H1N1 Swine Flu Update - Tamiflu Resistant Strain
The H1N1 virus has already mixed and interchanged various viral characteristics with other human and animal influenza strains. A leading Chinese physician was recently backed up by the Chinese health minister when he stated that should H1N1 exchange viral material with the H5N1 strain which has been epidemic in China for years, the result could be a new and completely unforeseen killer flu. Furthermore, the recent developments in Norway where H1N1 strains were discovered that were resistant to the common antiviral medication of Tamiflu and the Relenza medications do indicate that this virus is actively mutating and actively recombining with other viruses that are also of the influenza family to create new characteristics that are, as the Chinese medical experts have stated, completely unforeseeable.
The new characteristics which the virus may adopt from related influenza strains may strengthen it and cause greater levels of disease in human individuals, or it could reduce its infectivity and severity of disease in order to allows the H1N1 virus pandemic to subside. There is no scientific basis at the present time for being able to make such a determination.
The vaccine supply in the United States is considered to be at reasonable levels and is continuing to ship. Eleven million doses of various H1N1 vaccines were made available just in the last week bring the total to over 54 million doses. American states are keeping up with the doses which are being shipped out and they are being used as quickly as they can be delivered. The distribution of the vaccine against the seasonal influenza or normal influenza is also continuing at a fast pace. In the hands of the private sector a total of 94 million doses of this vaccine (which is applicable against seasonal influenza and not necessarily H1N1) has been distributed in the United States as of last week .
The four basic steps which the Centers For Disease Control & Prevention in Atlanta have continued to advise in order to help keep individuals safe from contracting H1N1 Mexican Swine flu influenza begin with a warning that you should not travel anywhere if you are ill; the second step is that you should wash your hands as often as possible with alcohol based sanitizer or soap and water, make sure that if you are using soap and water you wash your hands for a minimum of 10 seconds at a time; the third is always to use tissues and cover your mouth when you sneeze; and the fourth is to receive vaccination against H1N1 Mexican Swine Flu influenza. That fourth recommendation is particularly important if you are a demographic member of a population that is targeted specifically for H1N1 vaccine.
The preliminary analysis by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the demographic distribution of the H1N1 Mexican Swine Flu vaccine in the United States has been that approximately 50% of the total doses which have been administered have been given to infants and children and the majority of all doses which have been administered have been given to individuals who identify themselves as being in one of the demographic priority groups.
Disclaimer: The information on this Hub page does not constitute medical, legal, commercial, product, and/or service advice or endorsement of any vendor, supplier and/or brand, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the author. Listing of an entity or service on this Hub page is not a warranty of the quality or efficacy of the products or services furnished by any entity. The author is not directly compensated by any entity other than the advertising placement services shown on this page.