H1N1 Virus Fears Intensify

As Deaths in Teens and Children Rise, Doctors Race to Figure Out Why Some Patients Get so Sick, so Fast

(CBS)  A school bus full of mourners came to say goodbye to 14-year-old Michelle Fahle, a high school freshman in the Chicago suburb of Naperville.

"Michelle was just a really fun girl. She loved helping out everyone," said Frances Foley, a friend. "She always welcomed everyone with a smile."

Michelle died from the H1N1 virus, and a previously undiagnosed heart condition. But in San Diego, Calif., an otherwise healthy 5-year-old girl in kindergarten also died from the virus.

"The problem was her heart kept on stopping," said Dr. John Bradley with the Rady Children's Hospital. "She kept needing more and more rounds of medicine, and eventually it became very clear her heart just wasn't going to work."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found about half the people hospitalized from swine flu had no other serious health problems, reports CBS News correspondent Hari Sreenivasan. And the World Health Organization says only 1 percent of patients infected with H1N1 are hospitalized. Of those, 12 to 30 percent need intensive care and 15 to 40 percent of that group die.

"I wish we were able to provide vaccine all through this weekend and all through next week," said Terri Kenkels with the Polk County, Iowa Health Department. "I just wish the supply met the demand."

Long lines around the country for the H1N1 vaccine may continue until next month because vaccine manufacturers are experiencing production delays.

"Eventually, anyone who wants to be vaccinated will be able to be vaccinated," said Dr. Anne Schuchat with the CDC.

For now, hospitals are trying to make sure their workers are vaccinated.

"We have to protect our workforce, and hospitals, we have to be there if people get sick from flu, or other things, to help them," said Dr. David Hopper, with Massachusetts General Hospital.

Even with 41 states now reporting swine flu outbreaks, researchers still don't know this strain of the flu is hurting children so lethally. Normally, 95 percent of flu fatalities are 65 or older.

[mollydtt]

smum-2009--I think the reason you are confused about the vaccines going to the wrong people----The people with compromised immune systems are to receive the flu-shot (killed virus) only.
Unfortunately, the flu-mist version of the vaccine was available first.
Actually, (I live in Texas where "theoretically" some of the first batches were supposed to arrive) ---very, very few doses are arriving in each city.
And, at least where I live, those flu-shots for high risk patients are being given first to high risk patients.
I'm sorry if your town is not complying with the guidelines, but I think your experiences must be different.
Where I live, flu mist has been available, although *not* widely available in huge quantities. And the serum vaccine is just now being distributed. A few doses at a time.
Flu-Mist was available first, but it is contraindicated for high risk people. Healthy no-risk hospital health providers seem to be a good place to use Flu-Mist, since I'd hate to think that people were catching it in hospitals from their doctors and nurses.

[darklyon2]

This swine flu is a very odd virus and was more than likely a bioweapon created in a lab. It is described as a mixture of human, avian and swine viruses. Tellingly, there have been no reported A-H1N1 infections of pigs. The vaccines being tested on humans are admitted to possibly cause paralysis or even death But this should be no surprise to those who are aware of how the swine flue vaccine given to Americans in 1976 actually caused more deaths than the actual disease and left even more people paralyzed. They also used the same type of media scare to get people to take the vaccines in 1976 that they are now. Do not take these vaccines! If you have more questions about this and related media lies then join us at http://thcforum.ning.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASibLqwVbsk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_9I1L_P370
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kae2rej90A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z64mrb-M7KE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok6igM7-Swk

[concern_parent]

Where I live a breakout of H1N1 has rapidly spread over the weekend the test they are giving are not 100% accurate so if people are saying they are not infected but truely are and ends up dying who will be responsible because I am not going to let anyone play with my daughter's life.The schools here have not even considered of closing the schools down and even 1 teacher told my child that she shouldn't bother wearing a mask it doesn't protect anyone from spreading or getting the H1N1 virus.

[hologram5]

The teacher is right. There are special masks you can purchase but they are very expensive and you can't just buy them anywhere.

[smum-2009]

The H1N1 vaccine is being handled like TARP funds: "don't ask don't tell" who is really getting theses vaccines first.

The CDC rules are explicit. Those in the high risk group are to be vaccinated first, even before health care workers, hospital adminstrators, city, county and state employees and honchos. That is not is what is happening.

"The administering of injections will be handled by licensed practitioners, whether doctors, osteopaths, registered or practical nurses, pharmacists or clinical technicians."

"Whoever provides the vaccines on site will make (the) determination," if someone requesting one is on the priority list, said Melaney Arnold, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health. "There are not enough health care officials to police this."

So children who are at risk are continuing to go to school unprotected while waiting for the medical and "public service" cronies to finish cherry picking the initials batches for themselves, their families and friends.

And this isnt an opinion. It is a fact you can read for yourself in the article above and shared with me by friends employed in those groups.

Everyone reading this should contact their congressional representative and demand an accounting of who got the vaccines and when by those in the CDC and the healthcare industry.

They don't call it a "hippocratic" oath for nothing.

[charwillia9]

bubbadubba is adumb a--

[danman3_1999]

H1N1?s Links to Pneumonia Appear Clearer ? CBS News http://truedeity.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/h1n1s-links-to-pneumonia-appear-clearer-cbs-news/

[mcapek]

By the time government gets around providing the vaccine, huge numbers will be already infected. Government did great job promoting vaccines, but they are doing terrible job making them available to public. Bottom line is that you cannot get the vaccine right now, unless you work in ER, maybe it will be available in a week or two (but isn't that what they said two weeks ago). lot of people have been already already infected. and it apparently takes about 10 days after vaccination to become fully effective.

[incog-nito]

Uh... The government doesn't make the vaccine. Your trusty private corporations do. Of course the government wants it available as soon as possible to everyone, but the bottleneck is with the private manufacturers.

But go right ahead and keep blaming the government, if it makes you feel better.

[wyodutch]

Don't forget that the U.S. government has pledged to "donate" ten percent of Americas H1N1 vaccine to the United Nations.
.
That should make parents feel a bit better.

[stuart-johns2]

Gee, you are always so positive towards the U.S. Government. Are you a citizen of the USA?

[John_Merritt]

I have no idea why certain people are at higher risk than others, but I for one wish that you deliver any doses for me; and give them to a child or other person is this group. Some people have natural immune systems that are stronger than others, and I don't know if I fit into this category.

Why take the chance when when you have x population and x minus 2 million doses (or whatever the figure) than we should be able to donate ours to someone who needs them more than me. After we get the appropriate number of doses than I will be more than glad to take it if mandatory. Good luck to those who are currently ill and or a strong possibility of becoming a patient.

[hologram5]

I agree with you 100%. I have already had it and have gotten over it so my body has the "anti-bodies" to deal with it. Sure it was nasty and I had to stay home in bed for a couple of days but I have been sicker in my lifetime. I am sure I will get something on down the road that'll be worse than this as well.