So you don't think you need to worry about swine flu . . .

Nurses COVID

Published

from new zealand . . .

100 health staff catch swine flu

by greer mcdonald - the dominion post

at least 100 staff at capital and coast district health board have caught swine flu.

the disclosure comes as health staff go on "red alert" after the death of a nurse from the highly contagious virus. the woman, 39, is believed to have worked in hutt hospital's children's ward. she died of a rare complication on monday after 11 days in intensive care.

the health board said yesterday that 100 out of 4500 staff in the wellington region had tested positive for h1n1, about the same number calling in sick as at this time last year. the board set up a phone line for staff to call when off work sick, and used it to gather data on whether they had flu symptoms. . . . by yesterday, new zealand had 2797 confirmed cases of of swine flu, and 13 people had died.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/2709655/100-health-staff-catch-swine-flu

so according to this news article at least 3.5% (100) of all h1n1 infections in new zealand are health care workers. more concerning is only 13 people have died in new zealand, yet one of them was a nurse.

Tweety, BSN, RN

34,248 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Sobering thoughts. Thanks for sharing.

I don't think anyone is saying we don't have to worry about H1N1. ANYONE with flu-like symptoms that comes into our facility is immediately put on droplet precautions...hopefully before it's spread.

Prudent caution, proper personal protection and isolation techniques, and common sense is what's needed. Not sensationalism and panic.

Oh and...get the vaciine when it's offered.

Shaka

23 Posts

Specializes in Staff Nurse-OB primary.

My thoughts on the swine flu:

I believe we all need to do some research on information about the last swine flu panic. Though the statistics are presented to support fear and panic, it is only briefly mentioned in some published articles that the individuals that have succumbed from the current flu have all had previous, major health problems. They were compromised before they acquired the flu. I see this as a way to use information to assuage the general population by presenting a biased use of statistics. Unfortunately, the general population has limited knowledge of how our bodies, immune response, or understanding of our health status that includes a state of wellness not just disease, except in limited, fragmented bits of information they acquire on the internet or in social settings.

There is information on the internet about the 1976 swine flu panic and the effects of giving vaccinations that were not subject to rigorous testing prior to use. The reasoning behind this is that there is not time though this is not supported by many of the scientists that are producing the vaccine. Google it for yourselves to read all that is available information. I have known individuals who developed severe, life altering reactions that they have had to live with the rest of their lives after receiving the vaccine in the seventies. The current plan is to inoculate individuals without doing a human study......it is a repeat of history. The UK will be the first to be given the vaccines as this is where they are being manufactured. There are also numerous articles that contain information about the virus itself.

I think it is important to use reason when something that effects all of us, and is planned to be instituted as mandatory, being given to us in a biased manor. I personally am trying to promote reason rather than fear. We as health care providers need to take the responsibility to do this as well as teaching individuals how to maintain healthy immune systems which is the best defense for all of the bugs that we live with in our world. This is important as our diet and lifestyles, as a society, are poor and lacking to provide this defense, which is sad when we have the most availability of nutritious food to achieve this as well as volumes of information to live healthy.......physically, mentally and spiritually. My question is why this approach is not promoted as fervently as the fear?

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

what purpose would be served in alarming people? They NEED to be alarmed. This stuff will kill people. Why should that information be suppressed? In 1918 they, too, thought it was "just the flu". MILLIONS of Americans died - most young and healthy. Pres. Wilson did not want newspapers reporting all the deaths because he did not want to scare people. HELLO. There is a time to get scared if that is what it takes to get people to do something.

merrywhiterose

286 Posts

I don't know about others, but I don't want to take the chance of catching the swine flu!

indigo girl

5,173 Posts

Specializes in Too many to list.

Though the statistics are presented to support fear and panic, it is only briefly mentioned in some published articles that the individuals that have succumbed from the current flu have all had previous, major health problems. They were compromised before they acquired the flu.

This not correct, shaka.

The fact that the virus certainly does kill more people who had prior existing conditions is not just briefly mentioned, it is prominently proclaimed in just about every report discussing swine flu fatalites. This has been so since April however, there have been a significant number of other fatalities, as well in otherwise healthy people. This has nothing to do with fear and panic, but rather it is a characteristic typical of pandemic viruses, and part of what makes them different from ordinary seasonal influenzas. It is not hype, just the reality of the situation. With increased numbers of people becoming ill with the second wave this fall, there will be an increase in these types of cases. It appears to be random, but it is most definitely happening. CDC and WHO do talk about this fact in their press conferences, and are well aware of this phenomenom.

