Swine Flu on The Huffington Post

Dog Gets Swine Flu: First Case Of H1N1 Virus Jumping From Owner To Dog Found In NY

2009-12-22T15:36:46Z

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A dog in suburban New York is the first in the nation confirmed to be carrying the same strain of swine flu that is infecting humans, experts said Tuesday.

The 13-year-old mixed breed male, which is recovering, apparently caught the virus from his owner. But Michael San Filippo, a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association, said there's no evidence that the flu strain can be transmitted from a pet to a person.

April D. Ryan: Interview With President Barack Obama

2009-12-21T23:13:00Z

Q: I'm sitting in the Oval Office with the 44th President, President Barack Obama. Thank you so much for this interview, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, it's great to see you and Merry Christmas to you and all your listeners.

Q: Well, first of all, let's start off on a light note. You're preparing to go away to Hawaii for vacation, and everyone around here is talking about you body surfing. Is that a healthy thing to do? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: It's a wonderful thing to do. I grew up doing it, love the ocean. I'll admit to you that the Secret Service these days does not like me doing it. The last time I tried it they had a bunch of people out on jet skis in the water and surrounding me with all kinds of stuff and it was a little distracting for the other swimmers. So I don't know if I'll get out there this year, but I tell you what I will definitely be enjoying some sun.

Click on above link to hear the entire interview

Q: Now with the holidays we have cold season, we have, as you say, Chicago snow -- sniffles, coughs. And I understand possibly that you and your wife received the H1N1 shot this weekend. Is that true? And what would you say to the African American community and the brown community, the black and browns of this nation who are leery because of past history -- i.e., Tuskegee -- of getting the shot?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, people need to understand that this vaccine is safe. Malia and Sasha actually had it several months ago, right when it was first being made available to school-age children. That's the most important population because this flu, unlike seasonal flu, disproportionately affects children and young people -- healthy children and young people as well as people with underlying conditions like asthma or neurological diseases.

So it is so important and, frankly, the African American vaccination rate has been lower, substantially lower so far than the general population. I think people just need to understand: If I had the two people that are most important in my life, my two daughters, get it right away -- and they've been just fine with it and in fact haven't gotten sick this entire flu season -- then you need to know that you need to make sure your children get it as well.

Michelle and I just got the shots ourselves we wanted to make sure nationwide that children were getting it before adults did. And now there's enough vaccine so that adults should get it as well.

Last point I'll make on this, particularly if you're a senior citizen, you should get both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu. They're different flus. The seasonal flu is still deadly, particularly for older Americans. And if you haven't already gotten your flu shot there's ample seasonal flu vaccine available as well, so you should do both.

Q: As we're talking about health, we're talking about health care today -- earlier this morning, 1:00 a.m. -- were you up, first of all, to see the vote?

THE PRESIDENT: I was up because I wanted to make sure that I was watching what could end up being a historic moment.

This health care bill, I think people need to understand just how significant this is. We've got 30 million people who are going to get health insurance because of this bill. And disproportionately they will be African American as well as Latino. One out of five African Americans don't have health insurance -- that's almost double the general population. So right off the bat you're helping millions of people across the country.

Then if you've already got health insurance this says that insurance companies can't engage in the kind of gimmicks and abuses that lead them to drop coverage right when you get sick or prevent you from getting health insurance because you've got a preexisting condition. So all the insurance reforms that we care about are in this package, which is why the insurance companies have been spending hundreds of millions of dollars in trying to fight this.

Then it's deficit neutral. It's not adding to the debt. Contrary to what you're hearing from a lot of opponents it's not adding to the debt. It's subtracting from the debt because we're going to be able to get a lot of savings in terms of how we provide medicine over the long term. There's money in there for prevention, for community health clinics that serve underserved communities, particularly in the inner city. I mean, there is so much good in this bill and I'm now confident that it is going to pass and I think that the African American community -- which has been suffering from health care disparities for such a long time -- has a huge, huge interest in seeing this go through.

Q: That's interesting you talk about the disparities in African Americans, because many civil rights leaders, to include persons in the NAACP, are upset that the Senate version does not have the public option; the House has the public option. And the Senate and the House version are very far apart. What are the fears that you have going forward with trying to get a health care reform bill together in a timely fashion?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, I think it's important to understand, April, that the Senate and the House bills are 95 percent identical. There's 5 percent differences, and one of those differences is the public option. But this is an area that has just become symbolic of a lot of ideological fights. As a practical matter, this is not the most important aspect to this bill -- the House bill or the Senate bill.

And the idea behind the public option was is that alongside these choices that you could choose from in the private insurance industry, you could also potentially get a government-managed plan. But it was only going to apply to a few million people who were buying into the exchange. So it wasn't like suddenly everybody would just go out there and buy a government-run plan; most people will still get health insurance from their employers. What will happen is, is that if you don't get health insurance through your employers, you can then go to this what we're calling a health care exchange, get a subsidy, and buy health insurance through that exchange.

But either way, whether there's a public option in there or not, if you don't have health insurance, you are going to have now the option of getting it at a reasonable cost. And that's the most important thing. And as I said, nobody has a bigger stake than the African American community in this, because disproportionately, we're the ones without health insurance.

Q: Speaking of the African American community, this seems to be a shift in black leadership, as it relates to supporting you. You have the CBC that's upset with you about targeting on the jobs front -- African Americans, 15.6 percent unemployment rate, expected to go to 20 percent; mainstream America 10 percent. Then you have black actors who supported you -- Danny Glover, who's saying that you've not changed, your administration is the same as George W. Bush. What are your thoughts about the fact that black leadership is grumbling, and the fact that people are concerned with you being the first African American President, and they thought that there would be a little bit more compassion for black issues?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, April, I think you just engaged in a big generalization in terms of how you asked that question. If you want me to line up all the black actors, for example, who support me, and put them on one side of the room, and a couple who are grumbling on the other, I'm happy to have that.

