H1N1 Swine Flu Alert: Adults Ages 50 and Older Getting Sicker, Dying In Higher Numbers

Yes, it was seniors to the back of the line for the Swine Flu Vaccine. Not to worry. It would not be an issue for those over 65. Anyway, the productive days for the elderly were coming to an end anyway. Welcome to the beginning of Health Care rationing. I know, many are debunking the seriousness of the issue. Notice: Our Hospital is full now with pneumonia Patients, and it’s just the beginning of October.

Here’s some important news for older adults. Researchers are reporting that contrary to the messages we’ve been hearing over the last six months, the H1N1 swine flu virus can be extremely dangerous for those ages 50 and older. New research, to be published in the November 4th Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)  JAMA 2009;302(17)1896-1902 reviewed the first 1088 cases of H1N1 reported in California after the disease first surfaced in April 2009.http://jama.ama-ssn.org/cgi/content/short/302/17/1896?home 

The findings, presented by Janice Louie of the California Department of Public Health, were surprising.

Although 32 percent were children under 18, 58 percent were adults

• Those ages 50 or older had the highest rate of death once hospitalized

• Overall fatality was 11 percent, but in those over 50 it was between 18 and 20 percent

• Among fatal cases, the median time from onset of symptoms to death was just 12 days

In other words, it’s not just children, young people, and pregnant women who are getting seriously ill with the H1N1 swine flu virus. And when older adults get H1N1, they can get very very sick and have a higher death rate than other groups.

But there was a second revelation: In a startling 68 percent of all cases, the patients had an underlying condition that’s known to be associated with severe influenza. These were:

  1. obesity
  2. hypertension (high blood pressure)
  3. hyperlidemia (high cholesterol and triglycerides) (There is some thought that it might be the statins– cholesterol lowering drugs that increase risk)
  4. gastrointestinal disease

Louie made a specific point of mentioning obesity, saying she thought it should be considered a “newly identified risk factor” for serious H1N1 infection and deserves further study.

H1N1 vaccinations rolled out in UK – Where’s Ours?

Where is our Vaccine? Well, under Clinton, the Government took over the Flu Vaccine program. The Senate it now holding hearings. Government at its best. Obama and his CDC havn’t figured out how to ship it. To make matters worse, Obama gave away ten percent of OUR vaccine  to others outside the U.S. Look at our earlier post: Obama gives away U.S. flu supply. Maybe it went there first.

 https://bunkerville.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/obama-gives-away-u-s-supply-of-flu-vaccine/

UPDATE SENATE  HEARING:

UPDATE: CNSNews.com) – Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told CNSNews.com Wednesday that one in 10 doses of the swine-flu vaccine purchased by the U.S. will be donated to other nations before the U.S. demand for the vaccine is filled.

Sebelius also told a Senate committee that vaccine production is well behind demand. 

“What we said is once we have 40 million doses (of the vaccine), the donation can start,” Sebelius told CNSNews.com. “There’s an agreement (of) 10 percent donation that 11 nations have made,” she said. 

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/55907

A mass H1N1 immunization program began in the UK Wednesday, with the country’s health minister urging all priority groups to take up the vaccine.

The Department of Health says that it has placed enough orders for the entire UK population of 60 million to be vaccinated against H1N1 swine flu.

Feds Botch Swine Flu Vaccine Distribution: From American Thinker

The federal government is slow to distribute the  H1N1vaccine. And these people want to run our entire healthcare system?
Today, a Senate hearing is underway concerning the Swine Flu and the slow distribution of the H1N1 vaccine. The CDC, and not private contractors, is executing vaccine distribution. Now that the illness is building momentum, the media should be asking – What’s the holdup? Who’s responsible?

