A mall Santa's job is never easy. You're inundated by hordes of children lining up to sit on your lap to ask for outlandish material things. And once they reach you, all they do is sob and pull your beard with their germy hands.

This year, Santas nationwide say there's an added occupational hazard -- the swine flu. And they want protection from it, the Associated Press reports. 

They're not asking to jump ahead of everyone in line for swine flu vaccines. But they do think they deserve to be along side child care providers and others who are around children all the time.

Kids are not just more susceptible to this flu, they are germ magnets known for spreading all kinds of bugs. 

Santas are worried for other reasons too. Real Santas -- we're talking members of Santa trade groups such as the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas -- tend to be pudgy in the mid-section, just like the one and only real Santa Claus. Being obese is a H1N1 risk factor.

No word from the CDC if the Santas will get their Christmas wish. (Although one Santa group has in fact asked a member of Congress for support) For now, Santas are taking precautions. They're ditching those germ-catching white gloves and installing hand sanitizer for Santas use as well as for the kiddies to use before they take a seat on Santas lap. Santa slathering on hand santizer? Well, aren't we all. Santas, they're just like us!

Continue reading "Santa wants a present too -- the swine flu shot" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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With flu shots in hot demand, everyone wants to know where they can find a vaccine near them -- fast.

Well, Google maps says it has an answer for you. The new flu shot finder (google.com/flushot) is just kicking off, so there are a few kinks, the folks at Consumerist tell us (many locations are showing up that they're out of stock).

But eventually, the tool aims to provide users with the most up-to-date locations where they can find both seasonal and H1N1 vaccines.

Google's been working with the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services on the project and apparently the tool will be available soon on the government's flu site: www.flu.gov.

And if you're local, don't forget The Sun's swine flu webpage has information on local vaccine clinics. You can find that here.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 3:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Swine flu's so-called remedies are everywhere, from potions claiming to cure the ill to cleaning products touting they can kill flu germs.

As far as flu cures are concerned, we've shared with you how to detect the real from the bogus. But what about cleaning supplies? Do disinfectants that claim to battle the flu really work?

Well, some do and some don't, according to Polly Ristaino, associate director of hospital epidemiology and infection control for Johns Hopkins. The most important thing to look for in a product is an Environmental Protection Agency label that bares the claim. These products have had extensive testing to meet standards by the EPA, which regulates disinfectants, she said. Manufacturers who tout that their potions kill flu germs without the EPA stamp are false, she said.

Another caveat: there are no EPA-approved products yet that claim to kill the H1N1 virus, but there are tons that say they fight influenza-A, or the seasonal flu. So far, experts believe these seasonal flu fighters can disinfect against the swine flu, since the viruses are similar. The EPA also makes a list of some 500 products on the market that are approved to fight seasonal flu germs and you can find those here.

Cleaning is important, but Ristaino reminds us, you don't need fancy products. "Regular soap and water is just fine," she said. Still, people are taking disinfecting seriously these days. Fears of the virus have even helped propel a 23 percent increase in first quarter sales for Clorox products.

But more important than cleaning the environment is practicing good hand hygiene, said Ristaino. And you all know what that means -- wash your hands frequently and sneeze and cough into your elbow, as public health officials have been drilling into our heads for months.

Continue reading "Disinfecting against the flu -- what really works?" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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MC Kelly Kel on the mic: Check one two, wash your hands to protect from the swine flu. Sorry, that was awful. But I'm OK with that. I am not a rapper; I'm a reporter. I can play my position.

Doctors are not rappers either, and yet, some physicians unfortunately have turned to hip hop to spread the message of swine flu prevention. Take Dr. Mache Seibel, a.k.a. DocRock, who has teamed up with insurance carrier Cigna for a rap public service announcement to teach children how to ward of the H1N1 virus. No comment is necessary, I will let the video speak for itself:

Still cringing? Me too. Good intentions aside, it's hard for us old peeps to stay young and hip. So after watching DocRock, I said to myself, why bother risking such embarrassment?

But then I stumbled upon another rapping doc -- who has skills. Seriously. Check out Dr. John Clarke, a Long Island, NY doctor whose freestyle was so good he was named as one of 10 finalists in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services search for a swine flu PSA. Then tell me which one you think is better.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Our colleague Jill Rosen over a the Unleashed blog gives us the scoop on the Iowa cat who came down with, yes, you guessed it, the swine flu.

The cat recovered and officials believed the pet contracted the virus from someone in the household who was already sick from it. The H1N1 virus has been found in pigs, birds and ferrets too.

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners are reminding pet owners that some viruses can pass from people to animals, so this wasn't unexpected. Note to cats and dogs: stay away from your sneezing owners. 

Looking for more info on protecting your pets against the virus? Check out this piece by the NYT.  

AP photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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We know many people are having trouble finding swine flu vaccines. But perhaps relief is on the way. We're hearing reports of flu clinics opening up in unexpected places.

Baltimore's public library system is teaming up with the city health department to offer free seasonal and H1N1 vaccines. 

The clinics begin this Friday at the central library at 400 Cathedral Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for seasonal flu shots only. H1N1 vaccines will be available Friday Dec. 11 and Friday Jan. 8 at the same times and location. Flu experts will also be on hand to answer questions. For more info, visit the library's website at www.prattlibrary.org.

