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Grr. The nearby site has all its slots filled already. All the other (more distant) places don't have dates until February.
Bleh. This is her second dose that I am trying to arrange.
Bleh. This is her second dose that I am trying to arrange.
H1N1 vaccine
Dec. 29th, 2009 04:13 pmIt is now available at our doctor's for patients without any risk factors. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mrmoosie and I are going to get stuck tonight.
mrmoosie and I are going to get stuck tonight.That was interesting
Dec. 12th, 2009 08:05 pmI don't ever remember seeing Alan Alda as a bad guy before. He did a great job with it, of course. He was arrogant to a T. He played Dr. Robert Gallo. And Gallo credits Dr. David Baltimore for getting him interested in retroviruses.
Dr. Gallo did NOT receive the Nobel Prize in 2008, when his rivals, Dr. Montagnier and Dr. Francoise Barre-Sinoussi did get it for the discovery of the virus that causes AIDS.
Dr. Gallo and Dr. Baltimore were separately involved in the biggest investigations for scientific misconduct ever conducted by NIH's Office of Research Integrity. ETA: Both investigations were eventually dropped and the leaders of the investigations were believed to be engaging in a vendetta at one point. I can't find the names of the leaders, but they were all over Science in the early 90s. Science is the magazine published by the American Association for Advancement in Science and is the premier wide-ranging science journal in the United States.
Any way, the movie was fun. Unfortunately, we didn't recognize any of the famous faces at the end.
Dr. Gallo did NOT receive the Nobel Prize in 2008, when his rivals, Dr. Montagnier and Dr. Francoise Barre-Sinoussi did get it for the discovery of the virus that causes AIDS.
Dr. Gallo and Dr. Baltimore were separately involved in the biggest investigations for scientific misconduct ever conducted by NIH's Office of Research Integrity. ETA: Both investigations were eventually dropped and the leaders of the investigations were believed to be engaging in a vendetta at one point. I can't find the names of the leaders, but they were all over Science in the early 90s. Science is the magazine published by the American Association for Advancement in Science and is the premier wide-ranging science journal in the United States.
Any way, the movie was fun. Unfortunately, we didn't recognize any of the famous faces at the end.
The swine flu
Dec. 4th, 2009 07:31 pmThe trend is unambiguously down in number of new infections and number of new visits to physicians about flu-like symptoms. It's now below the peak of 2006-2007's flu season, and substantially below the peak of 2007-2008's flu season. It's not below the epidemic threshold yet.
The amount of vaccine available (in the US) is 78 million doses. Some states are allowing non-high risk groups to be vaccinated.
The amount of vaccine available (in the US) is 78 million doses. Some states are allowing non-high risk groups to be vaccinated.
My leg no longer hurts like the dickens. I have to follow up with my primary care physician to get the Lyme disease screening. The doctor tried to imply that the reason it hurt was mrmoosie 's attempt to remove it, but it hurt long before that.
So many sick children at the Urgent Care place (Nighttime Pediatrics is the name, but they do adults also). I feel really sorry for those poor children.
The news from CDC about H1N1 is NOT good. 8% of all visits are for Influenza-like lllness or Pneumonia. 40% of people with symptoms have flu (which is really high, they usually see seasonal variation in this, but the yearly high is usually in the 20% range). The % of all deaths due to Flu or Pneumonia has exceeded the epidemic threshold.
I did not feel it appropriate to share the FluView diagrams with any of the parents there who were worried about their children. Even (or especially) the parents that I discussed MS Word and computer systems with in an effort to not be bored stiff.
mrmoosie 's attempt to remove it, but it hurt long before that.So many sick children at the Urgent Care place (Nighttime Pediatrics is the name, but they do adults also). I feel really sorry for those poor children.
The news from CDC about H1N1 is NOT good. 8% of all visits are for Influenza-like lllness or Pneumonia. 40% of people with symptoms have flu (which is really high, they usually see seasonal variation in this, but the yearly high is usually in the 20% range). The % of all deaths due to Flu or Pneumonia has exceeded the epidemic threshold.
I did not feel it appropriate to share the FluView diagrams with any of the parents there who were worried about their children. Even (or especially) the parents that I discussed MS Word and computer systems with in an effort to not be bored stiff.
