Commonground
Senior Moderator
1:37 PM Thu, Aug 27, 2009
Dr. David R. Gifford, Rhode Island director of health, answers questions about swine flu during a live chat on projo.com
Dr. Gifford: Thank you for joining me on this web chat. Looking forward to your questions. Sorry in the advance for spelling and typo errors.
mom123: Hi Is the new swine flu vaccine a live virus as me and my son have an IGA deficency that does not allow us to recieve vaccines that are live. thank you
Dr. Gifford: The influenza vaccine for H1N1 is similar to the seasonal influenza vaccine in that it comes both as a killed version and a live version. The injection version is always killed. The nasal spray version is live version. You and your son could have the injectable version.
rustyz11: My Grand-daughter is going to be 2 this fall is the swine flu vacine safe enough for someone that young?
Dr. Gifford: The seasonal influenza we use every year is safe for children six months and older. The process for making the H1N1 (swine) vaccine is identical. Therefore, we feel very comfortable that it will be safe for your grandchild to get the H1N1 vaccine. In addition, the federal government is conducting trials with the H1N1 vaccine and so far it appears to be like seasonal influenza from a safety standpoint.
Pam: Dr. Gifford is working hard to give complete answers to all your questions on swine flu. Please send them along, and be patient, the answers may take a while.
Hope: Last spring we were at a party at my friend's house when she announced that her daughter was recovering from the swine flu. We were all a little shocked that she hadn't warned us. At what point was this girl contagious -- early on before her diagnosis, or did she continue to be a threat to all of us visiting her home days later? Is there some way we can encourage people to stay away from friends and family while exposed to such a serious illness?
Dr. Gifford: People with influenza (seasonal or H1N1) are contagious mainly when they have a fever. Therefore we recommend that people with influenza-like illness (Fever plus cough or sore throat) stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication (e.g. Tylenol). The main way this is spread is by people not covering their cough or not washing their hands (or using alcohol hand gels) frequently. In your case, with the information provided, it sounds reasonable.
agatha: Should people with MS receive the swine flu shot?
Dr. Gifford: Yes, just as you do each year with seasonal influenza.
Andrea: What is the big difference between the swine flu threat and the "normal" flu threat? Populations affected, lack of a specific vaccine at this time, severity? And if it is vaccine, what is the guarantee that one will be available?
Dr. Gifford: So far, the main difference is in who gets ill. Seasonal tends to infect the elderly and adults while we are seeing H1N1 infect children and young adults. The severity seems to be the same as seasonal but people who have certain health conditions (e.g Asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and immunocompromised such as cancer) and pregnant women and infants (eg less than 1 yr of age) are the ones having the most problems (e.g. hospitalization).
JMB: Will the flu medication be available in a nasal spray
Dr. Gifford: The flu medication is a pill. The vaccine comes as an injection into your arm or as a nasal spray.
Linda: I work in health care in an office setting with no direct patient contact. Will I have the option to not receive this vaccine or is it mandatory.
Dr. Gifford: The vaccine is recommended for children >6months to 24 years of age, young adults with chronic medical conditions (e.g Asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and immunocompromised such as cancer), pregnant women and health care workers who have direct contact with patients. Therefore, you like myself (a physician without direct patient contact) are not in the high priority group to get the H1N1 vaccine. Once we get the high priority groups vaccinated you and I can get one.
mrfoer: Dr. Gifford: When will the vaccines be ready, and how soon do you recommend that a person should receive the vaccination? When is the flu expected to "return" in force? Is the vaccine strongly recomended for everybody?
Dr. Gifford: The seasonal influenza vaccine (for adults) is here now, we expect the kids version here soon. The H1N1 vaccine will likely arrive in October with shipments coming regularly through December. Currently, we anticipate that people will need TWO shots of the H1N1 vaccine about 1 month apart before they are protected.
skeptic: Where will be people go to get their shots? Will there be enough for everyone? If not, who gets first dibs and how will you enforce that?