Additional H1N1 clinics are coming up this week at the city health department -- including by appointment for pregnant women. You can find out about those at the department's website: www.baltimorehealth.org.

In addition, our friends at the Consuming Interests blog tell us both seasonal and H1N1 vaccines will be available at the BWI airport. Check out the details here. Apparently, BWI has been providing flu shots for the last couple of years. It's called AeroClinic and the vaccines don't come cheap-- seasonal flu shots are $40 and the H1N1 vaccine - when it's available - will go for $22.

Hear of any other clinics? Let us know.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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The H1N1 vaccine is safe and effective in pregnant women and just one dose appears to offer adequate immunity against the virus, according to preliminary findings from NIH studies of the vaccine.

Pregnant women are among groups at greatest risk of complications from the swine flu and have been placed to the front of the line for vaccination against it. The virus has caused 28 deaths in pregnant women and least 100 hospitalizations, according to the CDC.  

The initial results come from trials that began in September with 120 healthy women ages 18 to 39 in their second and third trimesters. Of 25 women who received one standard 15-microgram dose of the vaccine, 92 percent of them showed an immune response, researchers found. Similar results were found for 25 women who received a 30-microgram dose of the vaccine -- 96 percent showed an immune response. 

Perhaps most important to women eyeing the results, the vaccine is being tolerated well by pregnant women and there have been no safety concerns, so far.

Continue reading "Swine flu vaccine: just one dose needed for pregnant women" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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So far, swine flu has been linked to at least 114 child deaths nationwide, according to the CDC. It's a figure that has frustrated and puzzled researchers and infectious disease experts.

While most people -- children and adults alike -- recover from the virus after a week at home, often with no medication, researchers are struggling to make sense out of why this new flu can turn a healthy child severely ill.

My colleague Meredith Cohn offers this great explainer of how the virus behaves in children, particularly how it can attack their lungs, leaving them vulnerable to  pneumonia and other infections. 

Continue reading "Why is swine flu so severe in children?" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Well, it was only a matter of time. Last month, we told you about an iPhone application called Outbreaks Near Me, designed by researchers from the Children's Hospital of Boston, promising to help you track every move of the H1N1 virus.

There's also an application called Swine Flu Tracker from IntuApps which maps suspected cases and even informs you of the "threat level" of the virus. OK, this is just too Sci-Fi for me.

Well, of course, there's a new application designed to inform health geeks, iPhone addicts and hypochondriacs alike about all things H1N1. This one, however, carries the cache of Harvard Medical School and aims to educate more than entertain.

For $1.99 -- you didn't think it was free, did you? -- you get tools to help diagnose yourself, news feed from Harvard Medical School on the latest H1N1 updates from the CDC and local public health officials, and advice from Harvard Business School experts on how employers can best prepare their workers for a pandemic and even business guides for traveling employees.

It also offers phone hotlines for more flu information and guides for preparing for a pandemic emergency.

It's part of Harvard's overall strategy to promote public health through technology with its new venture called HMSMobile, where you can also check out a trailer of the new iPhone app.

What do you think? Any takers?

photo: AFP/Getty

Continue reading "Swine flu? Yes, there's an app for that" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Seems nearly everyone who wants a swine flu vaccine these days can't find one. Hospitals don't have enough to inoculate their at risk patients, pregnant women can't find the vaccine at their doctors offices and pediatricians have told parents of young children that they may only be able to get one dose of the vaccine, not the recommended two courses.

Manufacturing delays have caused unexpected shortages of the vaccine and huge lines like this one (right) are forming outside clinics nationwide.

While the government assures us that more vaccine is on the way, other public health experts think we may have the formula all wrong. The government would have more supply to go around if it took into account the immune response differences between men and women, argues a new op-ed in today's NYT by Sabra L. Klein, assistant professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Phyllis Greenberger, president and chief executive of the nonprofit Society for Women’s Health Research.

Right now, men and women get the same doses of the vaccine. Yet, research shows that women tend to generate a stronger immune response than men, so they would likely need less vaccine to be protected, according to the piece. Accounting for such differences would allow health officials to stretch vaccine supply further.

Continue reading "Swine flu vaccine shortage: maybe women don't need such big doses after all" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Telecommuting is a way of life for most businesses, as the internet keeps us connected to the office, from near and far.

With the swine flu in full swing, businesses have adopted contingency plans to allow their employees to work from home if they are sick, or at least until they get well enough not to infect their colleagues upon their return.

But in the event of a severe pandemic flu emergency, sending millions of workers home, the sheer magnitude of people logging on from their home computers could create so much internet congestion, the entire system could be crippled, a new report from the Government Accountability Office warns. 

This is not merely a question of how would we all survive without Google for a few days. (Although that is a frightening prospect) Such an onslaught could imperil the financial markets and even threaten national security, the report states.

Continue reading "Flu pandemic fear: too many people home sick overwhelms internet" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

We're less than a few short hours from our live chat about all things H1N1. Got a question about the vaccine? It's safety? The supply? Or just curious about the flu itself?

Flu expert Andrew Pekosz, a professor of immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, will be here at noon to answer all your swine flu questions.  

You can send questions in advance to me at kelly.brewington@baltsun.com or comment below. See you soon!