I think if you look at the polling, in terms of the attitudes of the African American community, there's overwhelming support for what we've tried to do. And, so, is there grumbling? Of course there's grumbling, because we just went through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. And everybody is concerned about unemployment, everybody's concerned about businesses not hiring, everybody's concerned about their home values declining. And in each of these areas, African Americans have been disproportionately affected. We were some of the folks who were most affected by predatory lending. There's a long history of us being the last hired and the first fired. As I said, health care -- we're the ones who are in the worst position to absorb companies deciding to drop their health care plans.

So, should people be satisfied? Absolutely not. But let's take a look at what I've done. The Recovery Act helped to lift up an economy that was teetering on the verge of depression. We made sure that states didn't engage in budget cuts to cut teachers and firefighters and police officers, many of whom are African American. Unemployment insurance we have put in place so that folks can still make their payments and keep their electricity on as consequence of what we've done. We have now made enormous investments, historic investments in education, a lot of that targeted into the inner city. Health care I already discussed. This will be hugely important for the African American community.

So this notion somehow that because there wasn't a transformation overnight that we've been neglectful is simply factually not accurate.

Now, do we have to do more work? Absolutely. Because as I said before, the African American community was already hurting before the recession. And that means that the steps we're taking around education reform, to make sure our schools are performing properly; the fact that, for example, we have recorded historic increases in Pell grants and Perkins loans, which disproportionately help our folks; that is all projected to get our education system up and running, so that it's working for young people, they can take advantage of the jobs of the future.

When we are designing our green jobs initiatives, one of the things that we're looking at is how do we make sure that young people in the cities who are going to be weatherized are trained for those weatherization jobs, to put them on a track for a trade over the long term. Small business lending, we have increased Small Business Administration loans by 73 percent, because banks weren't lending. Those are being lent to African American small businesses, who are out there struggling because the larger banks aren't helping them out.

So we have made a series of steps that make a huge difference. The only thing I cannot do is, you know, by law I can't pass laws that say I'm just helping black folks. I'm the President of the entire United States. What I can do is make sure that I am passing laws that help all people, particularly those who are most vulnerable and most in need. That in turn is going to help lift up the African American community.

But we're going to have a hole that we have to dig out of for a long time, and it has to do with structural impediments to opportunity that we are going to continue to try to knock down. But it's not going to happen in one year; it's going to take not just one term, but it's going to take years. The important point is that we're moving in the right direction.

Q: And lastly, you'll be coming up with your State of the Union, your first State of the Union in January. And I know you're going to speak to all America. But, in your opinion, what is the state of black America?

THE PRESIDENT: You know, I think this continues to be the best of times and the worst of times. I mean, I think it's the best of times in the sense that never has there been more opportunity for African Americans who have received a good education and are in a position then to walk through the doors that are opened. And, obviously, you and me sitting here in the Oval Office is a testament to that.

I think it's the worst of times in the sense that unemployment and the lack of opportunity, particularly in some cities, has never been worse. I mean, you look at a city like Detroit where you used to have an enormous African American middle class built on the auto industry -- that city is in hard, hard times right now.

Now, just going back to the point you raised earlier about our responsiveness to the African American community, imagine what Detroit would look like if we hadn't stepped in to make sure that GM stayed open, which was on the verge of bankruptcy. Having said that, if you've got double digit unemployment in cities like that, we're going to have to make some special efforts, and it starts with early childhood education; it starts with education generally. That's why I'm putting such a big emphasis on that. But it also means that every federal agency has to make sure that the assistance that's being made available to the general population is targeting those hard to reach places, so that they are also benefiting from our overall efforts to lift up the economy.

I'm optimistic about the long term future of the African American community, but it's going to take work. It was never going to be done just because we elected me. It's going to be a collaborative effort between people in the community who recognize that we're going to have to rely on government to do some things, but a lot of these things we're going to have to do ourselves.

Q: Mr. President, thank you so much. Happy holidays. It's awesome to be here in the Oval Office. It's very nice -- (laughter) -- to say the least. But thank you so much, and thank you for giving us this interview for American Urban Radio Networks.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, it was great to talk to you. And I wish everybody out there a blessed and happy New Year, a wonderful Christmastime. And I feel pretty confident that 2010 is going to be better than 2009.

Q: Thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Cross-posted at aprildryan.com.

Swine Flu Vaccine Recall: 800,000 Doses Of Vaccine For Kids Recalled

2009-12-15T12:07:49Z

ATLANTA — Hundreds of thousands of swine flu shots for children have been recalled because tests indicate the vaccine doses lost some strength, government health officials said Tuesday.

The shots, made by Sanofi Pasteur, were distributed across the country last month and most have already been used, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 800,000 pre-filled syringes that were recalled are for young children, ages 6 months to nearly 3 years.

The Truth About Tamiflu

2009-12-15T11:35:53Z

This week, the British medical journal BMJ published a multi-part investigation that confirms that the scientific evidence just isn't there to show that Tamiflu prevents serious complications, hospitalization, or death in people that have the flu.

Josh Ruxin: Mass Drug Administration; Not a Cure, But a Necessary Treatment

2009-12-08T16:34:51Z

Right now, American public school children are getting their H1N1 vaccines in nurse's offices all across the United States. And while swine flu is a concern here in Rwanda where I live, the impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) on the population's well-being and productivity is much greater and cannot be compared to anything in the States.

