Although just about everyone on the planet has heard of swine flu, many do not know the reason for it being called this. Swine flu is caused by any virus that is seen in the population of pigs. This specific type of H1N1 influenza that is nicknamed swine flu, can be passed from person to person, without the need to be exposed to pigs at all. This same influenza also carries components that are seen in bird flu too. Due to these facts, swine flu is really not the right name for this illness. This pandemic is now at stage 5, and the swine flu vaccine is on its way to millions of people.
A flu pandemic is caused when a new flu virus spreads rapidly, and hardly anyone has any immunity against it. Although influenza viruses have only been know about for around 100 years, it is believed that flu pandemics occur around two or three times a year. The Spanish flu is 1918 was the most devastating in history, and killed around 50 million people throughout the world. The first swine flu vaccines will get to doctors in the U.S. around October 8th , with about 40 to 50 million vaccines ready to ship. The initial vaccines will be meant for people at highest risk, such as in children, health care workers, women who are pregnant, and also people that have chronic medical conditions. The CDC is urging adults, including the elderly, to wait until the next set of vaccines arrives.
There have already been millions of cases of swine flu reported, and the CDC expects millions more, as the flu season arrives officially. As a stage 5 pandemic, the CDC is attempting to slow the earliest flu season in 40 years. This flu vaccine is essentially made the same as the flu vaccines that are given to people every year. The H1N1 vaccine will work better than traditional vaccines, since the virus matches the vaccine, due to the fact that it hasn’t mutated. The regular seasonal flu shot will not work against swine flu.
Since April 2009 in the U.S., 60 children have died due to H1N1, and this is a greater number than normally die within a normal flu season in some years. With this pandemic being at a stage 5, New York City has made it mandatory for health care workers to obtain the swine flu vaccine. Since they encounter patients that have the swine flu, they could potentially give the illness to their families or other patients.
Swine flu symptoms are much the same as regular flu symptoms, but many times they are harder to treat. Symptoms of swine flu can include: fever greater than 104 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, coughs, and muscle aches.
The H1N1 influenza has affected 191 territories and countries, and has caused the death of at minimum 4,000 people across the world. This is the reason this stage 5 pandemic is being taken so seriously, and why the world is impatient to receive the swine flu vaccine.
Although just about everyone on the planet has heard of swine flu, many do not know the reason for it being called this. Swine flu is caused by any virus that is seen in the population of pigs. This specific type of H1N1 influenza that is nicknamed swine flu, can be passed from person to person, without the need to be exposed to pigs at all. This same influenza also carries components that are seen in bird flu too. Due to these facts, swine flu is really not the right name for this illness. This pandemic is now at stage 5, and the swine flu vaccine is on its way to millions of people.
A flu pandemic is caused when a new flu virus spreads rapidly, and hardly anyone has any immunity against it. Although influenza viruses have only been know about for around 100 years, it is believed that flu pandemics occur around two or three times a year. The Spanish flu is 1918 was the most devastating in history, and killed around 50 million people throughout the world. The first swine flu vaccines will get to doctors in the U.S. around October 8th , with about 40 to 50 million vaccines ready to ship. The initial vaccines will be meant for people at highest risk, such as in children, health care workers, women who are pregnant, and also people that have chronic medical conditions. The CDC is urging adults, including the elderly, to wait until the next set of vaccines arrives.
There have already been millions of cases of swine flu reported, and the CDC expects millions more, as the flu season arrives officially. As a stage 5 pandemic, the CDC is attempting to slow the earliest flu season in 40 years. This flu vaccine is essentially made the same as the flu vaccines that are given to people every year. The H1N1 vaccine will work better than traditional vaccines, since the virus matches the vaccine, due to the fact that it hasn’t mutated. The regular seasonal flu shot will not work against swine flu.
Since April 2009 in the U.S., 60 children have died due to H1N1, and this is a greater number than normally die within a normal flu season in some years. With this pandemic being at a stage 5, New York City has made it mandatory for health care workers to obtain the swine flu vaccine. Since they encounter patients that have the swine flu, they could potentially give the illness to their families or other patients.
Swine flu symptoms are much the same as regular flu symptoms, but many times they are harder to treat. Symptoms of swine flu can include: fever greater than 104 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, coughs, and muscle aches.
The H1N1 influenza has affected 191 territories and countries, and has caused the death of at minimum 4,000 people across the world. This is the reason this stage 5 pandemic is being taken so seriously, and why the world is impatient to receive the swine flu vaccine.




