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Andrew Pekosz, an associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, chats about H1N1 and the vaccine.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (26)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Health care workers have notoriously low rates of vaccination against the seasonal flu -- as low as 42 percent according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even though they are constantly encouraged to be among the first to get the vaccine.

Hospitals are trying to improve this, especially this year, as the swine flu pandemic is making everyone worried that a severe flu season could overburden hospitals and their staffs.

In this story, I explain how some Maryland hospitals are becoming more strict with their policies, making seasonal flu shots mandatory, with certain exceptions for people with medical or religious excuses. If they refuse, workers could be face disciplinary action, including termination. In New York, a statewide mandate has been greeted with loud protests and a lawsuit from hospital workers.

So, would you want your doctor to get a shot?

Associated Press photo

Continue reading "Should flu shots for health care workers be mandatory?" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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We know you have questions about all things H1N1 -- seems it's all we talk about these days. Is the vaccine safe? What's in it? Will it work? Is it even necessary?

Well, we are here to help. Andrew Pekosz, a professor of immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, will be here Tuesday to do a live chat with readers to answer all of their swine flu questions.  

Chat starts at noon. You can send questions in advance to me at kelly.brewington@baltsun.com

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 5:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

When it comes to the H1N1 virus, falsehoods, half-truths and straight wackiness abound. So perhaps it's no surprise that even some of the nation's popular commentators are taking to the airwaves with their own brand of swine flu paranoia.

First, from the left: Talk show host Bill Maher, technically a Libertarian, but he's got a big lefty following, has said he doesn't think healthy people can come down with the flu (false) and discouraged pregnant women from getting vaccinated (even though they are at higher risk for complications and death from the virus).

He even told his Twitter followers that people who get the shot are "idiots." Now, that's just mean! Maher told Bill Frist, a doctor and former Republican Senate Majority Leader that the vaccine puts "a disease into your arm.” No. While the nasal spray version of the vaccine contains a form of the live virus -- though much weakened -- the flu shot is made of a killed virus.  The NYT Well blog breaks it down further.

The right's at it too: Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck have both suggested that the vaccine may be unsafe and that it's the latest example of the government overreaching into Americans' private lives.

The liberal group Media Matters has even compiled the details of their concerns, including this quote by Limbaugh: "Screw you, Ms. Sebelius! I am not going to take it, precisely because you're now telling me I must." (In reference to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.)

Classy.

Continue reading "Swine flu paranoia from the left and the right" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
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As the swine flu virus spreads swiftly across the nation, hospitals are getting strict about their visitation policies, forbidding children and urging visitors to screen themselves for flu-like symptoms before they enter the hospital doors.

In a story in today's Sun, I talked to a Mom of a 3-year-old, who is due to have a c-section with her second baby next week. She's upset about the new policies because her 3-year-old will be banned from her hospital room. The intimate family moment where she hoped to introduce her older child to the newest addition to the family won't happen.

Hospitals say the new policies are vital to patient and staff health and safety. And depending how severe the virus becomes, they may not be the last restrictions that hospitals enact. Hospitals have told us they have lengthy pandemic preparedness plans. Still, in a worst-case scenario, they will encounter serious challenges if masses of sick people flood emergency rooms and intensive care units.

An interesting editorial in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association asks: How will hospitals respond to the needs of the sickest patients? The editorial examined several recent studies that show that people seriously sickened by the H1N1 virus deteriorate rapidly.  

Continue reading "Stemming the spread of swine flu: hospitals enact new policies" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Two recent stories about the swine flu pandemic reflect persistent fears about the vaccine and reveal how work places are gearing up to protect their employees from the virus.

First off: the worries. For weeks, it's become a mantra of public health officials and infectious disease experts: the swine flu vaccine is safe. Make sure you get one. 

Nevertheless, parents are still very uneasy about the vaccine. A recent article by our colleague Meredith Cohn found parents who fear the inoculation hasn't been thoroughly tested and others who worry about giving their small children too many vaccines. Others are bewildered by the onslaught of information about the virus and the development of the vaccine. An Associated Press poll last week found that a third of parents oppose giving their children the vaccine.  At a dinner party I attended Saturday night, I heard the same fears repeated by moms.

And yet, public health officials are quick to note that children are more vulnerable to this new flu. In fact, a 14-yearold Baltimore girl with no underlying health problems died of the virus two weeks ago. I expect officials' get-the-shot urgings will not end any time soon.

Meanwhile, workplaces are making sick leave policies more lenient, developing contingency plans in the event of mass absenteeism and even offering cool incentives to their workers who get a swine flu shot. We told you about the former on the blog a few weeks ago -- Pinnacle Communications employees who get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus, get an hour of personal training and a free day off. Cool. 

Hoping to keep businesses productive this winter, workplaces everywhere are driving home one message: get vaccinated and you fall ill, stay home.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Got a bad cough, sore throat and an awful fever? Having pain in your chest and trouble breathing? Think it could be the swine flu? Well, like everything in this digital age, there's an app for that. Almost.

Microsoft, actually, not Apple (although, it's only a matter of time before the iPhone jumps on this bandwagon, I predict) has aligned forces with Emory University to launch an online H1N1 symptom checker.

Known as the H1N1 Flu Response Center, the tool asks a series of questions about how you're feeling. Based on the results, it tells you whether you are likely sick with something else or likely to have the swine flu, in which case you should call the doctor, stat.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services just launched a similar tool at its www.flu.gov website called H1N1 Flu Self-Evaluation.