Last month, the Rwanda Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the Access Project, USAID, The Global Fund, the Red Cross and World Food Program, undertook a public health effort that's as extensive as the swine flu intervention taking place in America. Those agencies administered a Mass Drug Administration campaign against worms and schistosmiasis - two of Rwanda's most prevalent Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). It reached and effectively treated more than four million people living in all six districts of Rwanda, or 92% of those who are most susceptible.

Especially prevalent in the young and poor, NTDs leave children anemic, urinating blood, too weak to walk. They can't attend school and their growth is stunted. In adults, the effects are no less devastating and paralyzing. Disabling pain leaves subsistence farmers too weak to work, robbing their families of food. Developing nations are left with a diminished ability to achieve their economic goals as these diseases exert an outsized influence rarely considered by the industrialized world.

According to a 2008 survey conducted by the Access Project on the prevalence of schistosmiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes (commonly known as worms), a staggering 65.8 percent of school-age children in Rwanda are infected with one or more of these parasites. In some areas of the country infection rates reach as high as 100 percent. The overall incidence of schistosmiasis was 2.7 percent, but it reached as high as 69.5 percent in certain sectors.

NTDs are terrifying diseases to watch. We've all seen pictures of African children with big bellies, and it makes us wince because we know that these fat stomachs are filled with worms, not food. It's scary to think that these very treatable diseases can be defeated with a very modest investment, far less than it takes to fight pandemics like AIDS and tuberculosis. Yet they continue to be neglected by aid providers in favor of more familiar, higher-profile scourges. Millions continue to suffer needlessly.

However, in the world of global health, the kind of program just undertaken by the Government of Rwanda is extremely important. It's effective and relatively inexpensive in treating the effects of these diseases.

This kind of program not only shines a spotlight on diseases often left in the shadows, it shows that with the right medical management systems these infestations can be conquered quickly, effectively and cheaply. It's a sensible use of global heath dollars, and the return on these kinds of investments can often be priceless.

Swine Flu Vaccination: Corporate Employers Got Scarce Flu Vaccine, USA Today Reports

2009-12-07T19:35:54Z

When the swine flu vaccine was most scarce, health officials gave thousands of doses to corporate clinics at Walt Disney World, Toyota, defense contractors, oil companies and cruise lines, according to a USA TODAY review of vaccine distribution data from three states.

Record Swine Flu Cases In CA, Just In Time For Free Vaccinations To End

2009-12-04T16:28:56Z

Some contradictory news on the swine flu front today.

ABC 7 reports that LA County is ending its free vaccination program early next week.

With the number of reported cases down nationwide and vaccine supplies up, health officials say it's time to hand the effort over to doctors and community clinics.

How this handover will improve the situation is not entirely clear.

However, The LA Times reports that California had it's highest yet number of swine flu related hospitalizations last week, with nearly 800 people being admitted. In addition, health officials are bracing for a possible second wave in coming months, particularly around the holidays. According to Dr. Gil Chavez, deputy director of the California Department of Public Health's Center for Infectious Diseases,

Pandemics are very unpredictable. . . . We cannot turn our back and be complacent.

Chavez goes on to urge the public to continue seeking inoculations.

And Finally, from L.A Now::

Millions of protective masks and gloves will be distributed to schools throughout California to prevent the spread of swine and seasonal flu, state and county officials announced today...Purchased with federal grants, the 23 million masks and gloves will be used by ill students as well as the nurses who examine them."

For more coverage of swine flu in LA County, check out Neon Tommy's ongoing coverage.

El Paso County Becomes Third To Disregard State Guidelines On H1N1 Vaccines

2009-12-04T11:33:55Z

The El Paso County Department of Health and Environment on Thursday said it will join Weld and Pueblo counties in offering the swine-flu vaccination to all, disregarding state guidelines that only certain groups should receive it first.

Jon Stewart Interviews New Yorker Writer On "Denialism"

2009-12-04T09:28:00Z

New Yorker writer Michael Specter was on "The Daily Show" last night to talk about his new book, "Denialism". Specter makes the argument that Americans are in denial about the actual risks and benefits involved in science and medicine. We're too paranoid, he says, about vaccines in particular, especially recent flu vaccines. But is Specter in denial about his own denial? As Stewart points out, there are some clear risks that Specter is perhaps willfully ignoring to make his point. What do you think?

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Susan Reverby: A New Lesson from the Old "Tuskegee" Study

2009-12-03T11:51:08Z

"Don't take the swine flu vaccine. Remember the Tuskegee Experiment Syphilis Vaccine," a recent post on Twitter warns. The message is simple: "Tuskegee," America's notorious medical research study, is still considered as our own equivalent to Nazi experimentation that links state power to scientific fervor. Nearly forty years after the study ended, the name "Tuskegee" evokes fears of the dangers of government involvement in medical care. But as Congress debates how to provide health coverage for everyone and fear of the swine flu vaccine runs rampant, there is a different critical lesson to take from the infamous medical research project which targeted poor rural African American men and ran unabated for decades.

From 1932 to 1972, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) conducted a study on "untreated syphilis in the male Negro" in Macon County, Alabama in and around the city of Tuskegee. 439 African American men with late stage syphilis were selected as research subjects, and 185 without the disease became the study's control group. A mostly sexually transmitted disease, syphilis left untreated can cause fatal heart and neurological problems. The men thought of themselves as patients obtaining needed medical care for what was known as "bad blood" from the government's doctors. The PHS physicians never told these men they were actually research subjects being followed in a "no treatment" study.

Instead, the researchers explained that the aspirins, tonics, and diagnostic spinal taps given were "free treatment." In a county with only 16 doctors whose prices the men could rarely afford, a government program of free care enticed them. The study's nurse kept visiting the men's homes and helping them to get medical care for other ills. The study's subjects and controls were also promised money for decent burials in exchange for the use of their bodies for autopsy after their deaths.

