Swine flu stupidity

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Permalink Reply by TheCannulator on May 8, 2009 at 6:11pm

The fear of flu shots has created unnecessary reduced uptake. I am a vaccinator at my workplace, it's amazing how many believe that the reactionary symptoms post inoculation are the flu. Or "I got the flu last year after my injection" Which you can't from an attenuated virus.

Rather than EMS taking more precautions, EMS should be doing what we should have all along. Universal Precautions is alreadiny entrenched as a care standard, yet as a whole we a lazy.

There are more deaths from standard Flu and respiratory infections and their toll can and is even higher.

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Permalink Reply by Buck Feris on May 9, 2009 at 11:47am

You know what? I have chilled out on this quite a bit. I was asked to give a lecture on this topic, so I tried to clear my head and return to the scene of my anger and try to dig to find answers. What I found was that there IS A DANGER. And it is pretty serious. But everything is WELL UNDER CONTROL and even if this new strain goes pandemic it is not going to kill anymore people than other strains do. But...like usual...the ignorant media and news outlets have just either tried to do some old fashioned fear mongering to sell papers, or they are just dumb and get it wrong. For those of you who want to know EXACTLY what is going on down to a molecular level with this stuff, I have a few fantastic links for you:

Futures in Biotech 42: Sneezing Pandaemic
Futures in Biotech 40: Virus Reborn
This Week in Virology 30: H1N1
NOVA scienceNOW: 1918 Flu
NOVA scienceNOW: Pandemic Flu

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Black on May 10, 2009 at 1:05pm

It nice to see when someone grows thru knowlege.

Buck Feris said:

You know what? I have chilled out on this quite a bit. I was asked to give a lecture on this topic, so I tried to clear my head and return to the scene of my anger and try to dig to find answers. What I found was that there IS A DANGER. And it is pretty serious. But everything is WELL UNDER CONTROL and even if this new strain goes pandemic it is not going to kill anymore people than other strains do. But...like usual...the ignorant media and news outlets have just either tried to do some old fashioned fear mongering to sell papers, or they are just dumb and get it wrong. For those of you who want to know EXACTLY what is going on down to a molecular level with this stuff, I have a few fantastic links for you:

Futures in Biotech 42: Sneezing Pandaemic
Futures in Biotech 40: Virus Reborn
This Week in Virology 30: H1N1
NOVA scienceNOW: 1918 Flu
NOVA scienceNOW: Pandemic Flu

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Permalink Reply by sfmedic on May 10, 2009 at 1:47pm

According to the CDC, the average, annual death rate from regular, everyday flu in the US is 36,000. Deaths so far from "pig pox" - 3.

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Permalink Reply by James on May 10, 2009 at 2:03pm

Buck, I am glad you have changed your view on this. I was actually close to having your opinion, but instead I channeled my efforts into educating my employees and people around town that I had contact with. I have looked at this hog flu thing as a drill for pandemic. Our state EMS Director used your first post as an educational point to every EMS here. We now have the ability to watch stuff like this "syndromic surveillance" but like you said, the media took it to the point that we all have to kind of deal with it. Take care Buck. Wash your hands and cover your mouth when you cough! (My conversation for the past few weeks)

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Permalink Reply by Duncan Hitchcock on May 10, 2009 at 2:19pm

Regardless of the media's reaction to the H1N1 virus, it is our reaction that is of significance both individually and as an industry. I found the events of the last several weeks to be an excellent reminder of our knowledge and preparedness to meet the challenges that will eventually come our way.

For years preparations have been underway to meet the logistical obsticles that a true pandemic would present at all levels. Many drills have been run and rerun to identify changes and revisions needed in our response. The past couple weeks provided an opportunity to better evaluate our plans.

It posed an opportunity to reiterate to our folks in the field the importance of routine and basic PPE and the procedures; to keep them informed; to address their concerns and expand their understanding. It provide those of us in leadership roles the opportunity to expand our everyday communications and issue resolutions and incident planning. It focused our attention on just how prepared or ill-prepared we are.