The two sites are pretty similar and so are the caveats. The information is meant strictly for people 18 and over and is no substitute for advice from an actual medical professional. So if you're really worried, no matter what, call your doctor.

Continue reading "Think you have the swine flu? Click here... and here" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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With the H1N1 flu virus going around, and the seasonal flu on surely on its heels, what can we do to keep from getting sick – or getting others around us sick?

Wash your hands frequently, is generally the answer. Cough into your sleeve or a tissue instead of into the air or your hands. Get a H1N1 and a season flu shot. And wear a face mask.

Wear a face mask? Yes, said Dr. Faheem Younus, medical director for healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention at Upper Chesapeake Health in Bel Air and a clinical assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He wrote about the subject in The Sun on Oct. 1.

He argued that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed the masks reduce the spread of the flu in household settings. He says we should wear them at work if we have symptoms but won’t or can’t stay home. (Many Americans have no sick leave.)

"While you may have seen coworkers standing beside you hacking away and spreading germs, when was the last time you saw a colleague wearing a face mask to work because he or she had a fever or cough?" he wrote. "Studies show that 76 percent of the population used face masks in Hong Kong during the SARS scare in 2003, which helped to reduce the number of respiratory infections."

He suggests the CDC tweet and use other methods to remove the stigma of wearing a mask, and authorities should distribute them.

The CDC doesn’t seem ready to recommend face masks, however. Authorities say face masks and N95 particulate respirators – the dense and tight fitting face masks that construction workers tend to wear – are appropriate for health care workers. They don’t seem sure about other work places. They say there hasn’t been enough research done on their effectiveness. Here's the CDC guidance.

So, would you wear a mask to protect yourself at work or home from others who are sick? Would you wear a mask if you had symptoms?

Photo courtesy of the CDC

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
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Over at my blog Charm City Moms, I have posted about a dilemma many of you may be facing or soon to face: I'm a little bit sick. At work.

So far, it just seems to be a bad head cold. Lots of sniffles, and a runny nose. A headache, but no achy throat or cough. Yet.

Still, in these days of swine flu fear, I feel damned if I stay here at work sneezing into my sleeve, and damned if I go home, where I would undoubtedly be viewed from afar as a slacker. What if this is nothing and I get the H1N1 virus later, and people look at me like the lady who cried wolf? Or what if this is something bad, and I stay and infect my co-workers, despite my best attempts at hand-washing and sanitizing?

What would you do?

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 2:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

A Baltimore communications company is offering a really cool incentive for its workers -- just in time for flu season.

Employees at Pinnacle Communications who get seasonal and swine flu shots will receive an hour with a personal trainer and an extra day OFF. (Um, hello Baltimore Sun powers that be -- are you listening?!)

It's a simple principle that makes good business sense. Sick employees can't come to work. Healthy employees keep the engines churning on the job.

"Our theory is that if we offer employees a healthy incentive to receive the seasonal and swine flu shots, they will miss less work because their chances of getting the flu will be lessened," said Tracey Haldeman, Pinnacle's president.

Exactly.

So, any other cool incentives being offered at your place of business? Has your job started vaccinating against seasonal flu yet?

Stock.xchng photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Celebrities, they're just like us. Some of them even get the swine flu.

Take Dr. Sanjay Gupta, one of television's most recognizable faces who dispenses medical advice to the masses on CNN. He was on assignment in Afghanistan and came down with a terrible sore throat, body aches, a fever -- the whole shebang. Tests later confirmed that yes, this well-known health reporter had the swine flu. Way to throw yourself into one of the biggest medical stories of the year.

Marilyn Manson, the strange looking rocker, announced on his MySpace page that he has the swine flu. "Unfortunately, I am going to survive," he writes. Last spring, Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint -- he plays Ron Weasley, the boy wizard's best friend -- came down with the H1N1 virus.

And in a bit of irony, Laurie Garrett, a flu expert who wrote a book published in 1994 called The Coming Plague about emerging new diseases and author of a Newsweek cover story about the swine flu outbreak in May, has come down with it.

Continue reading "Even celebs get swine flu" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

We're all paranoid about catching the swine flu. We're buying hand sanitizer by the bucketload, dousing our kids with the stuff in school and using it in church in the hope that we'll kill off the virus before we get sick. And messages to wash your hands are everywhere (Note to my employer: It would be helpful if the soap dispensers in the second-floor ladies' room actually contained some soap.)

The state health department is obviously big on getting the word out, too. They have created signs, brochures and even door hangers -- like the 'Do Not Disturb' signs in a hotel -- warning of the dangers of poor hand hygiene. If you go to the website of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, you can even print out copies of your own to display in your home or business.

My fave? The door hanger emblazoned with a hand pointing toward the knob you are about to grab and reading, "THIS is a great way to catch the FLU!" Ewww.

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 1:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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The swine flu vaccine works in one dose for older children, but children younger than 10 will likely need two doses, according to early results of clinical trials, federal health officials said this morning.

The vaccine produced an immune response in children 10 to 17 years old in just 10 days, but younger children had weaker responses. They will likely need two shots 21 days apart, officials said.

The findings are something of a surprise to infectious disease experts who initially assumed that children of all ages would likely need two doses of the vaccine, since their immune systems are less mature than adults.