The study was not kept secret. Medical articles charting its progress appeared over the decades, while several health professionals questioned the study's ethics. In 1972 the research experiment came to an end in a storm of media coverage that brought in federal investigators, a Senate hearing, and a subsequent lawsuit against the PHS, the state of Alabama, and many of the doctors involved.

In "Tuskegee's" wake, major changes in federal rules governing medical research were established, including written informed consent and the creation of institutional review boards to oversee human subject research. The study also created another legacy--it became the metaphor for the distrust of scientific research, the risks of government provision of medical care, and the exploitation of poor patients.

Rumors and myths about what happened continue to circulate in whispers, blogs and media coverage. Most egregious in the face of the need for H1N1 vaccine is the erroneous claim that the government's doctors intentionally infected the men with syphilis. But no "Tuskegee experiment syphilis vaccine" was ever created; no shots of the bacteria that cause syphilis were put into the men's veins.

As the Obama administration takes on the huge task of reforming how we organize and pay for health care for all Americans and we line up for our shots, "Tuskegee" can offer another perhaps less obvious, if ironic, lesson. These men living in rural Alabama came forward for treatment not because they were uneducated and easily duped by their government, but because they needed health care for themselves and their families. They, as with increasing numbers of Americans, had no real access to the medical care they required, could not pay for what was available, and had to find it where possible.

Perhaps as the debate over health care reform winds its way through the Congress, a new post on Twitter should read: "Don't forget the 'Tuskegee' syphilis study. Everyone deserves the right to affordable health care and this is what our government should and must provide."

Cross-posted from Race-Talk.

Loneliness Is Contagious, Study Says

2009-12-01T12:12:01Z

Just like happiness and laughter are often described as infectious, it turns out you can catch loneliness too.

Skokie Vaccinated, Offers Surplus H1N1 Shots To High-Risk Neighbors

2009-12-01T08:44:41Z

The village of Skokie, after catching a windfall of H1N1 flu vaccine while other places still face shortages, will begin holding vaccination clinics this week for anyone in Illinois who is in a high-risk category.

Neon Tommy Becomes First In Nation To Access H1N1 Death Records

2009-11-30T23:19:45Z

(This Story Comes to The HuffPost via Neon Tommy. Visit the summary page for a complete collection of Neon Tommy's swine flu stories.)

USC's Neon Tommy editor Mark Evitt, speaking last month at a L.A. County Board of Supervisors' meeting, laid out the questions he wanted the board to ask the county's public health director about the swine flu epidemic and how well the crisis is being addressed.

Why do so many death certificates of swine flu victims fail to mention anything about H1N1 as a cause of death? What procedure, if any, does the county have in place for notifying family and community members when someone has died of H1N1 but the determination isn't made for weeks after the death? And, why did the county health department renege on its earlier agreement to provide Neon Tommy with the death certificates of all swine flu victims?

Last month, Neon Tommy produced a comprehensive report on the swine flu epidemic in Los Angeles County. It was the first time a media group anywhere in the nation examined a batch of death certificates of H1N1 victims to see who is dying, and why, and attempt to evaluate the performance of public health officials in meeting the crisis. The report focused on 44 death certificates obtained from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which showed the toll of swine flu-related deaths from the start of the outbreak in April. The countywide total reached 78 by mid-November, still far less than the 1,000 deaths expected from the seasonal flu in any given year.

Neon Tommy analyzed the death records and interviewed family members, public health officials and doctors to see what the dozens of deaths suggest about the patterns of the illness and who remains most at risk. In several cases, the families we spoke with said they did not know their relatives had died of swine flu until we told them. In these cases, county officials said the diagnoses had been made after doctors filled out the death certificates, and that it is not the county's responsibility to notify family members. Nearly half of the death records do not list swine flu as a cause of death.

It would be easier to answer the questions that Evitt posed to county supervisors on Nov. 17, of course, if the health director, Jonathan Fielding, would sit down for an interview with Neon Tommy. But Fielding hasn't returned messages, his public affairs staff resorted to sending requests for interviews to the county lawyers and, when Fielding appeared on Warren Olney's public affairs program Which Way, L.A.? to discuss our coverage of the epidemic, he told the show's host that he did not want to engage in a conversation with us.

Evitt explained the problem to the supervisors. "We've tried numerous times over the last five weeks to arrange an interview with Dr. Fielding, and he has declined us each time. The County Counsel's Office, without any explanation to us, changed its policy and will no longer provide us with death certificates of every swine flu victim that the county reports to California's public health department."

County supervisors, at their meeting Tuesday, were expected to hear Fielding discuss his response to the epidemic, and possibly answer some of the questions posed by Neon Tommy at the supervisors' meeting last month. But the presentation was delayed until Jan. 12.

Last month, County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas expressed concerns that L.A. County's free H1N1 vaccine clinics have vaccinated few African-Americans. Asked Tuesday whether his concerns have been allayed, Ridley-Thomas responded, "They have not. The Department of Public Health has to be more aggressive in its outreach regarding H1N1 in the African-American community, and we are seeking to help them do precisely that."

Asked how, he said, "There has to be a more aggressive program put forward in terms of media outreach. It's been a traditional model that hasn't been effective."

Whether or not swine flu is on the wane or about to wage another outbreak, Neon Tommy reporters will continue to monitor the county health department's handling of the crisis and obtain updated batches of death certificates. Even if the epidemic produces no more deaths than the seasonal flu, the pattern of death - where victims live, whether they have access to good medical care, whether they had health insurance--are some of the questions that will be examined in Neon Tommy's continuing coverage.

Public access to death certificates in Los Angeles and counties around the state is a key part of this project. Death records show who is being hit hardest by the epidemic, and provide a starting point for evaluating the performance of health officials in meeting the crisis.

