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The panic has subsided, the scary headlines are gone.  If you’ve wanted the flu vaccine you probably received it by now.  Even though the media coverage has disappeared, the swine flu is still out there, and it’s still killing Americans. 

Here are the facts:

The swine flu has already infected over 50 million Americans, killing over 10,000. 

H1N1 has infected over 15% of the total population of the United States since April.

250,000 Americans have been hospitalized from H1N1

7,500 adults ages 18 to 64 have died of H1N1

1,000 children under age 18 have died of H1N1

This latest assessment of the H1N1 epidemic gives the most accurate, up to date numbers as provided by the government.

Another surprising statistic:  in a typical year, 95% of overall deaths are in people 65 and older.  So far this year, 95% of deaths have been in people younger than age 95.

Although it appears as though the swine flu is waning (just 25 states report widespread activity down from 48 states one month ago) the virus remains highly infectious and could come back even stronger.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is worried that since the media coverage has subsided, the general public will not make hygiene a priority.  The CDC wants to make it clear that the best way to prevent the spread of the flu virus is to wash your hands often, avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes and get the flu vaccine as soon as possible. 

SOURCE:  USA Today 12.11.2009

Santa has a tough job.  He sees thousands of children a day, some happy, some scared, some cry, some sneeze, some throw up and some even pee on poor Santa.  This year Santa’s job is even more hazardous.  The swine flu outbreak has Santa asking for a flu shot and hand sanitizer for Christmas.

Lately news reports have suggested that getting the shot has been difficult for mall Santas in most states. That’s because the vaccine supply is still limited and Santas are not officially in the priority high risk group as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC recommends that the H1N1 vaccine be given to pregnant women, people who care for children younger than 6 months of age, people who work in healthcare and emergency medical services, people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people who are at a higher risk because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

Arleen Porcell-Pharr, a public affairs specialist for the CDC says “we understand that workers who are in close contact with children, such as teachers and Santas, may be concerned about getting infected with the H1N1 virus, and thus would like to be considered in the priority groups for vaccination, however, our recommendations on who should first get vaccinated are based on scientific evidence on who is being most affected by the disease”.

Santas are being told to take other precautions if they cannot get the vaccination. For instance, you may notice Santa will not be wearing his traditional white gloves. The reasoning behind that is that it makes it easier for Santas to apply hand sanitizer.

Malls are requiring hand sanitizing stations wherever Santa sets up shop and are requiring that they dry clean their Santa suits frequently.  They hope to not only protect Santa, but the thousands of people that will be shopping this holiday season.

Other precautions Santas are making to avoid the flu are taking four extra breaks per work day allowing for a thorough cleaning of the Santa station.  Santas are being told to change their shirts often throughout the day, sanitize their hands after each child and after every three children they are being told to wipe down their face with a moist towel.  In addition, Santas are hoping that sick children will stay at home and wait until they feel better to make their visit to the mall.

Despite the swine flu concerns, everyone expects that Santa will still be Santa this year, and bring a little bit of love and joy to children.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/04/news/economy/santa_claus_swine_flu_vaccine/index.html

Since the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus, it seems as though hand sanitizer is everywhere.  Hand sanitizer is now displayed in schools, shopping malls, airports, offices and restaurants.  Health officials have encouraged the public to wash their hands often to help combat the swine flu, but since soap and water may not be readily available, hand sanitizer has been a popular and convenient replacement to help fight germs and bacteria and stop the spread of the flu.  It’s important to know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that washing your hands is still the number one way to combat the flu virus, but hand sanitizer comes in second.

Does it really protect from viruses? What is the best way to use it?  How does hand sanitizer work to stop the spread of germs?

When it comes to choosing a hand sanitizer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended sanitizers that have a high content of alcohol. The optimum proportion is 60 to 95 percent alcohol, according to major health studies. The active ingredient in hand sanitizer, primarily alcohol, disrupts the coating of virus and bacteria particles. By damaging the outside of the particle, the virus becomes deactivated, says Andrew Pekosz, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. The CDC also states that according to some estimates, up to 80 percent of all infections get spread by hands.

Hand sanitizer works on contact, meaning it’s only effective on the parts of your hands that it touches.  Basically if you miss a spot between your fingers, there could still be viruses or bacteria in the spots you missed, said Dr. Lisa Bernstein, an assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine. “You have to cover whole surface of hands and allow it to dry,” she said.