But so far, the immune response to the H1N1 inoculation is "acting strikingly similar" to seasonal flu shots, said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Typically, younger children who have never received a seasonal flu shot before must have two shots to spark an adequate immune response.

The findings mean that younger children could need four shots this fall, to protect against the seasonal flu and the swine flu.

Continue reading "NIH: swine flu vaccine effective in one dose for older children" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Sun columnist Laura Vozzella turns us on to the new swine flu lingo taking hold at Johns Hopkins. It's pretty hilarious. See some examples of the glossary below. And you thought those Hopkins kids were a bunch of dorky scientists in without a sense of humor. Whatevs.

"Pig: A student ill with suspected or presumed H1N1 flu. (Variation: Piglet: a sick freshman.)

"Pig in a blanket: A sick student complying with doctor's advice to stay home, drink fluids and get plenty of rest.

Bacon: What a pig experiencing an H1N1 fever feels like, i.e., fried. (Usage: Doctor: “Pig, how are you feeling today?” Pig: “Like bacon, doc.”)

Check out the full list here.

AP photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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I spent yesterday interviewing students at the University of Maryland College Park about how swine flu is changing their lives -- or not. So far, the university has at least 557 suspected cases of the virus and cases at campuses nationwide are rising fast. 

So I asked: are you, invincible college students, changing your hygiene habits to protect against the virus? The answer: Yes and no. Some students said they were pretty scared of "the swine," and have seriously stepped up their hand-sanitizing cough-in-their-sleeve ways. Others think the scare is overblown. "It's just the flu," they scoff, and carry on with their business.

And still others assume it's inevitable that they'll get sick but they have no fears of it being too bad. So, they crack jokes. Stop swhining, already! (That means stop whining to squares like you and me) Ah, to be young and carefree.

As for how swine flu is affecting the dating scene, as one young man told me, he checks to see if a woman is coughing before he makes a move "I don't want to be swapping swine," he said. Nice.

Continue reading "Swine flu comes to campus" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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The Food and Drug Administration approved four swine flu vaccines and some 45 million doses of it should be available by mid-October, federal officials said yesterday afternoon.

Preliminary trials of the vaccines showed a "robust immune response in most healthy adults eight to 10 days after a single dose," said the FDA in a statement.

The news comes on the heels of Friday's announcement that the vaccine works in just one dose rather than two, defying scientists' expectations and fears that there might not be enough vaccine to go around.

Officials spent $1 billion to secure 195 million doses of the vaccine and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says "we will have enough vaccine for everybody." Priority groups such as pregnant women and health care workers will be at the front of the line.

The FDA's stamp comes as the vaccine is still being tested in children and pregnant women, who are thought to be at greatest risk of complications from the H1N1 virus.

Results from the trials on children could be ready in a few weeks, said Dr. Wilbur Chen, a flu expert who is overseeing the clinical trials of the vaccine at the University of Maryland's Center for Vaccine Development. But trials in pregnant women will take longer, since they just began last week.

For now, Chen thinks that the results will find this vaccine is as safe and effective as the seasonal flu shot -- and for all groups of people.

Perhaps a bigger question is will everyone want one?

Continue reading "Swine flu vaccine approved by FDA" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Federal health officials were elated last week after preliminary results from swine flu vaccine tests defied their expectations. Scientists found just one dose instead of two would offer effective protection against the H1N1 virus, meaning there would likely be more vaccine supply to go around.

Yet, the folks at the National Institutes of Health are still planning to go through with a study starting today on an immune-boosting substance known as adjuvant that could be added to the vaccine. Using an adjuvant would mean giving the shot in smaller doses, further stretching supply.

It's unlikely it will be needed this fall, especially if further tests show that one standard shot is good enough to protect people from the virus. But using adjuvant could prove helpful in future years, or if the flu took a turn for the worst, said Dr. Wilbur Chen, a vaccinologist at the University of Maryland's Center for Vaccine Development, who is leading the NIH-sponsored tests.

The trials are start here in Baltimore on adults and elderly with an experimental adjuvant manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Chen thinks the adjuvant, essentially an oil-and-water mixture added to the vaccine -- could be particularly helpful in strengtheninng the response in the elderly, since flu vaccines work less well in older people.

Thing is, adjuvant is added to seasonal flu shots in Europe, but it's never been licensed here in the states. Using it here would require emergency declaration by the Food and Drug Administration. That's enough to make some people worried.

Continue reading "Stretching the supply of the swine flu vaccine" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

A first round of swine flu vaccine trials from Australia reveal the vaccine to protect against the H1N1 virus works in just one dose.

The news comes as a surprise and a relief to scientists and public health officials who feared that two doses or more might be required to protect people from the virus, and that would leave not enough vaccine supply to reach everyone who would need it.

The preliminary results, just published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that 97 percent of adults who got one 15 microgram dose developed antibodies to protect from the virus after 21 days, and in some cases within 10 days. The trials were done in Australia by vaccine maker CSL, Ltd., which is licensed to provide millions of doses of the vaccine here in the United States.

