It's Not Over...

Until the dying stops. We're becoming as insensitive as the news reporting the dying as one big number instead of noting the passing of each individual. We write it but don't highlight it. How many are lost each week as well as the totals year to date this year and past? We noticed our omission and debated how this is change recognizes each individual loss. In the interim we offer you this subtle change to make the season bright.

"[W]e don't know what the future will bring. We do know that we have more vaccine now. It is a real window of opportunity to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. And vaccination remains our best protection against the flu and for people who are sick. It's important still to get prompt treatment. When you're sick with flu-like symptoms, it may or not be flu, but if you're sick, see a doctor. Or if you have an underlying health condition like diabetes, it's particularly important to see your doctor." - Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director for Centers for Disease Control Prevention

Total Doses as of 11/24/09* Allocated Shipped Incr. Population % Pop. District of Columbia Maryland North Carolina Virginia    125,200 1,732,600 1,049,500 1,446,200    121,000 1,734,400 1,126,000 1,557,900 103% 100% 93% 93%    591,833 9,222,414 5,633,597 7,769,089 20% 19% 20% 20% TOTALS 4,353,500 4,539,300 96% 23,216,933 20%

With twenty (20%) percent of the most vulnerable population covered with the vaccine. Any slowing of the death or infection rates could be contributing to any decreases which would point to either the effectiveness of the inoculations process and the need for the vaccine rather than an ending of the H1N1 flu season.

"In the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from seasonal flu-related complications, and; about 36,000 people die from seasonal flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications."

The chart shows a decrease or downward turn of the number of deaths which would signal good news as though the worst was over if you're desperately searching for good news. We hate to be harbingers of doom but we like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must point out that this is the month when supplies should make it's way to general population - those of us not at high risk but at risk nonetheless. Again it's how you look at it and where you look. The number of visits are down but deaths are not.

"Timing is uncertain. In past years, seasonal flu activity typically did not reach its peak in the U.S. until January or February, but flu activity has occurred as late as May. However, the 2009 H1N1 virus caused illness, hospitalizations, and deaths in the U.S. during the summer months when influenza is very uncommon. So it is not known when flu activity will increase, when it will be most intense (peak), what viruses will circulate, or how long the season might last."

The CDC's official advice isn't to go and receive help from the hospital but to avoid the hospital and stay home:

If you get sick with flu-like symptoms this flu season, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care.

If the CDC has been successful in getting the word out that same success must be reflected in the decrease in the number of individuals seeking hospitalization but not deaths. Even media professionals aren't immune to conflicting and bad advice. Business Week's reporter sent this story in: My 10-Day Ordeal With the Swine Flu - Reporter recounts her bout with H1N1, made all the worse by chronic asthma - Serena Gordon

"I shouldn't have waited over the weekend to get medical help, and I was lucky I hadn't ended up in the hospital on a respirator due to the delay. What still strikes me is how ill-prepared I was for the severity of this illness. Despite everything I've read, and even though I talk to doctors and other health experts all the time, H1N1 blindsided me."

Yet the news wants you to relax and not stress out. We don't want you stressed just informed. It ain't over until we're vaccinated and we're into 2010. Hope is that the regular flu returns and the regular season returns where there are a few deaths that occurs in our normal season for 2011. Of course the number of deaths will still be about 30,000 but maybe we'll learn something and be better prepared for the next round. Then we can relax until 2012. Of course if the Mayans are right- that's when it's really over!