The fact is that you can find much of the information you need about the H1N1 virus (or human swine flu) on the web through REPUTED sources – like the CDC (US Center for Disease Control) or your local disease control center or health unit.  Ask your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking the shot.

There are also a lot of sites out there that are trying to scare you into NOT taking the shot.

Ultimately YOU need to decide whether you want the shot or not.  You need to evaluate the risks versus the benefits and make an informed decision for you and your family.

Have I taken the shot?  Yes, I have.  I was quite apprehensive about it but in the end decided to take it.  This is also the first time I’ve ever taken a seasonal flu shot.  Don’t let my decision to take the shot affect your decision.

If you know someone that has H1N1 or someone in your family has H1N1 you should speak to your doctor about what precautions to take – in most cases they will be common sense things – like trying to isolate yourself, to washing hands and not touching your face with your hands if they are not clean.

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http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_10_02/en/index.html

Geographic spread of influenza activity

Map timeline

Trend of respiratory diseases activity compared to the previous week

Map timeline

Intensity of acute respiratory diseases in the population

Map timeline

Impact on health care services

Map timeline

Laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the IHR (2005) as of 27 September 2009

Map of affected countries and deaths

 Previous Posts on Lose Weight Feel Great for H1N1:

• http://www.lose-weight-feel-great.com/2009/08/26/h1n1-world-statistics-august-26-2009/
• http://www.lose-weight-feel-great.com/2009/07/17/h1n1-swine-flu-statistics/
• http://www.lose-weight-feel-great.com/2009/07/16/h1n1-swine-flu-and-obesity-linked/
• http://www.lose-weight-feel-great.com/2009/07/17/h1n1-swine-flu-statistics/
• http://www.lose-weight-feel-great.com/2009/07/13/obese-exposed-as-swine-flu-collides-with-fat-epidemic/

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Most recently in H1N1 news has been the question of Safety of Pandemic Vaccines.

According to the World Health Organization:

WHO is aware of some media reports that have expressed concern about the safety of vaccines for pandemic influenza. The public needs to be reassured that regulatory procedures in place for the licensing of pandemic vaccines, including procedures for expediting regulatory approval, are rigorous and do not compromise safety or quality controls.

Vaccines are among the most important medical interventions for reducing illness and deaths during a pandemic. However, to have the greatest impact, pandemic vaccines need to be available quickly and in large quantities.

During the 1957 and 1968 pandemics, vaccines arrived too late to be used as an effective mitigation tool during the more severe phases of the pandemics. Influenza vaccines had not yet been developed when the 1918 pandemic swept around the world, eventually killing an estimated 50 million people.

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Also in Europe, some manufacturers have conducted advance studies using a so-called “mock-up” vaccine. Mock-up vaccines contain an active ingredient for an influenza virus that has not circulated recently in human populations and thus mimics the novelty of a pandemic virus. Such advance studies can greatly expedite regulatory approval.

Full link to the news article Safety of Pandemic Vaccines (specifically related to H1N1).

Technorati Tags: flu pandemic, h1h1, h1h1 vaccine, h1n1, h1n1 flu statistics, h1n1 pandemic, h1n1 symptomps, h1n1 vaccination, h1n1 vaccine, h1n1 world statistics, pandemic report, swine flu pandemic