The process of putting sanitizer on your hands makes it work against these viruses almost immediately. However, it does not protect you against whatever you might touch next. During a regular workday, it is recommended that you use hand sanitizer three to five times randomly, in addition to washing your hands whenever soap and water are available.  If you’re sneezing or coughing, you should use sanitizer more frequently.

Again, scrubbing your hands with soap and water, which the CDC recommends for 15 to 20 seconds, is better than using hand sanitizer. That’s because washing physically actually removes the virus particles, instead of just deactivating them.

SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/27/hand.sanitizer.basics/index.html

A surprising announcement regarding the swine flu.  On Friday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a decrease in H1N1 flu activity nationwide.

The CDC announced that 43 states now have widespread flu activity, compared with 46 states last week and 48 states at the beginning of November.  Despite this decrease, health officials remind us that the occurrence of the flu is still much greater than this time last year, and flu season doesn’t usually begin until December. 

In addition to this announcement, the CDC stated that parts of the country are seeing a small decline in flu cases. Other areas, including Hawaii and Maine, have actually seen an increase in swine flu.

Despite the overall decrease in flu cases, the CDC also said that there have been 21 more deaths from H1N1 in children just in the last seven days. This number is in addition to last week’s report that the CDC estimated 540 children had died from complications of this flu virus so far.

In an effort to limit further spread of the virus as millions of Americans begin traveling for the holidays, the CDC has launched a public awareness campaign.  The campaign encourages the use of basic precautions, reminding us to only travel when we feel well, to wash our hands often, cover our coughs and sneezes and of course to vaccinated.

According to the CDC, more people will be able to get vaccinated because more vaccine continues to be available. The United States have been able to order a total of 54 million doses of H1N1 vaccine so far, which includes 11 million doses more than last week.

SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/20/h1n1.cdc.report/index.html

Take these precautions at the gym to avoid H1N1 and other dangerous viruses!

Viruses and bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments and are therefore extremely prevalent in most gyms. Think about those dumbbells, the pin in the weight stack and the buttons on the treadmill!  By taking a few simple precautionary measures, you can visit your gym and avoid germs while you exercise and improve your overall health.

Step One: Wash your hands before and after using exercise equipment to rid your hands of germs.  A lot of gyms are now providing hand sanitizer throughout their facilities, use the sanitizer often!

Step Two: Spray disinfectant or use the antibacterial wipes provided by the gym on any exercise equipment you use both before and after each exercise.

Step Three: Bring two different-colored towels with you to the gym. Wipe your own sweat with one towel and use the second towel to wipe down the surface of the exercise equipment you want to use. This will remove any sweat the previous user left on the equipment, and since you’re using two different towels, you won’t expose yourself to others’ germs.  Most gyms offer antibacterial wipes that have an alcohol base that you can also use to wipe down machines before and after use.

Step Four: Wear flip-flops when walking in the shower, sauna and locker rooms so you can avoid germs left on moist floors.

Step Five: Place a towel on the sauna seat before sitting down to avoid contact with the surface, which may contain fungi.  Humidity in saunas promote the growth of bacteria!

Step Six: Fill up a water bottle at home and bring it with you to the gym. Avoid putting your mouth or your empty water bottle anywhere near a gym water fountain or water cooler. Germs pass easily from a water bottle to the fountain tap and back to another bottle if people hold their bottles against the tap when filling them.  If you must use the water fountain at the gym, let the water run for a second to flush out any germs and be careful so that your lips do not touch any part of the fountain. Then make sure that you wash or sanitize your hands immediately after as bacteria may be lurking on the button used to activate the water fountain.

Step Seven: Shower immediately after you finish exercising. Showering allows you to avoid getting sick from the germs you were exposed to while working out.

Step Eight: Wear gloves when working out.  Weight lifting gloves can save your skin from blisters, calluses and germs!

Step Nine: Keep your gym bag clean.  The outside of your bag has been on the floor, the locker room and may have even bumped into someone sweaty.  The inside of your bag is moist and a breeding ground for bacteria, make sure to clean it out often.

Step Ten: Report to the management if you see any unsanitary conditions or unclean areas.  You should even report if other people at the gym aren’t cleaning up after themselves.

Bonus Tip!  Don’t touch your face with your hands!  Contact with your nose, mouth and eyes allow germs to enter your system!

