PandemicPrep.Org

I want to apologize to our loyal readers for no newsletter over the past few weeks. So let’s review what has been happening and make sure you are up to date. 

 Current Situation:

• Outbreaks on college and university campuses across the country have surged again after declining. Most cases continue to be mild, according to the American College Health Association. The number of school closings across the country continues to rise, as reported by the US Department of Education.
  

• The CDC reports that 48 states now report widespread flu activity. Although we haven’t reached the peak yet, flu activity has already exceeded what we have seen in some of the worst flu seasons. Pneumonia and influenza rates continue to rise.
  
• The WHO reports that there is widespread disease across the northern hemisphere. Mexico is seeing more flu cases now than they saw in the initial outbreak in April/May. Europe is experiencing an unusually early flu season with wide spread cases. A huge outbreak in the Ukraine is causing a big problem for that country. They are estimating that there have been 500,000 cases since mid-October with 24,000 people hospitalized (the country only has 48 million people).
  
• Vaccine Update:
  
  • Supply of H1N1 vaccine continue to be a problem in the US. As we wrote about earlier, there are significant delays in shipment of vaccine from manufacturers. This is due to the difficulties in growing the virus in eggs, which is part of the manufacturing process.
    
  • Although the US Government had originally predicted that we would have 60-80 million doses by this point, only 38 million have been shipped.
    
  • Vaccine delay has impacted vaccination programs in states across the US and has eroded the confidence in public health initiatives, according to several state health representatives. The Alabama Health Department testified to congress that they don’t expect to receive adequate vaccine to immunize their high priority groups until the end of December or January.
    
  • Around the world, millions of people have received the vaccine and it is proving to be a very safe vaccine.
    
  • Since vaccine campaigns started in October, only 1/3 of parents who tried to get their children vaccinated have been successful.
    

         Disease Update:

o    99 % of the subtyped flu that is tested is the new novel H1N1. Those areas that had seen some early seasonal flu strains circulating, have seen that drop off significantly.

         More Mask controversy

o    In the continuing discussion of masks, the original study done in China and reported here last month showing that N-95 masks were much more protective than surgical masks has been “re-analyzed” and now is much less conclusive. Due to some changes in the statistical analysis done, N-95’s still show some benefit but the study numbers make the difference not statistically significant.

         President Obama declares a National Emergency (on October 26th)

o    This was not unexpected and it allows HHS Secretary Sebelius to waive or modify certain provisions in Medicare, Medicaid, Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP), EMTALA and HIPAA programs. It also allows hospitals to respond to this crisis easier. 

         Medications

o    There has been a shortage of liquid Tamiflu and the government has released about 300,000 bottles of liquid Tamiflu from the National Strategic Stockpile. There are also directions for compounding liquid Tamiflu on the CDC website that pharmacists can use.

o    The government issues emergency use authorization for IV Perimivir and Zanamivir for critically ill patients that don’t respond to Tamiflu. A few cases were recently presented on a conference call and they had good results.

         First cat to catch H1N1

o    Iowa has reported that a house cat has been documented with the novel H1N1 infection after two of its three owners were sick with flu. This is the first time a cat has been documented to have the disease. Prior to this, infections were only documented in humans, pigs, birds and ferrets.

         No more kissing in Turkey

o    Last week, the health minister in Turkey advised all Turks to avoid kissing anyone for the next 5 months.