Dr. Gifford: There will be multiple locations for people to get their H1N1 vaccine. We plan on using the normal mechanism (e.g. physician's office) for giving out the H1N1 vaccine. For kids in school, we plan on giving the vaccine in school. Health care workers will get it as they normally do or from special clinics for healthcare workers that we are setting up. The federal government and panel of national experts have set up a priority group for getting the vaccine first. The high priorty groups include pregnant women, children >6 months to 24 years, 24 to 64 who have a chronic medical condition (e.g. diabetes), health care workers and household contacts/caregivers of infants (<6 months of age). Once we get these group, others can get the vaccine.
sky123: My daughter has epilepsy. Are there any strong reasons why she should or should not be vaccinated?
Dr. Gifford: We are recommending the H1N1 vaccine for all kids up to age 24 years (except for those <6 months). Therefore, she should get the vaccine.
Andrea: Will you have H1N1 vaccine clinics? Will it be available without cost?
Dr. Gifford: The federal government is purchasing the vaccine so there will be no cost to you. The insurance companies have agreed to pay the physician/clinic fee for visits. You may have a co-pay depending on your insurance. This is similar to what happens with seasonal influenza. We will have clinics for those without insurance. Kids who get it in school will not have to pay.
cranstonlouie: I read about drive-through vaccination where you stick your arm out the car window to get your shot. Where can I do that in RI?
Dr. Gifford: Currently, the vaccine must be injected into your arm or taken as a nasal spray. We believe the best way and safest way is to give it in a clinic/school setting where someone is present to make sure no problems occur (e.g. you faint). Thus, we will not have any drive through vaccine clinics in RI.
Carolyn: I am getting different answers on where my two college students can receive the vaccine. Do they also need a flu shot? Both are severe asthmatics. Their Doctor said they will only have enough vaccine for pre-school students and the school districts will do school age. It's confusing!
Dr. Gifford: We plan on having vaccine clinics in the RI colleges and universities. They can also get it from their primary care provider.
friendofdolly: do you anticipate reaching a point where getting the swine flu vaccine will be mandatory?
Dr. Gifford: Not at this point.
NeilJLittle: I have a question about schools. I teach in a high school, and parents are notorious for sending their children to school sick...what can we do about it if anything?
Dr. Gifford: Kids, teachers and school staff should stay home until they are fever free for at least 24 hours (without using medications to lower your fever). Kids who become sick in school should go home when possible but do not have to be sent home immediately. If they are coughing they should wait in a place that lowers the chance they will spread the virus to others. We need to be both flexible and practical as we deal with this illness. Hand washing with alcohol based hand gels or soap and water is the best way to prevent the spread since we know how the virus spreads. Similarly, covering your cough. The virus does not live very long outside the body or on surfaces (eg. <2-3 hours at most) therefore no special cleaning overnight is needed.
friendofdolly: i've heard that in the UK they are having swine flu parties much like the chicken pox parties i've heard were held here in the US when i was a child, i.e parties designed to spread chicken pox or the swine flu, with the thinking being that a milder case now will head off a more severe case down the road. i wouldn't sign up for swine flu, but when you hear that the flu could be more severe in the fall than it was in the spring . . . well, it makes you think.
Dr. Gifford: I have heard the same but would not recommend it. I would not do this for myself or for my own son. These viruses can cause serious health problems. We can not predict who will get them. Thus, the best method is either vaccination or avoid getting ill which for most viruses is done by washing your hands frequently.
skeptic: Aren't there an awful lot of people in the high-priority groups that you listed? Will there be enough vaccine for all of them? If not, has anyone decided who gets highest priority? Also is there any mechanism to make sure the vaccine goes first to the highest-priority people?
Dr. Gifford: Initial estimates from the federal government suggest we will have enough for the high priority groups who want the vaccine.
dscatt: I work at a college and I am really concerned about this issue. We do not even have a school nurse due to budget constrains. On top of that we do not even have hot water in the bathrooms. I almost want to weat a mask. How concerned do we need to be as most students are 18-25
Dr. Gifford: Use alcohol handgels frequently. You do not need to wear a mask. I do not plan on wearing a mask but have alcohol hand gels in my office and home.
junnie: Dr. Gifford, I heard that the swine flu shot comes in 2 shots. Is this correct?