As our communities expand their interactions, as countries continue the expansion of the global community, the threat of a pandemic increases. The current version of H1N1 has so far proved just how quickly a virus can spread. Fortunately, its current strain is not as robust as first considered. But this isn't "Flu Season." The variant that emerges this fall and winter could further test our resolve.

The key is not fear but knowledge and understanding. Reiterate the importance of common sense and the routine and basic practices of good PPE.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on May 10, 2009 at 2:51pm

Oh course the Swine Flu is ridiculous. It distracts the population by placing them in immediate danger and they forget about the economy and the increased bombings in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also allows the agency that would be directly affected; CDC, DHS, and the rest of the alphabet soup of organizatons to receive additional money and point a finger at third world countries as the culprits, therefore the fall guys.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on May 10, 2009 at 2:59pm

Here's a thought - the last world pandemic of flu - how were we then living? Close quarter living, frequent visits to neighbors for entertainment, poor sanitation, poor food standards, etc. Compared to how we are living now - mostly locked onto our computers, smaller social circles, and bombarded with cleaning products with germ fighting ability. Our culture now is so germphobic that those conditions that existed for pandemic are greatly reduced other than those conditions that still prevail in the third world. And the third world is slowly catching up.

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Permalink Reply by R.B. Gustavson on May 10, 2009 at 3:08pm

I believe in erring on the side of caution! That being said I cannot believe that a major Medical Society has cancelled their annual meeting in CABO due to the swine flu. It is Ok to be cautious but I agree with GeekyMedic's first scenario...The public health establishment will take the credit for preventing a life threatening epidemic.

Gus, RN

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Bell on June 22, 2009 at 4:16pm

For those who want to hear from an expert and learn what all of the official recommendations really mean, be sure to check out Dr. Mike McEvoy's webcast this Thursday, called "Influenza: Is This an Emergency?" The webcast is free.

Also, you can read McEvoy's blog on this topic, too.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Berry on July 27, 2009 at 3:36pm

I think it's safe to say EMS providers probably have a different perception about swine flu from the rest of the population. By dealing with patients who have illnesses -- respiratory or other -- on a daily basis, you're probably more aware of flu in general.

I am curious to know whether EMS providers get flu shots and if their services provide them with the opportunity to get flu shots. I have to admit that I don't typically get one. And I probably get the flu or a cold almost every year. But I would assume EMS providers are more exposed to flu viruses than I am, just because of the nature of the job.

So, do you get a flu shot? Does your service provide them to you? Does it require you to get one?

Take our poll at http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/articles/swine_flu_is_a_wake_...

Also, check out the interview I did with a board member who thinks swine flu is a good reminder to take more precautions while dealing with all patients with respiratory illness.

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Permalink Reply by Neil White on July 27, 2009 at 4:30pm

Our workload has massively increased because of swine flu, mainly through the use of the protocol 36 ampds card triaging just about all medical calls as ?swine flu,

Coupled with the introduction of the UK governments National Pandemic Flu service, a freephone call centre staffed by non medical trained staff running through a script of questions yes or no answers to whether the patient has swine flu and to prescribe anti virals without the patient having to see or speak to a doctor.

There are 11 emergency screening questions that when answered yes to any of them it prompts an EMS response. The call centre has the authority to overide patient consent in these situations, so if the patient said no the crew is dispatched anyway.

These questions surround is the patient breathing normally, can they complete a sentence without having to take a breath, do they have chest pain/ or tightness in the chest, do they have a headache... the list goes on and on...

Although, negativity breads negativity and after last week where I was called to an elderly patient with flu like symptoms, I thank god for the GEMS module we did in training because if i had not performed an ECG on an elderly patient with non-specific symptoms and history i would have missed the silent MI the patient was having at the time... I'm new to evidence based care but a referral to the GP and a prescription for anti-virals does little for a STEMI

One positive piece of news in the time of recession is for the PPE manufacturers, we're going through gowns and respirators like they're going out of fashion

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