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The headline that dominated the year 2009 was easily the H1N1 pandemic. On 11 June, 2009, WHO declared the start of the first influenza pandemic since 1968. These were the daily headlines from February 2010 about H1N1 Swine Flu and other influenza and Bird Flu (H5N1) topics.

NOTE: As of 21 February 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16226 deaths as reported by WHO (the World Health Organization).

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The headline that dominated the year was easily the H1N1 pandemic. On 11 June, 2009, WHO declared the start of the first influenza pandemic since 1968. These were the daily headlines from December 2009 about H1N1 Swine Flu and other influenza and Bird Flu (H5N1) topics.

NOTE: As of 27 December 2009, worldwide more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 12220 deaths.

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These were the daily headlines from October 2009 about H1N1 Swine Flu and other influenza and Bird Flu (H5N1) topics.

Note: As of 20 December 2009, the WHO (World Health Organization) reports more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 11516 deaths.

(As more and more countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is significantly lower than the actually number of cases that have occurred. While the case counts no longer reflect actual disease activity, WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of data.)

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The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued new warnings about the H1N1 vaccine, commonly known as Swine Flu. Since supplies of the vaccine are limited anyway, it is wise to know that there are several side effects you should consider with your doctor before you get your shot.
The CDC warns, for example, that “people who are allergic to eggs might be at risk for allergic reactions from receiving influenza vaccines, including the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.” Children with severe asthma are also at risk although there are special treatments available.

If you are having a severe reaction, the CDC said you may experience “high fever or behavior changes, difficulty breathing, hoarseness or wheezing, swelling around the eyes or lips, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heart beat or dizziness.” The CDC recommends seeking medical attention immediately if you spot any of the above symptoms.
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national vaccine safety surveillance program co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). VAERS is a post-marketing safety surveillance program, collecting information about adverse events (possible side effects) that occur after the administration of vaccines licensed for use in the United States. Their site is: vaers.hhs.gov

Also, for those in the USA, you can find out where to get a flu shot via the www.flushotsusa.com website and register your children depending where you live.

(This is a draft …)

These were the daily headlines from October 2009 about H1N1 Swine Flu and other influenza and Bird Flu (H5N1) topics.

Note: As of 25 October 2009, the WHO (World Health Organization) reports worldwide there have been more than 440,000 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 and over 5700 deaths reported to WHO.

(As more and more countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is significantly lower than the actually number of cases that have occurred. While the case counts no longer reflect actual disease activity, WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of data.)

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These were the daily headlines from September 2009 about H1N1 Swine Flu and other influenza and Bird Flu (H5N1) topics.

Note: As of 20 September, the WHO (World Health Organization) reports there have been more than 300,000 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1, 3917 deaths, in 191 countries and territories reported to WHO.

(As more and more countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is significantly lower than the actually number of cases that have occurred. While the case counts no longer reflect actual disease activity, WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of data.)

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Microsoft offers online tools for Swine Flu infected kids

The software giant Microsoft has a good idea, it is software teachers can use to help keep the students engaged should they indeed have to stay home.

And with the recent news that vaccines are in much shorter supply (both quantity and later than expected, it seems likely that many schools and universities will indeed be closing the doors. Read the rest of this entry →