Dr. Gifford: Yes
dscatt: Well DR Gifford I have a huge bottle on my desk already
dscatt: I work at a college and just wanted to know how concerned I should be about getting vaccinated
Dr. Gifford: Only if you are a healthcare worker with direct patient contact or an adult with anunderlying chornic medical condtion or are pregnant or take care of a child under 6 months of age.
Pam: Hi all -- I'm in Dr. Gifford's office moderating this chat and I can confirm that he does indeed have a huge bottle of hand santizer on his desk.
Sari: I believe that I had swine flu in July but did not get tested - if that was the case what are the chances that I will have a decent amount of natural immunity this fall?
Dr. Gifford: We do not know the answer but we do know that the influenza virus changes each year and why you need a new influenza shot each year. The recommendation is for people who had or may have had H1N1 in the spring to get the vaccine in the fall (see priority group listing in prior answers).
Hope: If your child has already had the swine flu, does she still need to get vaccinated?
Dr. Gifford: yes see prior answer
bosox777: My husband is prone to pneaumonia. Is he considered a high risk for Swine flu? He is 51 yrs old besides high pressure he is phsically fit and in good health.
Dr. Gifford: He should discuss with his primary care physician. He should also get the bacterial pneumonia vaccine if he has not recieved it yet.\
maddy: Will there be a Standard Operating Procedure re Swine Flu issues suggested for the workplace? (ie people exposed coming to work, etc) If so how will that be communicated to the HR departments?
Dr. Gifford: We have guidance on our web site www.health.ri.gov and in a nut shell, stay home when sick until fever free for 24 hours.
Julie: I am an elementary charter school Director and need to send home materials to families in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Are you standardizing and/or translating forms for families?
Dr. Gifford: We are working as fast as possible to translate documents into many different languages. We already had some documents on our website in Spanish, French, Portuguese.
jq: Is it true that there is evidence that people over 60 seem to have some natural immunity to H1N1
Dr. Gifford: It appears that older adults (e.g. people over 60 years of age) have a much lower risk of getting H1N1. There are many reasons postulated for this. Nonetheless, some people over 60 have still gotten the virus. You need to get the seasonal vaccine now.
ywca nri: I offer compliments to you and your staff for your weekly H1N1 updates. They are a great resouce and very informative.
Dr. Gifford: thank you they will appreciate the feedback as they have been working long days and weekends throughout the summer.
skeptic: Do hand sanitizers that don't have alcohol also work?
Dr. Gifford: Despite the companies claims, I have not seen any scientific evidence to show they are equivalent or as effective as alcohol based hand gels.
cranstonlouie: my boss wants me at work no matter what. Are you going to mandate that people stay home so my boss sees it?
Dr. Gifford: We are encouraging businesses and schools to support the recommendation that people who are ill with a fever to stay at home to decrease the spread of H1N1.
cranstonlouie: I just googled alcohol based hand gels looking for a brand name and found this from medical journals.
cranstonlouie: We investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of ten gels and four rinses according to European standards (EN 1500). No gel met the EN 1500 requirements within 30 s of application, whereas all hand rinses did. The tested hand gels should be considered a retrograde step for hand hygiene because the application time in clinical practice is often shorter than 30 s; they should not replace alcohol-based liquid hand disinfectants currently used in hospitals or be implemented as first choice agents.
maddy: Once someone has been exposed to Swine Flu, are they a carrier & if so for how long? If they are a carrier, once put on Tamiflu, at which point would they no longer be a carrier?
Dr. Gifford: You are not a carrier once you get infected. You are contagious mainly while you have a fever, some people are mildly contagious for several days longer. Tamiflu is an antiviral medication that when taken for influenza decrease the duration of symptoms by 1 to 2 days. It is not currative like many antibiotics for bacterial infections.
cranstonlouie: Did people around the original kid who got swine flu in Mexico also get it?