This trial is separate from the National Institutes of Health-ordered tests on adults and children being done here at the University of Maryland's Center for Vaccine Development and a handful of other academic centers nationwide. The preliminary results of those tests, however, are expected this afternoon and reveal that the vaccine tested here could also work in just one dose, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the Associated Press.

photo courtesy of stock.xchng

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

In France, everyone kisses. The light cheek-to-cheek kiss is a social ritual as French as haute couture and people-watching sidewalk cafes. But the tradition, known as la bise, could be the latest victim of -- what else? -- the global swine flu pandemic. 

Schools, workplaces and a Health Ministry hotline are telling people to avoid the ritual hello and goodbye pecks, out of fear of spreading the H1N1 virus. 

The country has recorded just three deaths from swine flu -- Maryland alone has had seven --but officials are taking no precautions. In addition to public health officials' endless pleas that everyone wash their hands, officials are saying no hand shaking, face caressing and one website even suggests folks keep a three-foot buffer zone around them and wear masks.

Some people are not happy about the clampdown on the kissing custom. So they've devised some subsitutes. Here's my favorite part of the AP story on restrictions of la bise:

As a playful alternative, some teachers in the town have set have set up "bise boxes": Pupils slip heart-shaped greetings inside before they're exchanged in class ...

Awwww! 

photo courtesy of Reuters

Continue reading "Swine flu threatens the French smooch" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

The swine flu vaccine won't be available for at least a month, but already people who are at the highest risk for complications from the new virus are wary of getting themselves or their children inoculated.

Pregnant women notoriously avoid seasonal flu shots and young children also have very low vaccination rates. Expectant moms worry about everything they put in their bodies. And this H1N1 vaccine is something new. Some new and current mothers alike are concerned that the new vaccine hasn't been thoroughly tested.

Health officials are confident that the vaccine will be safe and effective by the time it hits the market and they note that pregnant women and infants and toddlers are likely to be severely impacted why what has in most cases been a mild disease so far.

Still, just over one month out from when the vaccine is expected to be ready, the vaccines are still being tested. Just this week, the National Institutes of Health began testing it in pregnant women.

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Attention health geeks: obsessed with your iPhone AND the swine flu? Well here's a new application that claims to help you track disease outbreaks from your favorite handheld device.

The app, called Outbreaks Near Me, was designed by researchers at the Children's Hospital of Boston. You can find it via HealthMap, which aggregates disease outbreaks worldwide using everything from Google news alerts to updates from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The folks behind it acknowledge it's not an exact science, but they say it can help people pinpoint where disease outbreaks occur -- and not just swine flu, but all sorts of illnesses. And for serious nerds, the app enlists your help as an outbreak "detective," to report your findings to the network using your iPhone.

"You will get credit as a disease detective and your find will be featured on the website," according to the site.

True geeks know this isn't the only way Apple is going after folks interested in health. Forget the useless applications that allow you to pop virtual bubble wrap or drink a virtual bear, there are a ton for doctors and patients ...

Continue reading "Track the swine flu -- from your iPhone" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Swine flu, the World Health Organization is telling us, is now the dominant strain of influenza across most parts of the globe. And new research, led by University of Maryland researchers, suggests that the new H1N1 virus spreads more quickly than the seasonal strains and caused more serious disease.

The upside: While researchers conclude the swine flu will likely outcompete the seasonal flu in humans this fall, it doesn't appear likely to combine with other viruses to create a sort of more virulent "superbug." The National Institutes of Health-sponsored study was done in animals -- ferrets, to be precise.

"I'm not surprised to find that the pandemic virus is more infectious" than seasonal flu, virologist Daniel Perez said in the university's press release, "simply because it's so new, so hosts haven't had the chance to build immunity yet."

Continue reading "Swine flu rules the world" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

The government unveiled its latest weapon in the fight against the swine flu pandemic: Elmo. That's right boys and girls, because when the furry Sesame Street star says wash your hands you go right ahead and do so.

It's all a part of a public service campaign designed to spread the word about good hygiene in the battle against the H1N1 virus. And since children are more susceptible to this new flu -- not to mention their germy ways are known to spread viruses fast -- the Department of Health and Human Services is aiming its message squarely at them. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, at right, explains the strategy.

 And really, who can resist Elmo's utter cuteness? Check out how he and Gordon espouse the benefits of hand washing and coughing in one's sleeve:

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

The University of Maryland is still looking for some itty bitty volunteers to take part in its swine flu vaccine trial: babies 6 to 35 months.

Investigators have had no problem recruiting adults and older children in the trails, which started in adults earlier this month and in children last week. In fact, they had so many 18-64 year olds try to volunteer, they had to use a lottery to make the final cut. Even older children, many of whom were signed up by their doctor parents, have been an easy find.

But the smallest of all test subjects have proved a challenge for researchers. Officials say it isn't because parents are reluctant to test the experimental inoculation on their wee ones. They've had great response from all age groups. Rather, it seems babies' recommended -- and rigorous -- vaccine schedule might be getting in the way. From 12 to 18 months alone, children can receive various vaccines from shots against measles, mumps and rubella to hepatitus A. But the swine flu study requires that babies have not had recent inoculations and will not be vaccinated soon after they receive the H1N1 shot.

If you are interested in volunteering your tot and want to know if your child qualifies, call the University of Maryland's Center for Vaccine Development for details: 410-706-6156. Vaccinations are taking place now at the University of Maryland's Ambulatory Pediatric Center in Baltimore and at clinics in Annapolis and Frederick. The university, one of a handful of vaccination sites across the nation, hopes to test 40 children in the 6 to 35 month old range.   