More H1N1 and risk of Guillain-Barré
Oct. 29th, 2009 08:46 amDuring past pandemics, a third or more of the entire population has got flu, and the risks of flu killing you or causing nasty problems such as Guillain-Barré syndrome are far greater than those of the vaccines.
Fears from the 1970s
The 1976 vaccine caused around 10 cases per million vaccinated. Even ordinary flu vaccines, however, are thought to cause one extra case of Guillain-Barré per million, in addition to the 10 to 20 per million who get Guillain-Barré some other way every year.
Does this mean it is safer not getting vaccinated? Absolutely not. First, there is the risk of swine flu killing you. Second, what few people know is that flu itself is far more likely to cause Guillain-Barré than any flu vaccine.
A 2009 study found that out of every million people who get flu, between 40 and 70 develop Guillain-Barré. So your best chance of avoiding Guillain-Barré is to get vaccinated, a conclusion backed by a 2007 study.
The vaccine risk is also diminishing. Cases of Guillain-Barré in the US have fallen 20 per cent since 1996, and cases reported after flu vaccination have fallen by 60 per cent. Intriguingly, this coincides with a fall in infections by the food poisoning bacterium Campylobacter, thanks to improved meat hygiene. Guillain-Barré usually follows infections, and Campylobacter is the main cause. It is also endemic among chickens, and flu vaccines are grown in chicken eggs. So the occasional contamination of flu vaccines with Campylobacter proteins might explain the link with Guillain-Barré, according to a 2004 study.
(From the New Scientist)
A little tired.
Oct. 28th, 2009 07:18 pmStood in line for 2 hours and 15 minutes to get Emily the 2009 H1N1 FluMist. Spoke with the teenage boy (and his mother) behind me for a good deal of it. Emily rode on my shoulders for much of the wait. She enjoyed looking at the many maps of the school.
is now a State of Emergency in the United States.
You may return to your previously scheduled status of alarm or calm.
You may return to your previously scheduled status of alarm or calm.
H1N1 update
Oct. 23rd, 2009 01:43 pmWidespread. Everywhere. Consider immersing yourself in handsanitiser.
The vaccine (FluMist H1N1) will be available for children 6 months to 24 years at three high schools on Wednesday the 28th of Oct. My child will be at the high school closest to me. I'm sure that the line will be tremendous.
Emily's school (of 550 students) had 85 out sick today.
The vaccine (FluMist H1N1) will be available for children 6 months to 24 years at three high schools on Wednesday the 28th of Oct. My child will be at the high school closest to me. I'm sure that the line will be tremendous.
Emily's school (of 550 students) had 85 out sick today.
I am unable to sit still.
Oct. 2nd, 2009 11:36 amI used my lightbox for 20 minutes this morning. OK, maybe I lost track of time and it was an hour. I am totally revved up. I have a ton of things to do for my PTA committee and some of the information I need is in Yahoo! mail. Mail is acting slow, plus I have a ton of messages that I *could* respond to (mostly having to do with that same committee).
My brain keeps firing up things for me to do. I have a category in my "things" (a todo list) called public health. It seems to include advising people to get the flu vaccine, figure out whether someone should get the nasal vaccine or the shot, and telling people that flu parties are one of the dumbest ideas out there. It also includes donating blood, but that requires sitting still.
Unfortunately for me, I can't listen to podcasts (especially not Spanish) very well in this hyper state. Or study.
My brain keeps firing up things for me to do. I have a category in my "things" (a todo list) called public health. It seems to include advising people to get the flu vaccine, figure out whether someone should get the nasal vaccine or the shot, and telling people that flu parties are one of the dumbest ideas out there. It also includes donating blood, but that requires sitting still.
Unfortunately for me, I can't listen to podcasts (especially not Spanish) very well in this hyper state. Or study.
Your weekly update. H1N1
Sep. 25th, 2009 04:27 pmThe southern half of the US has widespread flu. Washington state, Illinois, Minnesota, Maryland and Pennsylvania, to pick out a few that my readers might be interested in, have widespread flu. About 5% of visits to doctors are for flu-like illnesses.
I have closed registration for my class(es). There will be three, Spanish level 1, and two sessions of Introductory Spanish. Now to send out the paperwork, and safety information, etc. Sigh. It will all work out.
My doctor will have flu shots on Oct. 6. Flu is widespread in the Southeastern region of the US and isolated states in the Midwest and Southwest. That includes Illinois and Kansas, but not Massachusetts or Missouri. 99% of all Flu cases are H1N1.
