One in four Californians could be affected by swine flu, state health chief says

California's state health officer said today that one in four Californians might be affected by swine flu this fall.

Dr. Mark Horton made the prediction in a letter to Californians released today by the California Department of Public Health. "All of us must prepare for the disruptions the novel H1N1 influenza virus may have on our daily lives," Horton said in the letter.

Horton's letter is the latest warning to be issued by public health officials about H1N1, commonly known as swine flu.

Last week, top national and local health officials warned that employers should brace for worker absences and cautioned the public that as many as three shots this season may be needed to protect against the H1N1 strain and seasonal flu.

California health officials said the combination of H1N1 and the regular flu season could strain the state's healthcare system. Emergency rooms are often filled to capacity during bad flu seasons, but the addition of H1N1 could make the situation even worse. Hospitals are already looking at creating alternate care sites to handle flu patients and plan a public education campaign imploring those with mild flu symptoms to avoid ERs.

"One thing we know is that this will be a rapidly changing situation.... We’re really not going to understand the extent or nature of the pandemic until we’re in the middle of it," said Dr. Jim Leo, associate chief medical officer at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that the most at-risk populations receive the H1N1 vaccine first. Those populations include pregnant women, healthcare workers, parents and caregivers for children under 6 months old, people ages 6 months to 24 years, and those ages 25 through 64 with chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

Those groups constitute 159 million people in the United States -- more than half of the population.

Once those groups have been vaccinated, U.S. health officials will recommend that people ages 25 through 64 receive H1N1 shots.

--Rong-Gong Lin II

Photo: A dose of the experimental vaccine for the H1N1 flu virus is prepared at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: Mark Humphrey / Associated Press

Comments

[June]

Use common sense to help prevent spreading the flu. Wash your hands frequently. In public restroom, use the paper towels to dry up and wipe the faucet after you use it. Use your own pen when signing credit card slip intead of using the grocery clerk's, waiter's or cashier's pen. Clean your office's telephone and computer keyboards that are shared with others.

[Dr. Peter Evans]

Oh....PLEASE! Let's get real here and do a tiny bit more 'real' scientific investigating before resorting to Big Pharma's vicious scare tactics, in order to market their "vaccines."

Respectfully

[kathy]

Here is a link to a video on a 60 minutes episode featuring the 1976 Swine Flu Vaccination debacle. If you go to the link below, the page will open to the video. no scrolling needed. It is very interesting.
http://karenannmacdonald.blogspot.com/

[Bree]

I know of a program all schools should implement (and a vaccination is not required). My daughter learned this great program at pre-school called Germy Wormy Germ Smart. It teaches kids to understand how germs spread and how to NOT spread them. It was so much fun for her, and amazing how quickly the kids learned healthier hygiene habits! The website speaks for itself: www.germywormy.com

[Lynn]

I have the H1N1 flu now. I think I will get over it. Horrible!! Emesis, diarrhea, fever, and aches. And tons of dizziness!! Waaaaa.....

At least it makes me forget my other problems. And if I live, I'll have immunity. Yay!

[Myrna Gold]

Does California, FEMA, and CDC have a plan in place for mitigating/treating/containing the transmission of H1N1 in evacuation centers for those who must use those centers during these firestorm outbreaks? Will evacuees be given the option of receiving vaccines first?

[Jose]

How much of this is spread by the 1MILLION third world illegal aliens squatting in Los Angeles?

They've already exposed us to untold Third World diseases because of our crooked politicians.

[Bonnie Ember]

Hello Everyone

The Swine Flu is 3 flu's in 1: Swine, Avian, & Human flu.
The only way this flu could exist is through Gene Splicing.

Please read this article & do not take the vaccine that contains, Mercury & Squaline.

http://dprogram.net/2009/07/29/swine-flu-manufactured-virus-dangerous-forced-vaccinations-who-collusion-with-big-pharma/

This is a Call to Action.

Hitler killed people in ovens.

This will be death by lethal injection.

Regards

Bonnie