L.A. County has cut back on the number of death certificates it is willing to provide Neon Tommy. In a letter dated Nov. 25, chief deputy director Jonathan E. Freedman explained the county's new rules about death certificates of H1N1 victims. Only those that list swine flu will be released. The other cases--when H1N1 is determined by post-death analysis to be the cause--will not be released to Neon Tommy because those certificates are based on "confidential information that is contained within communicable disease reports." Neon Tommy is also seeking the death records from the California Department of Public Health.

Of the original 44 cases examined by Neon Tommy, only half listed swine flu as a cause of death.

Visit the summary page for a complete collection of Neon Tommy's swine flu stories.

Swine Flu Kills 5 At Hajj, Saudi Official Says

2009-11-29T17:56:46Z

MINA, Saudi Arabia — Five people died from swine flu during the hajj, Saudi Arabia said Sunday, a relatively small number considering the event is the largest annual gathering in the world and is seen as an ideal incubator for the virus.

But some experts warned the true extent of the virus will not be known until pilgrims return to their home countries around the world.

Swine Flu Vaccine Helps Keep Infections Low In New York

2009-11-25T11:14:13Z

More than 11,000 people received swine flu vaccines at free clinics last weekend, city officials said, while overall infection rates remained relatively low.

Mark Hyman, MD: Preventing The Swine Flu: A Comprehensive Approach

2009-11-25T08:56:43Z

Sneezing, coughing, fever, aches and pains...

Worried about flu symptoms like these? As winter approaches, most of us are.

But this year, the flu seems even more alarming, thanks to increased health concerns about the H1N1 influenza strain, also known as the swine flu. Even though this strain doesn't appear to be particularly threatening, it has the potential to mutate into a more dangerous form.

The main question my patients have been asking is whether they should get vaccinated against H1N1 or against the regular flu.

This is not a simple yes or no answer. The guiding principle of functional medicine is personalized care, not the one-size-fits-all belief that everyone should have the same treatment. This applies equally to vaccines. There is risk and benefit to every medical treatment or procedure.

That is why in today's blog I want to review what you need to consider if you are thinking about vaccination, discuss some of the risks involved, and provide you with a comprehensive 7-step plan for preventing swine flu and staying healthy all winter long.

Should You Get Vaccinated?

The choice to get vaccinated is an individual one. Selective vaccination may be helpful for some groups of people--but not everyone. Here are the facts as I see them:

• The current strain of H1N1 is a generally mild strain of the flu. It sounds scarier, but, so far, fewer people have actually died from it than from the traditional flu. It may mutate but it hasn't yet. Pushing widespread vaccination on low-risk populations exposes them to unnecessary risks.

• If the H1N1 mutates, the current vaccine may not be effective against it.

• The studies on the H1N1 vaccine have been limited in the rush to market.

• The 1976 swine flu vaccine was linked to a serious neurological disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome, which causes severe (but usually temporary) paralysis.

• The government has agreed to protect vaccine manufacturers from any lawsuits due to side effects of the vaccine, otherwise pharmaceutical companies would not make it.

• The Centers for Disease Control recommends vaccination for high-risk groups--not necessarily everyone. The key groups that would benefit most from the vaccine are healthcare workers, pregnant women, caregivers of children younger than six months, children and adults under age 24, and adults who have underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes. If that doesn't describe you, you should think twice about having the vaccine.

• The multi-dose vials of the vaccine contain mercury as a preservative. If you are a pregnant or nursing woman I would insist on the single-dose vial, which does not contain mercury. Unfortunately, the number of mercury-free vaccines is limited.

For these reasons, I only recommend vaccination for high-risk individuals. But whether you get vaccinated or not, it is critical to support your immune system through natural means to help prevent the flu. Here are 7 simple steps you can take to do that.

7 Steps to Staying Healthy All Winter Long

This list of natural remedies was put together by all the doctors and nutritionists at the UltraWellness Center to help keep you healthy through the flu season:

1. Drink plenty of fluids, especially warmer fluids. With dry air inside and out, winter can be a particularly challenging time to stay hydrated. Consuming adequate fluids supports all your body's functions, including the immune system. Make soups and broths (from scratch with fresh vegetables, if possible) and drink them throughout the week. Drink herbal teas like ginger and echinacea daily. Keep a bottle of filtered water with you at all times. Avoid concentrated fruit juices and sweetened beverages, as the sugar content is harmful for the immune system. If you do drink juice, dilute it with two-thirds water.

2. Try a daily saline flush. Along with staying hydrated, flushing your sinuses with mild salt water helps to keep mucous membranes moist, which protects you from microbes. You can use a neti pot or easy-to-carry plastic bottles that come with saline packets to take with you to the office or when traveling.

3. Avoid simple sugars as much as possible. This includes sweet treats and desserts but also white flour and refined grain products, which turn into sugar quickly. Studies have shown that refined sugars can suppress your immune system for hours after ingested.

4. Have protein with each meal. Proteins are the building blocks of the body, including your immune and detoxification systems. It's important to eat organic, clean, and lean animal protein, as well as plant-based proteins (legumes, nuts/seeds), with each meal and snack.

5. Add garlic, onions, ginger, and lots of spices (oregano, turmeric) to your meals. Add these to your soups and vegetable dishes, as well as to bean dips and sauces. Garlic and onions offer a wide spectrum of antimicrobial properties.

6. Eat multiple servings of colorful fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C and A and phytonutrients, which support the immune system. Choose more leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower), peppers, sweet potatoes, and squash. Aim for 3 to 4 servings of fruits and 5 or more servings of vegetables a day.