Continue reading "Wanted: tiny testers" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Pediatrics, Swine flu/H1N1
        

So just how bad will the swine flu be this fall? No one really knows for sure, but top researchers announced yesterday it is possible that up to 50 percent of Americans could be infected by this new H1N1 influenza virus.

As many as 1.8 million people could be hospitalized in the U.S. with up to 300,000 needing spots in Intensive Care Units. These very ill patients could take up from 50 to 100 percent of the beds in already crowded ICUs. And as many as 90,000 people could die (vs. 36,000 who die in the U.S. from seasonal flu in any given year).

Meanwhile, if the swine flu hits hard in September and early October before a vaccine is ready, "the timing could significantly diminish the usefulness of vaccination for mitigating the epidemic and could place many at risk of serious disease," write the well-respected authors of the report from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Freaked out? Well, don't be. Not yet.

Continue reading "Half the U.S. could get swine flu, report warns" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

It appears I have peeved the folks at the American Meat Institute, whose website tells me is a national trade organization that represents most meat processors.

"Dear Stephanie," a spokesman for the group wrote in an e-mail I received yesterday, "I am writing to you about the critical role you play in providing balanced, accurate information to your viewers or readers about the Novel H1N1 2009 influenza virus."

To make a long letter short, I -- along with the rest of the media (Kelly got the same form e-mail) -- should cease and desist my "alarmist" behavior of referring to the H1N1 virus as the "swine flu." This, they tell me, reflects poorly on the pork industry and is "disruptive to farmers."

Continue reading "Don't blame the flu on pigs" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

A quick swine flu roundup this afternoon.

Ever wonder why we have to get seasonal flu shots every year? Why they doesn't provide long-term protection like most vaccines do? My story in the Baltimore Sun this morning tells the tale.  In a nutshell, the flu is this slippery, rapidly mutating viruses that changes so quickly that one year's vaccine just won't work against the next year's circulating strain.

Researchers for years have been trying to develop a universal flu vaccine, one that would guard against all strains of the flu -- even those like the pandemic H1N1 virus we're seeing this year. It would remove the need for the scramble underway now to develop, test and administer a vaccine to counter a brand-new virus. It would already work against all flus, even a strain never seen before. Development, however, could be a decade away.

Continue reading "All swine flu, all the time" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

The University of Maryland kicked off its tests of the H1N1 vaccine this morning with 67 adult volunteers. It's one nine centers nationwide testing whether the shot is safe and effective. The trial is the first step in what could be a mass vaccination campaign to start in mid-October, as infectious disease experts anticipate a resurgence of the new flu.

I'm spending the morning with volunteers and researchers over at the university and will be certain to keep you all updated as things get going. For now, here's the nuts and bolts:

Volunteers started arriving at 7 a.m. for an orientation session, briefing on consent forms and a medical assessment. (Volunteers must be healthy to take part). Those who make the cut will get stuck and will remain on site for about 20-30 minutes in case of any allergic reactions, before they may go home.

Continue reading "Swine flu vaccine tests underway " »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

So last week, I asked who might want to roll up their sleeve for the swine flu vaccine trials happening in a few weeks here at the University of Maryland. A few of you raised your hands, and some said you'd even volunteer your children.

Well, my friends, you are not alone. So far, university officials say the response has been "wonderful" and that "hundreds" of people have signed on up. (And here I thought people might be too freaked out to be guinea pigs.) At other testing sites, the same is true -- some 3,000 people nationwide are already clamoring to be part of the effort.

Among the eager Maryland volunteers is a pediatrician from Annapolis who wants the vaccine tested on himself and his four children. The family spoke to Good Morning America yesterday about their plans. (See the "Swine Flu Vaccine in Demand" clip)

Continue reading "Hundreds in Maryland sign up for swine flu vaccine trials" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Pregnant women appear to be at greater risk of complications -- and death -- from the swine flu than the general population, according to a study released this morning. The women who died were otherwise healthy.

The women were diagnosed quickly, but didn't get prompt treatment, write the authors of the study, done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and appearing in the online edition of the journal The Lancet.

Doctors might have been reluctant to treat pregnant women with antiviral drugs, because "as with most drugs, information about the safety and effectiveness of these anti-influenza drugs during pregnant is scarce.

"In view of the expected effects of pandemic H1N1 influenza virus on the pregnant women, the benefits of treatment with these drugs are likely to outweigh potential risks to the fetus."

Pregnant women are always concerned about what they put in their bodies -- I could think of little else from the minute the test turned pink -- so it's no surprise they'd be worried about taking a medication that hasn't been tested in pregnant women.

Continue reading "Pregnant women and swine flu" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

The government just kicked off plans to test whether a swine flu vaccine is safe and effective in adults and children. Volunteers in Australia are already rolling up their sleeves for the shot, as the country is in the depths of its winter flu season.

The U.S. effort, which will take place at eight sites -- including the University of Maryland's Center for Vaccine Development -- could start as soon as a few weeks. Researchers in Maryland are looking for 1,000 volunteers -- from the elderly to babies.

So, what do you say? Will you sign up?

I'm curious whether folks are wary of the idea, or if they will rush to be part of the effort. (If it makes any difference in your decision: word is the trial will pay volunteers, but at the press conference I went to yesterday officials didn't say how much. I'll keep you posted).