Dr. Gifford: Just because your are next to our in a room with a person who is ill with H1N1 does not mean that you will get sick. However, we know that the virus spreads by aerosolized droplets from coughing or sneezing. Being apart by more than 6 feet significantly reduces your chance of getting ill. The other main way it spreads is when you touch an infected surface (e.g. another persons hand that they coughed in or wiped their nose with) and you then touch your nose, mouth or eye. This is why I keep repeating the importance of washing your hands or using alcohol based hand gels.
mattou: Can an individual still carry the virus yet not experience symptoms, a carrier so to speak?
Dr. Gifford: No, see previous answer
Sari: I read that the FDA is ready to approve the adjuvant that is used in the anthrax vaccine (and linked to gulf war syndrome) for the H1N1 vaccine though it is currently not licensed in the S. If true, this scares me. Should it?
Dr. Gifford: There is currently no plan to use adjuvants but they are evaluating their use and safety.
junnie: Dr., is it true that the vaccine will not be available unitl October?
Dr. Gifford: yes
abby: Hello Dr. Gifford, Should I get the swine flu vaccine if I am in my first trimester of pregnancy or early in my second trimester?
Dr. Gifford: Yes
cranstonlouie: what should i buy?
Dr. Gifford: I assume you mean alcohol based hand gels. Look on the label of active ingredients to see if they contain alcohol. That is all that is really important.
mattou: Isn' tOctober too late?
Dr. Gifford: It is as soon as the manufacturers can get it produced and distributed. Some people are likely to get sick before then. That is why we promote practices to prevent spread: eg handwashing, cover your cough and stay home while sick.
dtheilig: There should definitely be a nasal spray version of the vaccine, right? My 5 year old faints and seizes when he gets a shot and I'd like to avoid that if possible.
Dr. Gifford: There will be a nasal spray for kids. I hope your kid does not faint.
Dr. Gifford: Great questions. Hopefully I answered them to your satisfaction. For more information please visit our website at www.heatlh.ri.gov or federal web site www.flu.gov or you can follow me on twitter RIDEPTOFHEALTH
http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/08/transcript-to-s-1.html
Dr. David R. Gifford, Rhode Island director of health, answers questions about swine flu during a live chat on projo.com
Dr. Gifford: Thank you for joining me on this web chat. Looking forward to your questions. Sorry in the advance for spelling and typo errors.
mom123: Hi Is the new swine flu vaccine a live virus as me and my son have an IGA deficency that does not allow us to recieve vaccines that are live. thank you
Dr. Gifford: The influenza vaccine for H1N1 is similar to the seasonal influenza vaccine in that it comes both as a killed version and a live version. The injection version is always killed. The nasal spray version is live version. You and your son could have the injectable version.
rustyz11: My Grand-daughter is going to be 2 this fall is the swine flu vacine safe enough for someone that young?
Dr. Gifford: The seasonal influenza we use every year is safe for children six months and older. The process for making the H1N1 (swine) vaccine is identical. Therefore, we feel very comfortable that it will be safe for your grandchild to get the H1N1 vaccine. In addition, the federal government is conducting trials with the H1N1 vaccine and so far it appears to be like seasonal influenza from a safety standpoint.
Pam: Dr. Gifford is working hard to give complete answers to all your questions on swine flu. Please send them along, and be patient, the answers may take a while.
Hope: Last spring we were at a party at my friend's house when she announced that her daughter was recovering from the swine flu. We were all a little shocked that she hadn't warned us. At what point was this girl contagious -- early on before her diagnosis, or did she continue to be a threat to all of us visiting her home days later? Is there some way we can encourage people to stay away from friends and family while exposed to such a serious illness?
Dr. Gifford: People with influenza (seasonal or H1N1) are contagious mainly when they have a fever. Therefore we recommend that people with influenza-like illness (Fever plus cough or sore throat) stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication (e.g. Tylenol). The main way this is spread is by people not covering their cough or not washing their hands (or using alcohol hand gels) frequently. In your case, with the information provided, it sounds reasonable.
agatha: Should people with MS receive the swine flu shot?
