Are we correctly identifying those vulnerable?

[JimO]

I am stunned that the media keeps reporting that:

1) This is no different than the seasonal flu; and
2) The groups at greatest risk are the very young, immunocompromised, and the elderly.

Even if the death rate is the same or lower than the seasonal flu, the demographic bell curve is inverted. That means that thousands of relatively young and healthy people will die even if the virus doesn't mutate appreciably. Aside from simply being troubled over this, there are concrete actions that could be taken if the public health folks acknowledged what the data are telling us. Those from 5 to 18 have the highest infection rates and many are dying. The flu isn't going away during the summer months. Kids gather at camps and other functions in large numbers over the summer.

In light of the summer camps fiascos coming to light all over the country, perhaps we should be more concerned with limiting exposure of the youth. I know this won't stop the flu from spreading, but it might delay the spread long enough so that the vaccine can be made ready before the majority of infections can occur.

Maybe I'm just naive, but I thought public health professionals would be the first to recognize this.

 

[prepdeb]

Re: Are we correctly identifying those vulnerable?

I think many of us share the frustration you mentioned.

For the most part, the current attitude of friends, family, neighbors and coworkers is that the flu threat was, and is - "yesterday's news".
Few media sources are giving much space to news related to H1N1 and many people complain when they do.
The common complaint is that it's a mild flu and killing fewer people than the ordinary, seasonal influenza so they aren't concerned.

A parent who tries to restrict the activities of their children is likely to be viewed as though they were paranoid over a potential alien abduction.

People are just not on alert, at least not where I live.
My effort to learn, stay alert and prepare have been the butt of friendly and not so friendly jokes for roughly three years now.
I've stopped informing people I care about when something alarming happens. They don't want to hear it and I'm tired of the eye rolling.

I sincerely hope they are right and the planet never experiences another devasting pandemic. I will gladly join them in laughing at me.

Some think our modern medicine can and will spare us anything remotely like the 1918 pandemic. I think they place far too much faith in a system that is overloaded now by normal health issues.
Medicine and medical intervention are only useful if you can obtain them and obtain them in time to be of some benefit.

We may have more medicine and technology to apply, but everything we depend on is dependent on continual, uninterrupted delivery.

Fewer people than ever know how to prepare basic food from scratch.
Not many are capable of remaining quarantined for any length of time unless they are provided continual supplies.

I apologize for rambling here.
A few years ago when the media was informing people about the risk of H5N1 causing the next pandemic, more people were concerned and asking what they could do to personally prepare.
Now we have a declared pandemic and most are not the least bit concerned or interested.

 

[JimO]

Re: Are we correctly identifying those vulnerable?

I agree. Hospitals are great until they are full and people have to be treated in school gyms and recreation centers by volunteers who aren't trained medical professionals. This sounds far fetched, but it sounds like that is what is going on in the Canadian Inuit community. Katrina taught me how vulnerable our societal structures are to disasters. I still believe that troubles bring out the best in people, but the "hardware" of society (hospital beds, ventilators, ambulances, medical supplies) are finite.

 

[High Risk]

Re: Are we correctly identifying those vulnerable?

In a different world, every family might have their antivirals in their kitchen cupboard, the education to spot the earliest flu symptoms, and the hope and calm that this early intervention could be life affirming. I am especially concerned for those with auto-immune diseases, oncology patients, AIDS patients, multiple sclerosis patients (revved up immune system goes after brain and spinal cord), lupus patients (equally scary), cystic fibrosis kids (tragic), COPD, and everyone else that H1N1 or its variants could adversely impact.