H1N1 at SDSU

[jackmd]

The next "wave" is expected about mid October. Wash, wash, wash your hands. Stay home if you are ill. Get the vaccine when it becomes available if you are in the categories advised to get vaccinated. Young people (less than 24), infants and pregnant women are at the greatest risk. Those greater than 65 years of age appear to have a natural immunity.

From the Collegian

http://media.www.sdsucollegian.com/m...-3769382.shtml

BREAKING NEWS: H1N1 reported at SDSU

by Amy Poppinga

H1N1 has hit campus only two weeks into school. Four cases of the flu have been reported at SDSU, two in off-campus residents and two in students living in the residence halls. Three of those students went home to their permanent addresses and the other was already feeling better by the time the school was alerted.

[Cowbell]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

And for cripes sakes don't use your freshly washed hands to grab the door handle or knob leading out of any public restroom. Use a paper towel or some toilet paper. Amazing how many people don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom.

[jackmd]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

Influenza viruses are transmitted by large airborne respiratory droplets. Masks help, avoiding close contact helps, sneezing or coughing into your arm and not on your hands helps, not placing your hands near your face helps. As Cowbell pointed out the most common way its transmitted is via fomites. In other words, someone coughs on their hand, touches and inanimate object (door handle) and leaves the virus on it, someone else touches that object and then places their hands near their mouth and nose and walla they have influenza.

Wash your hands even when you don't think they are dirty. Try not to handle objects that many people are touching (cash and coins?). Wash your hands some more. Use that antiseptic gel that seems to be sitting everywhere.

Lastly, don't panic. We expect about 30% of the susceptible population to become infected withing the next 4-6 weeks. The illness is milder than seasonal flu but it is much more easy to contract. If your sick stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever breaks. I think we'll be okay.

[JimmyJack]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

Influenza viruses are transmitted by large airborne respiratory droplets. Masks help, avoiding close contact helps, sneezing or coughing into your arm and not on your hands helps, not placing your hands near your face helps. As Cowbell pointed out the most common way its transmitted is via fomites. In other words, someone coughs on their hand, touches and inanimate object (door handle) and leaves the virus on it, someone else touches that object and then places their hands near their mouth and nose and walla they have influenza.

Wash your hands even when you don't think they are dirty. Try not to handle objects that many people are touching (cash and coins?). Wash your hands some more. Use that antiseptic gel that seems to be sitting everywhere.

Lastly, don't panic. We expect about 30% of the susceptible population to become infected withing the next 4-6 weeks. The illness is milder than seasonal flu but it is much more easy to contract. If your sick stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever breaks. I think we'll be okay.

How about 210 sniffing, coughing and sneezing first-year students turning in quizzes or exams in a class? Those papers have got to be crawling with fomites. I wish there was a way to grade them without touching them.

[Jacks-02]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

How about 210 sniffing, coughing and sneezing first-year students turning in quizzes or exams in a class? Those papers have got to be crawling with fomites. I wish there was a way to grade them without touching them.

Latex gloves and a mask?

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

How about 210 sniffing, coughing and sneezing first-year students turning in quizzes or exams in a class? Those papers have got to be crawling with fomites. I wish there was a way to grade them without touching them.

Automatic A's due to health concerns for the prof.

I bet no students would complain & you might get voted teacher of the year.

[JimmyJack]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

Automatic A's due to health concerns for the prof.

I bet no students would complain & you might get voted teacher of the year.

That would also save me a lot of time. I'll take it under advisement.

[sfjacksfan99]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

The next "wave" is expected about mid October. Wash, wash, wash your hands. Stay home if you are ill. Get the vaccine when it becomes available if you are in the categories advised to get vaccinated. Young people (less than 24), infants and pregnant women are at the greatest risk. Those greater than 65 years of age appear to have a natural immunity.

Doc, what's your opinion on the vaccine as it seems as though they are making it in huge doses with very little testing?

[jackmd]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

Doc, what's your opinion on the vaccine as it seems as though they are making it in huge doses with very little testing?

If indicated for you get the seasonal flu vaccine as early as you can, it is available in many places. Seasonal flu vaccine is very safe and effective for the serotypes contained within it. You won't need another injection later in the flu season because you got it too early, thats a myth.

As for the novel H1N1 vaccine, its very safe as well. One injection (not 2) with an extremely low risk for a major adverse event. Your are much more likely to be harmed by the illness or by driving to work than you are by the vaccination.

There are pleny of paranoid people out there after the debacle surrounding the Fort Dix case of swine flu in the 1970's. Mass vaccinations were ordered without true merit. Incidence of Guillane Barre syndrome associated with vaccination. Current vaccines have never been proven to have any causal relationship to Guillane Barre or similar illnesses.

Its a personal choice and I agree with the CDC and advise vaccination for those with infants (< 6 months of age), children and young adults up to age 24 (especially those with comorbid illness), pregnant women, healthcare providers, and adults 24-65 with chronic diseases.

Hope this is helpful.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

As for the novel H1N1 vaccine, its very safe as well. One injection (not 2) .

What do you mean, one injection, not 2?

My seven month old goes in on monday to get the the second of her two seasonal flu shots and the first half of here H1N1 shot. Then goes back thursday to get the other half of her H1N1 shot.

Are you saying only a half dose is necessary?

[jackmd]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

What do you mean, one injection, not 2?

My seven month old goes in on monday to get the the second of her two seasonal flu shots and the first half of here H1N1 shot. Then goes back thursday to get the other half of her H1N1 shot.

Are you saying only a half dose is necessary?

I was referring to adults receiving the vaccine, I am not a pediatrician. However, I do follow the CDC recommendations and this is what I can tell you.

The latest data suggests that only 50% of those under the age of 10 years will develop adequate immunity with on injection. We can't tell which ones have so the current best guidelines advise a 2nd injection for those children age 6 months to 10 years. Because young children and pregnant women are at the greatest risk for complications of the 2009 novel H1N1 virus they are the priority for vaccination.

With respect to a 2nd injection for others, that is unclear.

As for seasonal flue, all children great than 6 months receiving their first seasonal flu vaccine require a 2nd injection to boost immunity the very first year, the only need one shot in following years.

Lastly, I don't recommend they receive the 2nd shot until 4 weeks after the first. You may want to check with your doctor on the timing of the 2nd shot.

Here is an article talking about the vaccine in adults. When we have enough available the next at risk groups will begin getting vaccinated.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0908535

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

only need one shot in following years.

Lastly, I don't recommend they receive the 2nd shot until 4 weeks after the first. You may want to check with your doctor on the timing of the 2nd shot.

I see in the email I got from the wife, that the daughters 2nd H1N1 shot will indeed be a month later, not later next week.

Thanks for the info!

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

And as for HIN1 at SDSU, my son just came home because he tested positive. He thought about trying to stay up there, but decided to "veg out" in his room instead of the dorm. Hope it doesn't hit the team.

[SidelineObserver]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

I want to say I saw an article in one of the papers that covers SDSU about athletes getting H1N1 last week. Not sure if it was the Collegian, the Argus or the Register, but it said at least 10 athletes have had confirmed cases of the virus. It also sounded like the athletic training staff is making sure the athletes are educated on trying to stop the spread of the illness among the teams.

[Jack4Life]

Re: H1N1 at SDSU

And as for HIN1 at SDSU, my son just came home because he tested positive. He thought about trying to stay up there, but decided to "veg out" in his room instead of the dorm. Hope it doesn't hit the team.

SDSU Daughter #1 had a few weeks ago and then follwed it up with influenza the next week.