Dr. Gifford: Yes, just as you do each year with seasonal influenza.
Andrea: What is the big difference between the swine flu threat and the "normal" flu threat? Populations affected, lack of a specific vaccine at this time, severity? And if it is vaccine, what is the guarantee that one will be available?
Dr. Gifford: So far, the main difference is in who gets ill. Seasonal tends to infect the elderly and adults while we are seeing H1N1 infect children and young adults. The severity seems to be the same as seasonal but people who have certain health conditions (e.g Asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and immunocompromised such as cancer) and pregnant women and infants (eg less than 1 yr of age) are the ones having the most problems (e.g. hospitalization).
JMB: Will the flu medication be available in a nasal spray
Dr. Gifford: The flu medication is a pill. The vaccine comes as an injection into your arm or as a nasal spray.
Linda: I work in health care in an office setting with no direct patient contact. Will I have the option to not receive this vaccine or is it mandatory.
Dr. Gifford: The vaccine is recommended for children >6months to 24 years of age, young adults with chronic medical conditions (e.g Asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and immunocompromised such as cancer), pregnant women and health care workers who have direct contact with patients. Therefore, you like myself (a physician without direct patient contact) are not in the high priority group to get the H1N1 vaccine. Once we get the high priority groups vaccinated you and I can get one.
mrfoer: Dr. Gifford: When will the vaccines be ready, and how soon do you recommend that a person should receive the vaccination? When is the flu expected to "return" in force? Is the vaccine strongly recomended for everybody?
Dr. Gifford: The seasonal influenza vaccine (for adults) is here now, we expect the kids version here soon. The H1N1 vaccine will likely arrive in October with shipments coming regularly through December. Currently, we anticipate that people will need TWO shots of the H1N1 vaccine about 1 month apart before they are protected.
skeptic: Where will be people go to get their shots? Will there be enough for everyone? If not, who gets first dibs and how will you enforce that?
Dr. Gifford: There will be multiple locations for people to get their H1N1 vaccine. We plan on using the normal mechanism (e.g. physician's office) for giving out the H1N1 vaccine. For kids in school, we plan on giving the vaccine in school. Health care workers will get it as they normally do or from special clinics for healthcare workers that we are setting up. The federal government and panel of national experts have set up a priority group for getting the vaccine first. The high priorty groups include pregnant women, children >6 months to 24 years, 24 to 64 who have a chronic medical condition (e.g. diabetes), health care workers and household contacts/caregivers of infants (<6 months of age). Once we get these group, others can get the vaccine.
sky123: My daughter has epilepsy. Are there any strong reasons why she should or should not be vaccinated?
Dr. Gifford: We are recommending the H1N1 vaccine for all kids up to age 24 years (except for those <6 months). Therefore, she should get the vaccine.
Andrea: Will you have H1N1 vaccine clinics? Will it be available without cost?
Dr. Gifford: The federal government is purchasing the vaccine so there will be no cost to you. The insurance companies have agreed to pay the physician/clinic fee for visits. You may have a co-pay depending on your insurance. This is similar to what happens with seasonal influenza. We will have clinics for those without insurance. Kids who get it in school will not have to pay.
cranstonlouie: I read about drive-through vaccination where you stick your arm out the car window to get your shot. Where can I do that in RI?
Dr. Gifford: Currently, the vaccine must be injected into your arm or taken as a nasal spray. We believe the best way and safest way is to give it in a clinic/school setting where someone is present to make sure no problems occur (e.g. you faint). Thus, we will not have any drive through vaccine clinics in RI.
Carolyn: I am getting different answers on where my two college students can receive the vaccine. Do they also need a flu shot? Both are severe asthmatics. Their Doctor said they will only have enough vaccine for pre-school students and the school districts will do school age. It's confusing!
Dr. Gifford: We plan on having vaccine clinics in the RI colleges and universities. They can also get it from their primary care provider.
friendofdolly: do you anticipate reaching a point where getting the swine flu vaccine will be mandatory?
Dr. Gifford: Not at this point.