7. Get sufficient sleep. We all know sleep restores and heals the body. Without adequate sleep, optimal immune function is next to impossible. Get in a better rhythm and head to bed earlier on dark winter nights; aim for 7 to 8 hours a night. Incorporating various relaxation and breathing techniques throughout the day to help with stress and allow the mind to rest is also very helpful.

Supplements for Immune Support

In addition to the steps above, I also strongly encourage you to take the following supplements to support your immune system:

• Vitamin D3: Adequate vitamin D status is critical for optimal immune function, which cannot be achieved without supplementation during the winter months. For accurate dosing, get your levels of 25 OH vitamin D checked. The ideal blood level is 50-75 ng/dl. Many of us need 5,000 IU or more of vitamin D3 a day in the winter. Start with 2,000 IU a day for adults, 1,000 IU for children.

• Buffered vitamin C: We've long known the role of vitamin C in supporting the immune system. Take 500 to 1,000 mg through out the day with meals and snacks.

• Zinc citrate: You can take an additional supplement or consume more foods high in this powerful immune supporting nutrient. Oysters and pumpkin seeds are the best food sources.

• Probiotics: Healthy gut flora supports a healthy gut, a major barrier against pathogens that is integral to the immune system.

• Fish oil (artic cod liver oil): This old-time remedy for good health and robust immunity still stands true. Arctic cod liver oil contains additional vitamin A and D for added immune protection.

• 1-3, 1-6 Beta glucans: Much research has shown that these compounds up-regulate the function of our innate immune system. This part of your immune system is the first line of defense against viruses and bacteria. It helps your white blood cells bind to and kill viruses and bacteria.

• Antiviral/anti-bacterial herbs: Many herbs have broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects or immune-enhancing effects. Formulas contain different immune boosters such as astragalus, echinacea, green tea extract, elderberry, andrographis, goldenseal, monolaurin, various immune enhancing mushrooms, and beta 1, 3 glucan.

• Cordyceps and other mushroom extracts: These possess immune-supporting properties. Look for supplements that that contain these, as well as zinc and vitamin C for a three-pronged approach to immune support.

By following this plan, you should enjoy vibrant health, all winter long.

Now I'd like to hear from you...

Will you get a flu shot this year?

Have you or a loved one gotten the H1N1 virus?

What immune-boosting measures do you swear by?

Please let me know your thoughts by posting a comment below.

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, MD

Mark Hyman, M.D. practicing physician and founder of The UltraWellness Center is a pioneer in functional medicine. Dr. Hyman is now sharing the 7 ways to tap into your body's natural ability to heal itself. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, watch his videos on Youtube and become a fan on Facebook.

Peter Cocker, Ex-NYPD, Held Superintendent Hostage Over School's Swine Flu Policy

2009-11-25T08:32:57Z

NEW CITY, N.Y. — A former New York City police officer has admitted he held a suburban school superintendent at gunpoint in June.

Peter Cocker pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony charge of kidnapping before state Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bartlett in New City.

Swine Flu RECALL: H1N1 Vaccine Pulled In Canada

2009-11-24T08:10:02Z

LONDON — Canadian doctors have been advised not to use a batch of 170,000 swine flu vaccines after six reports of serious allergic reactions among recipients, but there are no similar reports from other countries, pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline PLC said Tuesday.

Authorities routinely monitor vaccines for any signals of problems, such as the allergic reactions that do occur, rarely, every year. Company spokeswoman Gwenan White said that GlaxoSmithKline advised medical staff in Canada ast week to refrain from using one batch of the vaccine while they look into reports that that it might have caused more allergic reactions than normal.

Johnathon Briggs: Chicago's Public Health Budget Gets The Flu

2009-11-23T14:04:25Z

By Johnathon E. Briggs and John Peller

With the ongoing economic recession, Mayor Richard M. Daley and City Council members unquestionably face agonizing choices to balance the city's 2010 budget.

While funding cuts and other budgetary reforms will undoubtedly be needed, some essential city services are too important to do without. Alarmingly, Mayor Daley's 2010 budget plan calls for a $2.1 million funding reduction (6.7% cut) for public health. This doesn't account for the $2.5 million budget transfer for information technology to a different city agency.

These reductions could have a far-reaching and detrimental impact on the health of Chicago residents and the quality of life of our city, worsening the health of individuals and increasing health disparities.

In past years, Mayor Daley has championed public health, and particularly HIV prevention and care funding. Most recently, the Mayor and City Council increased HIV prevention funding by $500,000 in 2006, and AIDS housing funding by $250,000 in 2007.

The recent H1N1 vaccination drive has shown the nation the importance of public health. Unfortunately, it has not slowed a severe divestment in public health across the country. The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials reported in October that two out of three jurisdictions saw public health budget cuts this year. Services were reduced, programs eliminated, and staff laid off.

HIV programs have faced similar cuts . Three-quarters of state HIV programs saw their prevention dollars reduced this year, with $167 million axed from programs in 2009 alone.

Chicago's own Dr. Will Wong, who directs sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV prevention and control for the Chicago Department of Public Health, noted this week that STD prevention resources are strained nationally. Sixty-nine percent of STD programs surveyed experienced budget cuts, and 39 STD clinics around the nation shut their doors.

The tangible impact of funding cuts for STD control programs is being felt across the country. STD data released this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that STD rates in the U.S. are at an all-time high. CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new STD infections occur each year, at a cost of up to $15.9 billion. Chlamydia rates increased 9.2%, while syphilis rates rose by a staggering 18%.

"The burden of STDs is becoming worse in this country at the same time that the resources we need to fight these illnesses continue to shrink," Dr. Wong noted. "None of this bodes well for the future health of our nation and our communities."

In fact, Cook County has the highest number of gonorrhea cases in the nation, according to CDC. Cook County ranks second for chlamydia cases, second only to Los Angeles, and third for syphilis, a disease that not too long ago was nearly eliminated in the United States.

