.
xxx
so plse interpret the following CDC stats & analysis for us all:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
from sept 25 to oct 16, went from wide spread in 26 states to 41 states.
in one week 11 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported this week; 10 of these deaths were confirmed 2009 H1N1, and one was influenza A virus, but unsubtyped. Since April 2009, there have been 86 confirmed pediatric 2009 H1N1 deaths; 39 of these have been reported to CDC since August 30, 2009.
small #'s I agree, T.G. it wasn't my family, aye?! so you can give a pep talk to those who lost their kids, not a big deal, tell them to grow up! it's a tough world, deal with it!
& gee? this is from the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_keyfacts.htm
Who Should Not Be Vaccinated
There are some people who should not get any flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:
People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously. (For information, see General Questions and Answers on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).
Children younger than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)
Vaccine Side Effects (What to Expect)
The same side effects typically associated with the seasonal flu shot and the seasonal nasal spray vaccine are expected with the 2009 H1N1 flu shot and 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine.
These are:
The flu shot: The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. Some minor side effects that could occur are:
Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
Fever (low grade)
Aches
If these problems occur, they begin soon after the shot, are usually mild, and usually last 1 to 2 days. Almost all people who receive influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it. However, on rare occasions, flu vaccination can cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions.
xxx
why don't you tell the world it's no big deal, tell them to ignore the media hype. so when & if it does hit them & gee? that small % of kids who contract it die, gee? it's only 16 in one week (& gee sorry your kid was part of the 16 death count) & gee? your kid was healthy, too bad, & gee? you chose not to take the H1N1 vaccine for your kids? gee? don't worry - the reg. flu kills 154K in 2006. your child died in 2009 among only say 12K related to H1N1. gee? that's reassuring.
so I respect your opinion to not worry about taking it for yourself your g/friend your love ones. but plse don't tell us not to worry. I strongly suggest others to take it. You can strongly advise not to. That's your prerogative.