NeilJLittle: I have a question about schools. I teach in a high school, and parents are notorious for sending their children to school sick...what can we do about it if anything?
Dr. Gifford: Kids, teachers and school staff should stay home until they are fever free for at least 24 hours (without using medications to lower your fever). Kids who become sick in school should go home when possible but do not have to be sent home immediately. If they are coughing they should wait in a place that lowers the chance they will spread the virus to others. We need to be both flexible and practical as we deal with this illness. Hand washing with alcohol based hand gels or soap and water is the best way to prevent the spread since we know how the virus spreads. Similarly, covering your cough. The virus does not live very long outside the body or on surfaces (eg. <2-3 hours at most) therefore no special cleaning overnight is needed.
friendofdolly: i've heard that in the UK they are having swine flu parties much like the chicken pox parties i've heard were held here in the US when i was a child, i.e parties designed to spread chicken pox or the swine flu, with the thinking being that a milder case now will head off a more severe case down the road. i wouldn't sign up for swine flu, but when you hear that the flu could be more severe in the fall than it was in the spring . . . well, it makes you think.
Dr. Gifford: I have heard the same but would not recommend it. I would not do this for myself or for my own son. These viruses can cause serious health problems. We can not predict who will get them. Thus, the best method is either vaccination or avoid getting ill which for most viruses is done by washing your hands frequently.
skeptic: Aren't there an awful lot of people in the high-priority groups that you listed? Will there be enough vaccine for all of them? If not, has anyone decided who gets highest priority? Also is there any mechanism to make sure the vaccine goes first to the highest-priority people?
Dr. Gifford: Initial estimates from the federal government suggest we will have enough for the high priority groups who want the vaccine.
dscatt: I work at a college and I am really concerned about this issue. We do not even have a school nurse due to budget constrains. On top of that we do not even have hot water in the bathrooms. I almost want to weat a mask. How concerned do we need to be as most students are 18-25
Dr. Gifford: Use alcohol handgels frequently. You do not need to wear a mask. I do not plan on wearing a mask but have alcohol hand gels in my office and home.
junnie: Dr. Gifford, I heard that the swine flu shot comes in 2 shots. Is this correct?
Dr. Gifford: Yes
dscatt: Well DR Gifford I have a huge bottle on my desk already
dscatt: I work at a college and just wanted to know how concerned I should be about getting vaccinated
Dr. Gifford: Only if you are a healthcare worker with direct patient contact or an adult with anunderlying chornic medical condtion or are pregnant or take care of a child under 6 months of age.
Pam: Hi all -- I'm in Dr. Gifford's office moderating this chat and I can confirm that he does indeed have a huge bottle of hand santizer on his desk.
Sari: I believe that I had swine flu in July but did not get tested - if that was the case what are the chances that I will have a decent amount of natural immunity this fall?
Dr. Gifford: We do not know the answer but we do know that the influenza virus changes each year and why you need a new influenza shot each year. The recommendation is for people who had or may have had H1N1 in the spring to get the vaccine in the fall (see priority group listing in prior answers).
Hope: If your child has already had the swine flu, does she still need to get vaccinated?
Dr. Gifford: yes see prior answer
bosox777: My husband is prone to pneaumonia. Is he considered a high risk for Swine flu? He is 51 yrs old besides high pressure he is phsically fit and in good health.
Dr. Gifford: He should discuss with his primary care physician. He should also get the bacterial pneumonia vaccine if he has not recieved it yet.\
maddy: Will there be a Standard Operating Procedure re Swine Flu issues suggested for the workplace? (ie people exposed coming to work, etc) If so how will that be communicated to the HR departments?
Dr. Gifford: We have guidance on our web site www.health.ri.gov and in a nut shell, stay home when sick until fever free for 24 hours.
Julie: I am an elementary charter school Director and need to send home materials to families in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Are you standardizing and/or translating forms for families?