Chicago's health disparities are staggering, and funding reductions are likely to make them only worse. New statistics released by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) earlier this year indicate that 30% of young African-American men who have sex with men (MSM) are HIV-positive, a rate that is seven times higher than among their white counterparts. Eleven percent of Latino MSM are living with HIV, a rate that is almost three times higher than their white peers. If Chicago is to make any progress against health disparities and the HIV epidemic in the most impacted populations, including African-Americans, Latinos, and gay men and MSM of all races, the city must continue to invest in HIV prevention and other programs.

So what do proposed budget reductions mean for Chicago? A 6.7% budget cut for public health would mean fewer city services for an array of essential health activities. Here are just four examples:

• Substance abuse treatment services would need to eliminate $500,000 in services (a 12-15% reduction);
• Sexually transmitted disease treatment clinics would lose four staff positions, straining already overwhelmed city clinics;
• The city's maternal and child health program would conduct 1,000 fewer home visits for vulnerable mothers and children.
• Essential HIV services would receive $175,000 less for HIV prevention and care programs. While lower than the cut for other sections, the 4% reduction comes on the heels of an $800,000 funding loss to Chicago from the state needed to keep the AIDS Drug Assistance Program afloat.

Since 2006, the Chicago Department of Public Health has lost 176 staff positions, or 39% of its staff. The additional proposed reductions this year are likely to further erode Chicago's ability to keep residents healthy, reduce chronic and infectious diseases, respond to outbreaks such as H1N1, and protect Chicago's most vulnerable residents.

Chicago's health doesn't have to be another casualty in a bad budget year. Seventy-four organizations wrote Mayor Daley and City Council members earlier this year urging them to restore funding for public health. Concerned Chicagoans are also calling on their aldermen to restore public health funding.

The moment of truth may come on Nov. 25, when the mayor is likely to introduce amendments to the introduced budget that could restore funding. Public health is an essential city service, just like police, fire and education, which should not be shortchanged when economic times are tough.

Johnathon E. Briggs, a former "Chicago Tribune" urban affairs reporter, is vice president of communications at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

John Peller is director of government relations at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

Swine Flu Mutation: New Strain Found In Europe; Drug Resistant And Harsher Symptoms

2009-11-20T15:29:37Z

European public health officials are investigating a handful of swine flu infections in Norway and Wales in which the virus mutated to a form that's more severe or less sensitive to drug treatment.

Five patients at a hospital in Wales contracted swine flu that resisted treatment with Roche Holding AG's Tamiflu, and three more infections are still being analyzed, the U.K. Health Protection Agency said today.

Susanna Speier: H1N1 Politiku

2009-11-18T17:45:17Z

Shortly after my friend, Rachel Levy suggested I do an H1N1 Politiku, she began to blog about it herself.

Rachel's smart, fair, well researched analysis of the situation inspired me to attempt to corral a legion of literary inclined epidemiologists and academics to give their take on the pseudo-sci-anti-vax-contingency.

The pseudo-sci-anti-vax-contingency, being the motley assortment of anti-elitist, maverick, truthers, intent on standing up to the power they perceive to be the H1N1 vaccination advocates.

Thanks to Katie Couric, as well as the former Alaska State Governor, herself, Sarah Palin's ignorance was easy to expose. The ignorance of the anti-Darwinist proponents of Intelligent Design is likewise, recognizable, debunkable and avoidable as they tend to cluster in nutty but isolated communities.

Frenzy stirring, snake oil peddlers, vying to leverage our nation's very legitimate as well as unfortunately abuseable frustration with the corrupt pharmaceutical industry, however are not as obvious. Swine flu is an invisible yet highly contagious and potentially deadly strain of flu. Individuals and families who refuse vaccinations could eventually -- should the disease continue to proliferate -- become a threat to public health.

Although I have no problem -- and in some individual cases might even condone -- supplementing western health care with alternative practices such as yoga, acupuncture, feng shui, massage, meditation and Politiku supplement does not mean substitute.

Given how difficult it is to get a hold of the H1N1 vaccination, it is understandable that frustrated consumers might be drawn to alternative routes. Between now and when the vaccination is finally made available to the general public, hang in there, use hand sanitizer and avoid walking petri dishes -- ie, toddlers with runny noses-- if you have the option.

Individuals with special medical conditions can get access to the vaccination now in locations where it is available. Best strategy for scoring a vax of your own is checking in with the local providers several times a week knowing that eventually your phone call will coincide with a new shipment. Thanks to the new Google flushot finder feature local H1N1 vaccination centers are even easier to track.

The physicians, academic and vaccination advocates who responded to my shout-out are now featured along side Rachel's H1N1 Politiku. Click here for the holiday season Politiku topic.

Rachel Levy Politiku
The vax mayn't be sure
But don't defer to hucksters
Turn ears to reason

Elizabeth Boskey, Ph.D. Politiku
My present this year
Hearing new stupid reasons
For shunning vaccines

Elizabeth Boskey, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Preventative Medicine and Community Health at SUNY Downstate & author of the Guide to Sexually Transmitted Diseases at About.com

Tania Sole Politiku
H I N I Flu
What to do about the Flu
Vaccine Vaccine Yes

Tania Sole is the Founder of physyKO a medical and healthcare forum and coop. She is currently working on health care policy development, has written several eBooks on health care policy and is in the process of completing an autobiographical book on her own experiences with health care systems not only in the US but worldwide.

Wei-Shin Lai, MD Politiku
Government-sponsored
Vaccine stops porcine virus
So why no health care

Wei-Shin Lai is a University Physician at Penn State University where there have been thousands of H1N1 cases (no deaths) and FREE mass vaccinations.