Here are some of the cases that have been reported in the media:

http://www.sacbee.com/adrenaline/story/2071046.html

https://allnurses.com/pandemic-flu-forum/no-prior-existing-400466.html

What happened in 1976 was unfortunate with regards to that vaccine. But, what did not happen then in contrast with our situation now is that the 1976 virus did not go pandemic. We are in a very different reality now.

I totally agree with you that maintaining healthy immune systems with diet and healthy lifestyles, is the right idea and should be strongly promoted as well. Being in balance physically, mentally and spiritually is very important.

H_2_O

52 Posts

what purpose would be served in alarming people? They NEED to be alarmed. This stuff will kill people.

I laughed out loud when I read this. Are you really that naive? Ever heard of the Tuskeegee Experiment? Or how bout "Operation Iraqui Freedom"?

Follow the money.

RedWeasel, RN

428 Posts

Specializes in RN CRRN.

Ever heard of multiple organ failure? Vomiting blood? Cytokine storms? DIC? The Great Influenza by John Barry? It ain't fiction I will tell you that. If you haven't then you do need to be alarmed...if it doesn't get that bad great but people need to know about it to be prepared if it does head in that direction...

dnnc52

198 Posts

Specializes in ICU,ER,med-Surg,Geri,Correctional.

I am a bit paranoid about a lot of this, in that I hear there will be a vacine in Oct and that it's very likely that healthcare workers will be on the 1st line in getting these vacines. I am concerned about the rush on this vacine and the unknown side effects. My experience with our goverment has been, as in our vets with agent orange, many years of denial, then many years of study and then some minmal compensation. I don't know if I rather take this flu on with my own immunity or take the risk of the vacine. I don't have time either way for a long drawn out recovery. Anyone else feeling this way?

Laidback Al

266 Posts

I am a bit paranoid about a lot of this, in that I hear there will be a vacine in Oct and that it's very likely that healthcare workers will be on the 1st line in getting these vacines. I am concerned about the rush on this vacine and the unknown side effects. My experience with our goverment has been, as in our vets with agent orange, many years of denial, then many years of study and then some minmal compensation. I don't know if I rather take this flu on with my own immunity or take the risk of the vacine. I don't have time either way for a long drawn out recovery. Anyone else feeling this way?

Everyone should be allowed to reach their own conclusion about whether or not they or their family should be vaccinated with a novel H1N1 vaccine. I think it all comes down to a matter of risk versus benefits which will vary from person to person and family to family. We are told that there won't be enough vaccine to go around at the very beginning, so there may be people that want it but can't get it. On the other hand, we are told that it will be made available for critical individuals such as HCWs, but some may want to refuse it. The issue of mandatory vaccination of employees is a thorny problem. In that case, the employer is weighing risks versus benefits for the entire staff and their "customers".

Obviously, the risk/benefit ratio can change in a heart beat. Right now the best guess on CFR is about .05%, although there was a doubling of deaths today in Argentina. If the CFR starts to get higher or if the severity of the diseases increases, (even if the number of deaths doesn't increase), people might shift their opinion on whether or not to get vaccinated. Hopefully, there will be enough supplies in time for everyone who wants a shot to get one.

TheHomelessRN

11 Posts

I haven't made up my mind on this topic as the info is all over the place found this interesting though. http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=27024

Nurserton

135 Posts

Specializes in Neurovascular, Ortho, Community Health.
From New Zealand . . .

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/2709655/100-health-staff-catch-swine-flu

So according to this news article at least 3.5% (100) of all H1N1 infections in New Zealand are health care workers. More concerning is only 13 people have died in New Zealand, yet one of them was a nurse.

That's true but I do believe that it has the worst affects on those with co-morbities and/or immunosuppression and whatnot..they give you a # not the background..babies, elderly, etc. The avg healthy person will survive swine flu fine, though it'll be a nasty bout of sickness, just like all those who survived the avian flu, rotavirus, etc.

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