I'm especially interested to see the reaction of parents. Would you sign up your child for the vaccine trial? So far, some folks are already debating whether to vaccinate at all.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Public health officials worldwide are preparing for the onslaught of the fall flu season, expecting swine flu to come back with a vengance. So far, the virus has killed some 700 people around the globe and drug makers are working in a hurry to have a vaccine ready by October. 

But that's a good two months after school children -- one of the groups at highest risk for the virus, known as H1N1 -- return to their classrooms. What if an outbreak hits before vaccines are ready? Should schools be closed?

A study in the August issue of the British journal Lancet Infectious Diseases concludes it's a tough call and the decision to close schools depends on how severe the pandemic becomes.

On one hand, closing schools might slow transmission, giving more time for a vaccine to be finished while easing the burden on hospitals. But researchers also said that massive school closures are unlikely to have a major impact on the total cases. And closing schools has some serious economic and social costs, from the crush to a household's income from parents who must take off work to care for a child, to the larger economic impact on workplaces from massive absenteeism. (The economic toll alone: the cost of a 12-week school closure could be between 1 percent and 3 percent of GDP, according to the study. Yikes.)

Continue reading "Should schools close for swine flu?" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

 "If you've seen one influenza season, you've seen one influenza season," Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, has told me more than once. It's an attempt at some medical humor, I guess, but there may be plenty of truth in his quip.

Researchers and public health officials have been trying to pin down this H1N1 virus since it hit the U.S. in April. They don't know if it will stay mild (it has sickened an estimated 1 million in the U.S. but killed 170 at last count). They thought it would go away over the summer since flu usually does, but in many places, more people keep coming down with it. The official number of new confirmed cases in Maryland, for example, has risen every week since the first case was confirmed here in May (and, officials say, those numbers are likely much higher since most people who get sick don't visit the doctor and most people who go to the doctor aren't getting tested for flu). Experts predict the virus could come back worse for flu season this fall and winter, like the Spanish Influenza of 1918 did. That remains to be seen, of course. ...

Continue reading "The strange summer of flu" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Stephanie’s post below about making a vaccine for swine flu got me thinking about how the medical community is trying to treat this virus in the meantime.

This week, Danish health officials reported the first case of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu. The World Health Organization called it an isolated incident and Roche, the company that makes the drug, said the medicine is still effective in treating the virus, known as H1N1.

Still, the case begs an interesting question of state health officials and doctors everywhere: when is the right time to give someone Tamiflu?

So far, Tamiflu is the most prescribed antiviral to help fight the symptoms of the virus. Medical experts agree prescribing Tamiflu to someone who tests positive for the H1N1 virus is a no brainer. It’s the best treatment out there. But whether to use the drug in an effort to prevent the virus is tricky.

Giving Tamiflu as prevention doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the disease and it could make it more likely that the virus adapts and becomes resistant to drugs, said Dr. Clifford Mitchell, director of environmental health coordination for the Maryland health department.

“When you give out a medicine, you run the risk that if you don’t kill every bug, the bugs that are able to survive are those that are able to resist that particular medication,” he said. “You don’t want to give this to everyone in the population.”

Continue reading "When to prescribe Tamiflu?" »

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Flu is not usually something summer camps have to worry about. Welcome to the Summer of '09.

An outbreak of swine flu led the directors of Sandy Hill Camp in Cecil County this week to send roughly 200 campers home about halfway through a two-week session. (Flu is seasonal and usually hits in the winter.) The new virus swept quickly through the overnight camp. During the first few days, six campers came down with flu-like symptoms (later confirmed as swine flu in two kids) and were sent home. On Saturday, six more campers got sick. All campers and staff on the two-week session had their temperatures taken the next morning and four had fevers. Nine more campers developed symptoms by Sunday night. With 10 percent of the kids sick and who knows how many others exposed, the session was called off and everyone went home Monday.

Not to worry, reads a letter sent to parents planning on sending their children to later sessions at Sandy Hill this summer. No one was seriously ill, the directors wrote. And the rest of the sessions this summer will go on. In fact, a one-week session that began Sunday is underway and so far no campers have gotten sick.

Continue reading "Swine flu sends campers home early" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

 So officials are saying an immunization campaign to protect against the swine flu pandemic could involve as many as 600 million doses of vaccine.

Fortunately, the government has been counting its chickens.

The traditional way of making flu vaccine involves using eggs. Lots of eggs. Tens of millions of eggs. The virus is injected into the eggs and is grown inside for three days to produce large quantities to be used in vaccine production.

But these are not just any eggs and government scientists have long known that. These are eggs laid by special breeds of hens, eggs carefully guarded to be kept free of pathogens, eggs chosen to be more oval than round to fit properly in the machines at the Sanofi-Aventis production plant in Swiftwater, Penn.

"The chicken eggs you find on your grocery shelf won't work," Dr. Robin Robinson, director of the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority at HHS, told me last month.

When the avian flu outbreak started hitting Asia nearly six years ago, officials in the U.S. took notice. Sure they had enough eggs to produce seasonal flu. But would they have enough if there was an emergency and they needed to manufacture more vaccine? The answer was no. ...

Continue reading "Making a swine flu vaccine" »

Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1