Tonight is my first Spanish class of this year.
My doctor will have flu shots on Oct. 6. Flu is widespread in the Southeastern region of the US and isolated states in the Midwest and Southwest. That includes Illinois and Kansas, but not Massachusetts or Missouri. 99% of all Flu cases are H1N1.
Tonight is my first Spanish class of this year.
My obsession, H1N1 flu
Aug. 21st, 2009 11:21 amUpdate from WHO
Transmission is decreasing in the Southern Hemisphere (with few isolated places that are increasing (mostly those that started seeing infection later)). Transmission is falling in Europe, especially Britain. Transmission is rising in those areas of Asia that have a monsoon season, India, Bangladesh, etc. Transmission is steadily quite high in Central America.
We will see how the back-to-school season goes in the Northern Hemisphere, especially Mexico, the US and Canada.
Transmission is decreasing in the Southern Hemisphere (with few isolated places that are increasing (mostly those that started seeing infection later)). Transmission is falling in Europe, especially Britain. Transmission is rising in those areas of Asia that have a monsoon season, India, Bangladesh, etc. Transmission is steadily quite high in Central America.
We will see how the back-to-school season goes in the Northern Hemisphere, especially Mexico, the US and Canada.
I'm back from teaching. Must prepare timesheet and submit.
The swine flu (H1N1) vaccine is in clinical trials. Everyone, get your seasonal flu vaccine ASAP to clear the decks for the H1N1. They ARE planning on two doses, probably with adjuvant.
The swine flu (H1N1) vaccine is in clinical trials. Everyone, get your seasonal flu vaccine ASAP to clear the decks for the H1N1. They ARE planning on two doses, probably with adjuvant.
Never hurts to be prepared
Jul. 24th, 2009 12:30 pmThe Maryland Renaissance Festival is prepared for H1N1 transmission. The story line includes "The Great Pestilence". 1543 or 2009, who can really tell the difference?
Putting two and two together.
Jul. 10th, 2009 10:02 amAnd getting four, finally.
I have been listening to the radio all week on my commute to Emily's camp. Sometimes I listen to the news station, sometimes I listen to the Spanish station. They both play the same ad (although I have heard it more in Spanish). This ad urges you to volunteer for the vaccine clinical trials at NIH. In the advertisement, they mention vaccines for 'gripé'==flu, and 'haiche e ve'==HIV.
The other piece of the puzzle was supplied by the Washington Post this morning. An article on the meeting yesterday to plan for the fall flu season mentioned that tests over the summer are needed to prepare the H1N1 vaccine for use in the fall.
I finally put it together and realized that they are recruiting volunteers for the H1N1 vaccine and just using their generic ad in heavy rotation. So probably no volunteers this summer will get an HIV vaccine candidate or a Lyme disease candidate.
I have been listening to the radio all week on my commute to Emily's camp. Sometimes I listen to the news station, sometimes I listen to the Spanish station. They both play the same ad (although I have heard it more in Spanish). This ad urges you to volunteer for the vaccine clinical trials at NIH. In the advertisement, they mention vaccines for 'gripé'==flu, and 'haiche e ve'==HIV.
The other piece of the puzzle was supplied by the Washington Post this morning. An article on the meeting yesterday to plan for the fall flu season mentioned that tests over the summer are needed to prepare the H1N1 vaccine for use in the fall.
I finally put it together and realized that they are recruiting volunteers for the H1N1 vaccine and just using their generic ad in heavy rotation. So probably no volunteers this summer will get an HIV vaccine candidate or a Lyme disease candidate.
H1N1 on the WHO site.
Jun. 18th, 2009 10:38 amOf interest are the large increase in cases in Canada, over 1000. And the -1 death in the last reporting period in the US. A negative death is funny; was someone born as a result of the virus?
Now, actually, that probably was an artifact of their computer system. They probably decided a death was not due to the virus and had to remove it from the count. And there actually have been children born as a result of the virus, early delivery is a means to reduce the severity of the case in pregnant women.
Now, actually, that probably was an artifact of their computer system. They probably decided a death was not due to the virus and had to remove it from the count. And there actually have been children born as a result of the virus, early delivery is a means to reduce the severity of the case in pregnant women.