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2096456_avoid-germs-gym.html http://www.ehow.com/how_4478145_avoid-getting-sick-gym-workouts.html

In less than 100 days the 2010 Olympics will take place in Vancouver.  British Columbia officials are expecting  over 1 million athletes, spectators, vendors and travelers to visit the Vancouver / Whistler area in a relatively short time frame.  With the current H1N1 pandemic and millions of people traveling from all over the world to one condensed area, we ask if H1N1 could have any effect on the Olympic Games.

Dr. Bob McCormack, the chief medical officer for the Canadian Olympic Committee says “I tell athletes that the Olympics is where the viruses of the world meet”   That being said, is the Olympic Committee going to shut down events?  Close the border?  Lock their doors?

Surprisingly, most researchers predict that the H1N1 virus will not have a huge affect on the Olympic Games as it was once suggested months ago.  In May of this year, before the public fully understood the pathology of the virus, there was talk that the games may have to be postponed.  Medical officials overseeing the 2010 Winter Games say they’re not taking the virus lightly, but they also don’t believe it will be necessary or even wise to shut down the Games or close events to spectators in the event of a fresh outbreak. The initial fear and paranoia seem to have subsided as we begin to understand the pathology behind the virus, but as a preventative measure, some precautions and changes will be made at this year’s Olympics.

In May, the British Columbia Environmental and Occupational Health Research Network sponsored a symposium for 90 institution-based scientists to discuss the effect of H1N1 at mass events.  From knowledge and discussion at the symposium, the Olympic Committee has developed a comprehensive strategy for dealing with H1N1 during the Games.  Much of this strategy deals with how to lessen the chance of an infection sweeping through an entire team, and what to do when an athlete is suspected of contracting the H1N1 virus.

First on the list is aquiring and offering H1N1 vaccinations to volunteers and staff. The committee has already secured enough doses of the seasonal flu vaccine Tamiflu for its paid staff and 25,000 volunteers. They also noted that it will be up to coaches and officials of visiting teams to vaccinate their athletes and are encouraging them to do so.

Expect to see hand sanitizers everywhere during the Olympics.  Earlier this year, the Vancouver Olympic Committee signed two companies that each claim to have products that affect H1N1. One, Afexa Life Sciences, is the maker of a cold and flu remedy called Cold-fX. The other, ALDA Pharmaceuticals, was named the official supplier of hand sanitizer and disinfectant cleaning products. They each will provide quantities of their products for distribution to athletes, officials and other members of the Olympic family.

So, the games will go on!  Due to the diligence and hard work of the Olympic Committee and medical officials, precautions and steps have been made to keep the Olympic Games on schedule.  Contrary to earlier predictions, the more realistic affects of the swine flu on the games is on a much smaller scale than once predicted.  It will be more likely that we see an athlete absent in an event due to the flu, or a spectator may have a fever, but overall, the biggest affect may be paranoia.

SOURCE:  http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Could+swine+affect+Vancouver+Olympics/1555315/story.html

http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/2010+Games+will+despite+swine+officials/1940967/story.html

There are many things you can do to prevent yourself from spreading germs and getting sick this season.  We already know not to touch our eyes, nose and mouth and to wash our hands often, but what about when traveling?  Here are some tips to help prevent spreading germs when we are away from home.

To avoid germs when flying, turn your air vent off or away from you.  Circulated air on planes may contain germs, even though the air continuously goes through HEPA filters.  Even if a passenger sneezes a few rows away from you, those germs may get into the circulated air flow.  If you are seated beside someone that is constantly sneezing or coughing, it may help to pivot your body away from the ill passenger.  According to researchers at Purdue University that shows how germs move around an airplane, you are most likely to be exposed from germs from passengers in your row and in the row behind you.  An unfortunate part of their findings is that if someone near you has the flu, you are very likely to be exposed to their germs on a plane as the flu is very transmissible. 

Another tip is to avoid handrails in airports.  Escalators and moving sidewalk handrails contain millions of germs.  Anyone that has sneezed, wiped their nose, coughed or just hasn’t washed their hands in awhile leaves their germs on everything they touch.  The good news is most healthy individuals are able to fight off most germs, but unfortunately since H1N1 is new virus, your body isn’t likely to be immune to H1N1 bacteria.  Experts agree that you should make a conscience effort to avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose and washing your hands often, especially if you touch a handrail.

What about water fountains?  Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona says his research shows that water fountains in airports and schools are potential breeding grounds for bacteria due to the moist environment that germs love.  However, there isn’t a huge risk of transmission as long as your lips do not touch the water spout and as long as you make sure to let the water run for a second before you drink to flush out any bacteria that has been growing in the spout.  It is recommended that you do wash or sanitize your hands immediately after using the water fountain as harmful bacteria may have been on the bar or button that stimulates water flow.

