U.S. to vaccinate millions against swine flu

July 10, 2009

I got this from my sister today...

Friday, July 10, 2009 (SF Chronicle)

David Brown,Spencer S. Hsu, Washington Post

(07-10) 04:00 PDT Washington - --

School-age children will be a key target population for a pandemic flu

vaccine in the fall and may get their shots at school in a mass

vaccination campaign not seen since the polio epidemics of the 1950s.

The federal government should get about 100 million doses of vaccine by

mid-October if the current production by five companies goes as planned.

However, enough vaccine for wide use by the 120 million people especially

vulnerable to infection with the newly emerged strain of H1N1 influenza

virus won't be available until later in the fall.

Those were among the messages administration officials delivered to 500

state, territorial, city and tribal health officials Thursday at a "flu

summit" held at the National Institutes of Health's Bethesda, Md., campus.

Children between 6 months and 18 years old, pregnant women, adults with

chronic illnesses and health care workers would probably be first in line

for the pandemic flu vaccine, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen

Sebelius told the gathering.

The federal government has spent about $1 billion on pandemic flu vaccine,

with about $7 billion available for more purchases and pandemic

countermeasures.

The H1N1 virus, derived from two strains of influenza virus that

circulates in pigs, emerged in late in Mexico and southern California.

More than 1 million Americans have become ill from it, and 170 have died.

Worldwide, it has killed at least 420 people.

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Maracuja <howdurdago

undisclosed recipients: ;

Fri, Jul 10, 2009 1:29 pm

Swine flu reaches Thailand...

.... & their officials give better advice than we get in the so-called developed world!

Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, a medical expert at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, warned flu patients to avoid taking aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or ibuprofen-group medicines to avoid possible adverse reactions.

Ministry earmarks B300m for flu shots

First batch expected to arrive in October

By: APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL

Published: 10/07/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/19957/ministry-earmarks-b300m-for-flu-shots

Health authorities in Nan province show students at Rajanubal School in Muang district the proper way to wash their hands to help curb the spread of type-A (H1N1) flu virus. Thirty-eight students at the school have developed flu-like symptoms. RARINTHORN PETCHAROEN

The Public Health Ministry is setting aside more than 300 million baht to buy the first batch of influenza type-A (H1N1) vaccines when they hopefully arrive in October.

A million doses of the vaccine from France-based Sanofi Pasteur, costing about 240 baht a dose, will be imported within three months, followed by another million doses from GlaxoSmithKline Inc in January at the latest, said Vichai Chokewiwat, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation board chairman.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai will talk about the details of the vaccine import and distribution, which will be supervised by the National Health Security Office, on Monday.

Progress on importing the vaccine comes at a time when fears over the rapid spread of the virus and mounting flu deaths are gripping the country.

However, not everyone will get the much-awaited vaccine shots, which will be given to medical staff and soldiers first, said Kamnuan Ungchusak, disease control department spokesman.

"Both hospital professionals and soldiers are on the front lines of national security," Dr Kamnuan said. "They must not get sick."

Many medical professionals are reporting contracting the flu as they have to deal with thousands of patients at hospitals each day.

Soldiers and officials involved with national security, particularly those in the South, could not be allowed to fall ill, he said.

In addition, 2.4 million Thais with chronic health problems, such as lung, heart and kidney diseases, asthma, paralysis, diabetes and cancer, were also vulnerable to the new strain of flu, judging from the deaths reported so far.

The ministry yesterday confirmed three more flu fatalities.

A 52-year-old man from Bangkok died on Wednesday from a severe lung infection. He tested positive for influenza type-A (H1N1) on Saturday.

The man had pre-existing health problems, suffering from colon cancer and kidney failure.

A 45-year-old man from Bangkok died at Kasemraj Hospital on Monday after being sent to hospital with a lung infection and high fever the previous day.

A 17-year-old girl from Maha Sarakham died yesterday at Sri Nakharin Hospital in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen after being hospitalised for a week.

The severity of the type-A (H1N1) outbreak in Thailand, adapted from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standard, now stands at level 2, reflecting a fatality rate still lower than 0.4%.

Dr Kamnuan expected 20% to 30% of the population of cities to "sooner or later" contract type-A (H1N1) flu, mainly because of its rapid transmission rate. People in remote communities had less chance of catching the virus. As a vaccine against influenza type-A (H1N1) is still under production, the government has set up special teams involving health officials and doctors from medical universities to specifically deal with treatment for patients suffering severe flu symptoms.

Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, a medical expert at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, warned flu patients to avoid taking aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or ibuprofen-group medicines to avoid possible adverse reactions.