Deborah Hord Politiku
My job required it.
I had to get the vaccine.
Ohhhh, I hate needles!

Deborah Hord is a nursing student who will complete her BSN degree in a few months.

Stephen M. Wilson Politiku
If Frost only knew
neither fire nor ice, but
a new strain of flu

Trulyfool Politiku
Swine Flu feeds on lungs
Nature's viral breakfasting -
Petrarch beat the Plague

Susanna Speier H1N1 Politiku
So you think you will
stay immune through...exercise?
Disinfect the weights!

Susan Sawyers: H1N1 Flu Shot: A Needle in the Universal Healthcare Haystack?

2009-11-18T00:04:27Z

If last weekend's experience getting the H1N1 shot was any indication of what we can expect from makeshift clinics, a government plan shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.

Sunday morning, I dragged the kidlets to an uptown clinic I'd found on
nyc.gov/flu.
My thought was that they might have a shot at THE shot.

I was a bit apprehensive, anticipating a long line with whiny children; but in keeping with the philosophy that our life in New York City is one big adventure, we headed out. By 8:55 a.m., the three of us joined the queue for admission into P.S. 290 at 311 East 82nd Street.

When we arrived, orange-vested "Flow Monitors" directed us toward the end of the block-and-a-half-long line.

A handful of police officers were on watch to make sure the crowd didn't become unruly. "It won't hurt," said a jovial cop to one of my kids, even though, at age 12 and 15, they knew this to be a lie.

After all the hoopla prior to my visit to the clinic, it turned out that the place had plenty of product. It was the second weekend in a series of five that the H1N1 vaccine was being offered by the City. Initially the plan was that only middle school and high schoolers could get it but then they'd expanded the list. To just about everybody -- including me, a healthy middle-aged mom. Turns out, I could have brought my entire neighborhood, and the clinic would have been ready for us.

Click here to see the list of locations.

In the end, about 75 minutes from start to finish, I was left with the sense that it was a crucial service our city is offering its citizens. The shots are delivered with benevolent efficiency and good cheer. Pretty great for a make shift clinic.

Business Groups Oppose Emergency H1N1 Paid Sick Leave

2009-11-17T13:50:47Z

Public health officials say the H1N1 flu pandemic is exacerbated by employees going into work sick because they don't get paid time off. But a representative from the business community told Congress on Tuesday to stay out of it.

House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) is pushing an emergency bill that would require employers with more than 15 workers to provide up to five days of paid sick leave. That's about the length of time it takes for H1N1 sufferers to stop being contagious, according to American Public Health Association head Georges Benjamin, who testified before Miller's committee Tuesday.

The emergency bill doesn't go to the lengths that labor groups, not to mention Miller himself, want. It expires in two years, only applies to workers with "flu-like symptoms" and leaves the decision to grant time off up to the employer. But business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, strenuously oppose the bill anyway.

Testifying on behalf of the National Association of Manufacturers Tuesday, A. Bruce Clarke, who runs his own 1,000-member business lobby in North Carolina, told Miller's committee that most businesses already have comparable or more generous paid leave programs, so why bother?

"While some employers may not have taken specific action in response to the H1N1 outbreak, these employers are clearly the exception to the widespread practices taking place today," Clarke said in his prepared testimony. "These types of creative approaches are the result of flexibility that employers have to develop policies that best fit their workforce needs."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 39 percent of workers in the private sector do not receive paid sick leave.

The "creative approaches" Clarke cited include telecommuting, advancing sick days from next year and allowing employees to make up missed hours with additional shifts. But most of his solutions wouldn't do anything to protect blue-collar or service-industry workers living from paycheck to paycheck.

Miller wasn't moved by the manufacturers' opposition. "Let's face some simple facts. When you're struggling to make ends meet you're going to do everything possible to not miss a day's pay," he said. "The lack of paid sick leave encourages workers who may have H1N1 to hide their symptoms and come to work sick, spreading infection to coworkers, customers and the public. This isn't good for our nation's public health or for businesses."

The emergency bill wouldn't obviate the need for a permanent and comprehensive paid leave policy, Miller said. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has roughly 100 cosponsors on her Healthy Families Act, which would mandate seven days of annual paid sick leave not limited to the flu, and Miller said he will continue working with DeLauro to build support for it. In the meantime, he said, the emergency bill can function as "a circuit breaker needed to get this virus under control."

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) is developing a Senate version of Miller's emergency legislation. Though his bill would also sunset after two years, Dodd said last week that it will be based on the Healthy Families Act, which means it would leave the decision to take up to seven paid sick days up to the worker, not the company.

"Families shouldn't have to choose between staying healthy and making ends meet," Dodd said in a statement last week. "But if staying home means you don't get paid, that's an impossibility, especially for families struggling to make ends meet in this tough economy."

The business community, however, seems to think it can beat back any bill, including Miller's. One tactic they don't hesitate to use involves threatening benefit and job cuts.

"If employers are mandated to provide a certain level of a specific leave benefit, they must decide whether to add that on top of existing employer leave policies or to reduce the existing in order to meet the new mandate," Clarke said Tuesday.

Laying some groundwork for lobbying should the bill keep gaining steam, Clarke suggested that the federal government "encourage" businesses to provide their own H1N1 solutions, and argued that any federal law should preempt state and local laws on paid sick leave, many of which are tougher than the proposed legislation.

15 Best (And Worst) Foods For Immunity

2009-11-17T13:23:56Z

Is your diet making you a germ magnet? Research shows that what you eat -- or don't -- can play an important role in your immune system's ability to do battle with incoming germs.

Swine Flu Hitting 25-49-Year-Olds Hardest

2009-11-16T11:19:34Z

Illinois residents between the ages of 25 and 49 are being hit especially hard by the H1N1 virus.