A shocking statistic; you can actually transmit germs between anyone within six feet of you.  Just as you are traveling, germs also travel through air droplets that you inhale.  By being aware of coughing and sneezing you can attempt to avoid the six foot circle around ill travelers.  Identifying those that may have the flu and practicing avoidance is your best bet to stay healthy in airports and other crowded places.

With the holiday season upon us and the ongoing battle with the swine flu, take charge of your health when traveling.  Use common sense and stay at home if you feel ill, and avoid others that show symptoms of the flu.  Wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.  Protect yourself in airport and when using water fountains and you may be able to avoid the flu bug during the flu season.

SOURCE:  http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/05/where.germs.lurk/index.html

It’s a tough time right now in the United States, Canada and Mexico.  Stock markets are down, the economy is stagnant and the swine flu seems to be in the headlines daily.  Which brings me to ask this question.  Has the swine flu made this financial mess even worse?  We asked if the swine flu has had a negative effect on the tourism industry, and the answer is surprising.

Despite warnings against non-essential travel to Mexico from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Mexican tourism industry said recently that there has not been a significant change in their tourism numbers.  They claim that the biggest factor in their already struggling tourism industry was due to the negative publicity of violence associated with the drug cartel, and not the swine flu.  Mexican officias admit that there was an initial ’scare’ when the public didn’t know exactly what the swine flue was and how it was transmitted, but with the ongoing media coverage that inital ’scare’ is over and people continue to travel.

Mexico isn’t the only country that may have a tourism headache on its hands.  Swine flu cases have appeared world wide, potentially affecting tourism on a national level.  In our research, many countries are going to ‘wait and see’ how their tourism industry is affected.   November and December, which are the two biggest months for travel because of the holidays, will give us a better idea of how the swine flu has affected the tourism industry.

To help control the spread of swine flu during travel, the United States Customs and Border Protection said all of their personnel have received illness recognition training.  If a traveler exhibits symptoms of the disease, Customs and Border Protection must report the suspected illness to the CDC.

The World Health Organization urged countries not to restrict international travel or close borders, as such measures would not in themselves stem the outbreak.  Scientists have agreed that at this point, travel itself does not increase your risk of developing the flu.  They added that people who travel should wash their hands frequently and practice the same cleanliness measures as if they were at home.  Just because you are traveling doesn’t mean you don’t wash your hands.

Overall, within the United States, Canada and Mexico there has not been a huge decrease in travel and tourism due to swine flu.  Again, most countries are going to monitor November and December to receive accurate tourism numbers, but if we see decreased numbers it may be due to the economy instead of the swine flu.  As the general public becomes educated about the flu and understand the risks and take the steps and precautions, travel should not be avoided because of the flu.

SOURCE  http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/04/27/swine.flu.travel/

President Obama recently declared the swine flu virus a national emergency, but what exactly does that mean? 

The national emergency declaration,  by definition, means certain government functions are invoked and suspended during the state of national emergency, allowing for expedited care for those in need during the emergency.

This past June the World Health Organization upgraded H1N1 from phase five to a phase six pandemic, which is the highest level of pandemic. The public may be familiar with these declarations in regard to terrorism, but the H1N1 virus is the most recent pandemic resulting from a health risk to the public, unrelated to terrorism.

Obama’s declaration of a national emergency means hospitals are given the freedom to set up care sites outside of hospitals, such as in schools, parking lots and other available areas without the federal ‘red tape’.  If the hospital creates a health care site within 250 yards of the hospital, they qualify for federal reimbursement for the treatment of patients. The intent of setting up off site care locations is not only to slow the spread of the virus, but also to prevent overcrowding in the emergency room, which could free up space for other illnesses.

The declaration also allows hospitals to modify patient check-in procedures, minimizing paperwork which allows faster treatment to treat each illness.

An additional benefit is that changes and waivers to coverage may be made involving Medicare and Medicaid throughout the duration of the state of emergency. These changes and waivers may provide treatment to those who do not qualify under their current insurance.

The overall intent of the declaration is to give hospitals the freedom to fight the swine flu without federal paperwork, which ultimately slows the health care process.  This is particularly important when hospitals are dealing with a virus that is spread rapidly.

SOURCE  http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/10/27/swine-flu-emergency-what-obama-s-declaration-means.aspx