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/10/feds_botch_swine_flu_vaccine_d.html#

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/21/H1n1.flu.vaccinations/index.html

Florida plans to ration care in case of flu pandemic

Welcome to the world of the “Death Panels” or as Obama would say, “Healthcare Panels” Otherwise known as Euthanasia

According to the ProPublica report guidelines have been drafted that would bar some patients from being admitted to hospitals. Barred patients would include those with incurable cancer and end-stage multiple sclerosis. The state guidelines would also direct doctors to choose to remove patients with poor prognosises from ventilators to make room for influenza patients who would need them.
The guidelines also excludes from hospital admission or transfer some server burn patients, non-responsive cardiac arrest patients, those with dramatic brain injury, severe stroke victims and more. (It’s the more you need to start to think about- its how rationing starts)

http://www.examiner.com/x-24261-Orlando-Health-Insurance-Examiner~y2009m10d17-florida-plans-to-ration-care-in-case-of-flu-pandemic

USDA says Minn. pigs have tested positive for swine flu

Three pigs exhibited at the Minnesota State Fair this summer tested positive for the H1N1 virus, a preliminary result Friday  confirmed and marked the first time the worrisome virus has been found in U.S. animals.

Still, the results spark a new worry — that the virus could mutate into a more deadly form as it moves between species. Because the tests were confidential, not even the farmers have been notified which animals were infected.That sounds like a plan and a good way to contain the outbreak.

State officials suspect the pigs caught the virus from fairgoers.

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_13580019?source=rss

BEHIND SWINE FLU

32218365-swine-flu

The CDC stopped reporting Swine Flu cases..
Big Pharma Benefits – Why?
Pay off to support Health Care Reform? Check out Baxter for example:

“Curiously: Baxter applied for a patent for the H1N1 flu vaccine in August 2008, eight months before the H1N1 virus appeared in Mexico. This for a type of virus that had not manifested itself for more than 30 years. In July the drug companies were given immunity from liability for the vaccines and the immunizations are about to begin with very little testing. Again, drug companies stand to make millions of dollars without fear of consequences if things go horribly wrong.”

Obama gives away U.S. supply of flu Vaccine

Seniors are ordered to the back of the line for flu vaccine. As early as last  July, the government had already decided to ration the vaccine for seniors for early distribution, if at all. It was clear there there was going to be a limited supply. There would be no priority for some of our most vulnerable citizens.The government says that seniors are not at the same risk. What study? And who came to this conclusion? Yet it has been accepted as fact.   It is expected that the U.S. could see as many as 50,000 deaths. Our first taste of rationing? See our earlier blog  as to how his rationing system works .https://bunkerville.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/sarah-palin-has-it-right/

 As if that is not enough, now we do not protect our own? He mandates he will give 10 percent of our supply away. When it is acknowledged we will not have enough for  U.S.citizens?

  President Barack Obama says the United States will share 10 percent of its swine flu vaccine supply with other nations to help fight the deadly virus’ global spread.“WASHINGTON (AP) — With a potentially deadly swine fluoutbreak looming, President Obama is urging Americans to take steps to prevent infection.Obama was briefed Tuesday on the nation’s preparedness for swine flu by senior officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Following the meeting, Obama said the government is preparing across all levels, but all Americans have a role to play in the response.” “”I don’t want anybody to be alarmed, but I do want everyone to be prepared,” he said.

The White House on Thursday announced that flu vaccines to counter the virus known among scientists as H1N1 would be available through the World Health Organization. Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York that the announcement “is one that has real relevance to the work of the United Nations and to our shared interest in promoting and sustaining global health.”(Apparently our health as well as our wealth)

With a stroke of a pen, Obama potentially could be signing the death warrant for more U.S. citizens, than 9/11

 (CNSNews.com) – Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to minimize suffering and death from influenza, the Health and Human Services Department says on its Web site.
 
But some senior citizens complain they’ve been left off the list of people who will be first in line to get the swine flu vaccination, when it is ready. One CNSNews.com reader suggested the omission is in line with the Obama’s administration’s plan to “minimize” health care for the elderly, as the reader put it.
 
On its Flu.gov Web page, HHS says the government is working to produce enough vaccine for the entire population, but there will be shortages when a vaccine first becomes available – probably in mid-October. 
That means the “limited supply” will have to be “prioritized for distribution and administration.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/51854

 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551521,00.html