Liquid Tamiflu Shortage Have Parents of Sick Children Searching For the Medication

From the DHS Daily Report: Tamiflu shortages have parents on wild dose chase

Officials have also instructed doctors to suggest that pharmacists mix the powder from capsules with syrup to make a liquid for children if the company’s version is unavailable.

As increasing numbers of children are coming down with swine flu, more parents are facing a shortage of liquid Tamiflu for children.

Spot shortages of the liquid form of the antiviral medicine are forcing mothers and fathers to drive from pharmacy to pharmacy, often late into the evening after getting a diagnosis and prescription from a pediatrician, in search of the syrup recommended for the youngest victims of the H1N1 pandemic. The drug can make the flu milder, go away more quickly and may cut the risk of potentially life-threatening complications.

The shortages are being caused by a surge in demand because of the second wave of swine flu sweeping the country, combined with a decision by Roche, the Swiss company that makes the medication, to focus on producing it in capsule form.

In response, the government has shipped to states hundreds of thousands of five-day courses from the Strategic National Stockpile, which is on standby in case there are disease outbreaks or bioterrorism attacks. Officials have also instructed doctors to suggest that pharmacists mix the powder from capsules with syrup to make a liquid for children if the company’s version is unavailable.

As increasing numbers of children are coming down with swine flu, more parents are facing a shortage of liquid Tamiflu for children. Spot shortages of the liquid form of the antiviral medicine are forcing mothers and fathers to drive from pharmacy to pharmacy, often late into the evening after getting a diagnosis and prescription from a pediatrician, in search of the syrup recommended for the youngest victims of the H1N1 pandemic.

The drug can make the flu milder, go away more quickly and may cut the risk of potentially life-threatening complications. The shortages are being caused by a surge in demand because of the second wave of swine flu sweeping the country, combined with a decision by Roche, the Swiss company that makes the medication, to focus on producing it in capsule form. In response, the government has shipped to states hundreds of thousands of five-day courses from the Strategic National Stockpile, which is on standby in case there are disease outbreaks or bioterrorism attacks.

Red Cross Survey 1 in 5 Adults Going to Work With H1N1

A recent survey conducted by Caravan Opinion Research Corp. on behalf of the Red Cross, indicates that in one out of every five U.S. households, someone has gone to work or school when they were presumed to be sick with the H1N1 virus.

"People who have the flu should stay home from work or school to help prevent passing the illness on to someone else," Sharon Stanley, chief nurse of the American Red Cross, said in a statement.

"Each of us has the responsibility to be a good neighbor. To help keep others from becoming sick, do your part by washing your hands, sneezing into your arm, using hand sanitizer and staying home when ill."

The survey also shows that woman are taking the risk of becoming ill with the H1N1 virus more seriously than men.

For more see Red Cross Survey.

False Report of A patient With Both H1N1 (Swine Flu) and H5N1 (Avian Flu) Hits The Internet

Reports on the internet and in email boxes around the world were filled with false reports of a patient who tested positive for both the highly lethal bird flu virus, H5N1, and the novel H1N1, swine flu virus.

The electronic surveillance system Promed picked up the report, though it was unconfirmed at the time. Promed moderators also questioned the story and were unsure of its accuracy.

However, Promed is a widely used and read resource and the story was sent off to numerous other sources spreading the story.

The CDC is reporting that they do not believe that the man is infected with both of the above viruses yet, other reports also show the man is co-infected with H1N1 and H3N2 (a seasonal virus).

With 81 Healthcare Workers Infected With H1N1, Are Hospitals Doing Enough To Curb The Spread?

With the number of healthcare workers in the United States becoming infected with novel Influenza A (H1N1) reaches at least 81, we are left with the question Are hospitals doing enough to protect against the spread of the H1N1 virus?

While I cannot speak for each healthcare facility individually, I would have to say with the information in the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) the answer is a resounding no. Half of the 48 included in the study were found to have been infected in the heatlhcare setting and include one possible case of a heathcare worker infecting another. The report also has found 11 cases deemed to be patient to healthcare worker transmission.

According to the report, only two of the persons included in the study indicated that they always wore surgical masks (inadequate protection) and only 1 indicated that they wore an N95 respirator mask. Two others indicate they wore masks sometimes.

In the healthcare setting it is important to identify patients with swine flu or H1N1 early, or as Dr. Michael Bell of the CDC's Center for Preparedness, Detection and Control of Infectious Diseases puts it these patients, "need to be identified at the front door" of the hospital so that personnel will know they need to take preventive measures, such as wearing masks, isolating the patients and paying particular attention to hand hygiene.

He also stated "absolutely essential that healthcare personnel be vaccinated annually, for their own protection and to protect patients in hospitals."

It is also important that healthcare workers remain informed and take proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) precautions.

I've also come to discover at one location where a confirmed H1N1 case was being taking care of, that healthcare attendance within the unit dropped 25% at that particular facility.

This may be attributed to a lack of educational awareness, a lack in PPE equipment, a lack of adequate hospital preparedness measures or a combination of the three. Of course the argument can be made that it was coincidence, or the workers were actually ill, but this is most likely not the case.

While it is impossible to 100% completly stop the spread of the H1N1 virus or any other such disease, there are steps that can be taken to prevent and reduce the spread.

Healthcare facilities need to ensure that proper education of employees is taking place and that these procedures are being followed. They also must ensure that proper and timely screenings are being done as potential patients are entering the hospital or other healthcare setting to help reduce the spread.

Lessons From The 1918 Pandemic and Emerging Pandemic Threats

In light of the current pandemic of H1N1 (Swine Flu) and the spread of H5N1 (Avian Flu, or Bird Flu) I thought posting this video from TED on a presentation from Laurie Garrett on lessons from the 1918 flu.

The Video is actually from around April 2007 before the current out-break of H1N1 but can shed some light on a number of things and is worth taking the time to view.

This video highlights the main preparedness issues around pandemics and is more relevant today than it was when Laurie Garrett gave the presentation at TED in 2007.