Dr. Gifford: We are working as fast as possible to translate documents into many different languages. We already had some documents on our website in Spanish, French, Portuguese.
jq: Is it true that there is evidence that people over 60 seem to have some natural immunity to H1N1
Dr. Gifford: It appears that older adults (e.g. people over 60 years of age) have a much lower risk of getting H1N1. There are many reasons postulated for this. Nonetheless, some people over 60 have still gotten the virus. You need to get the seasonal vaccine now.
ywca nri: I offer compliments to you and your staff for your weekly H1N1 updates. They are a great resouce and very informative.
Dr. Gifford: thank you they will appreciate the feedback as they have been working long days and weekends throughout the summer.
skeptic: Do hand sanitizers that don't have alcohol also work?
Dr. Gifford: Despite the companies claims, I have not seen any scientific evidence to show they are equivalent or as effective as alcohol based hand gels.
cranstonlouie: my boss wants me at work no matter what. Are you going to mandate that people stay home so my boss sees it?
Dr. Gifford: We are encouraging businesses and schools to support the recommendation that people who are ill with a fever to stay at home to decrease the spread of H1N1.
cranstonlouie: I just googled alcohol based hand gels looking for a brand name and found this from medical journals.
cranstonlouie: We investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of ten gels and four rinses according to European standards (EN 1500). No gel met the EN 1500 requirements within 30 s of application, whereas all hand rinses did. The tested hand gels should be considered a retrograde step for hand hygiene because the application time in clinical practice is often shorter than 30 s; they should not replace alcohol-based liquid hand disinfectants currently used in hospitals or be implemented as first choice agents.
maddy: Once someone has been exposed to Swine Flu, are they a carrier & if so for how long? If they are a carrier, once put on Tamiflu, at which point would they no longer be a carrier?
Dr. Gifford: You are not a carrier once you get infected. You are contagious mainly while you have a fever, some people are mildly contagious for several days longer. Tamiflu is an antiviral medication that when taken for influenza decrease the duration of symptoms by 1 to 2 days. It is not currative like many antibiotics for bacterial infections.
cranstonlouie: Did people around the original kid who got swine flu in Mexico also get it?
Dr. Gifford: Just because your are next to our in a room with a person who is ill with H1N1 does not mean that you will get sick. However, we know that the virus spreads by aerosolized droplets from coughing or sneezing. Being apart by more than 6 feet significantly reduces your chance of getting ill. The other main way it spreads is when you touch an infected surface (e.g. another persons hand that they coughed in or wiped their nose with) and you then touch your nose, mouth or eye. This is why I keep repeating the importance of washing your hands or using alcohol based hand gels.
mattou: Can an individual still carry the virus yet not experience symptoms, a carrier so to speak?
Dr. Gifford: No, see previous answer
Sari: I read that the FDA is ready to approve the adjuvant that is used in the anthrax vaccine (and linked to gulf war syndrome) for the H1N1 vaccine though it is currently not licensed in the S. If true, this scares me. Should it?
Dr. Gifford: There is currently no plan to use adjuvants but they are evaluating their use and safety.
junnie: Dr., is it true that the vaccine will not be available unitl October?
Dr. Gifford: yes
abby: Hello Dr. Gifford, Should I get the swine flu vaccine if I am in my first trimester of pregnancy or early in my second trimester?
Dr. Gifford: Yes
cranstonlouie: what should i buy?
Dr. Gifford: I assume you mean alcohol based hand gels. Look on the label of active ingredients to see if they contain alcohol. That is all that is really important.
mattou: Isn' tOctober too late?
Dr. Gifford: It is as soon as the manufacturers can get it produced and distributed. Some people are likely to get sick before then. That is why we promote practices to prevent spread: eg handwashing, cover your cough and stay home while sick.
dtheilig: There should definitely be a nasal spray version of the vaccine, right? My 5 year old faints and seizes when he gets a shot and I'd like to avoid that if possible.
Dr. Gifford: There will be a nasal spray for kids. I hope your kid does not faint.
Dr. Gifford: Great questions. Hopefully I answered them to your satisfaction. For more information please visit our website at www.heatlh.ri.gov or federal web site www.flu.gov or you can follow me on twitter RIDEPTOFHEALTH
http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/08/transcript-to-s-1.html