Dear Ones:
Here is an update for 'Oct 25-31 Week 43' of the H1N1 influenza pandemic per the CDC, local healthcare professionals and the news along with my personal observations.
Let me start this by saying that things in Fairfield County and in much of the USA haven't changed that much since last week. Some national numbers appear to be 'worse', but this does not mean that the alarm level by healthcare professionals, myself included, has changed. I will write a separate article on this for those who are interested!
Points to remember at this time:
---If you have been observing all the recommended precautions and hygiene practices and have not contracted the H1N1 flu virus, you are doing something right and should keep on doing it.
---If you are concerned about getting the 'H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine', rest assured that you have plenty of company and that slowly, but surely, vaccination clinics are popping up here and there. High risk groups being given priority. It is important to pay attention to your local news sources, since health officials are tempering their flu shot clinic decisions on a day-to-day basis, depending on how much and what kind of vaccine is available plus what groups of people in which risk groups live in each area.
---There is absolutely NO NEED TO PANIC ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL. I promise that I will render my opinion onto you when I discern that it is time to do so. (I'm attempting to inject a little humor here...Please bear with me...But my stock phrase holds: "When you see me headed for the hills with brown pants, FOLLOW ME!")
---Remember that if you generally have a good immune system and are in general good health, you will weather this pandemic just fine.
---Stress, anger, fear and other negative emotions are the surest way to dampen your body's immunity. This has been scientically proven since the immune system is under the direct control of...you guessed it...the nervous system. If you are a person of faith, I say 'pray, pray, pray' and put your faith in God. And...if you consider yourself to NOT be a person of faith, I say the exact same thing!
---A note to seniors: Typically, seniors are given priority and special treatment in many healthcare scenarios. This is not the case with H1N1 vaccination protocols. Please do not think that we are 'expendable', but take comfort in the fact that persons over 65 have a good degree of 'immunity' to the H1N1 flu, and even anyone on this earth from 1957 and in good general health is considered to have fairly good immunity. In other words, if you're old, you probably will not get sick. YOU know your body and how well it handles disease. YOU know how you will fare. YOU know how coexisting diseases and conditions affect your own immune system better than any doctor, so please, please adjust your 'anxiety level' appropriately. The caveat here is that if you are a senior NOT in good health, you may well be at greater risk for and with the H1N1 virus and must take greater care with it.
---If you are not infected, there is no need to 'hunker down' completely. I suggest using your common sense by avoiding very crowded places for long periods of time. If you have to go to the drugstore, just do you business and leave. H1N1 Influenza is transmitted by aerosolized (saliva/sputum) droplets, by objects contaminated by the above, and by being exposed to body fluids, including feces...(Attention babysitters, here)
---There is some debate as to how long surfaces remain contaminated after someone coughs or sneezes or drools on them. For the sake of argument, assume that all surfaces in public places are contaminated and regard them accordingly.
---I know that everyone advises to keep your hands cleaned/washed/sanitized, but I have to add to that. Remember this for the current flu season and every flu season: Viral particles gain entry into the human body via mucous membranes. Therefore, remember to not touch your eyes, mouth, nose, or even face at any time until you get to some place where you can scrub your hands and faces with warm soapy water! If ever you've had a sudden sneezing fit and have come down with a viral illness within the next 48 hours, know that the initial itching in your nose and/or tickle in your throat was a darn viral particle burrowing into one of your cells and infecting you. It's true! Sign up for my free newsletter at the bottom of the page and I'll regale you with lots of useful information and alternative homestyle remedies that really work well with whatever your medical doctor provides.
---The incubation period for the H1N1 flu is somewhere between 2-5 or 7 days...usually 2-3 days, it seems now. No one is quite sure
---Tamiflu and Relenza seem to be effective against the H1N1 flu virus, still for Oct 25-Oct 31 Week 43, with only sporatic CDC reported cases of Tamiflu resistance to date.
---The bad news: experts worldwide are uncertain as to how rapidly and in which way the H1N1 virus will mutate or change. The virus could get more infectious and deadly or it may stay the same. Drugs used to treat this virus may continue to work or may not work as well in the future. Only time will tell, but....
---The good news is that many health and other officials are keeping tabs on this 'pesky' virus as I call it.
---The other news is that we all must realize that there is no real data for side effects of the current H1N1 2009 Influenza Vaccine. IT IS BEING ACCUMULATED AS IT IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AND ADMINISTERED. Actually, this is the case with every year's vaccine and many healthcare officials believe that the current vaccine will be as safe as previous flu vaccines have been...But no one knows for sure yet.
---Finally, while I remain neutral about seasonal flu vaccines (and don't receive it myself, nor does my immediate family and many who receive my advice, though we do use alternative methods)...THIS year, I am definitely suggesting that if you or a loved one are in a high risk group, go get that vaccine. Please note that I reserve the right to withdraw that advice if and when I detect a reason to do so. I stay current with all information at http://www.cdc.gov/, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/, http://www.who.int/en/, http://www.fda.gov/ and many others and will continue to interpret the medical-ese and CDC-ese for you, so that you are not confused or alarmed.
---Finally: Again, although I usually address any and all preservatives, colorings, flavorings in our drug and food products, I agree with the CDC here to not obsess about the thimerosal/autism controversey. The methodology used for producing the H1N1 2009 Influenza vaccine harkens back to the 1950's and the risk/benefit ratio in my opinion is such that the risk of NOT immunizing their infants and children is too great to worry about the small amount of mercury in the injectable vaccine. Using a different vaccine culture method and the preservative issue is something I can discuss at another time.
So there you have it, the good, the bad, the neutral and truthful as best as I can present it to you, so that you do not worry.
With Love in Christ,
Reverend Barbara Sexton November 14, 2009
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