News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – The current public health advice that Americans should get their seasonal flu shots early this year has prompted some to voice concern that their protection will fade later in the season. But medical literature and disease experts indicate there is no good evidence that immunity conferred by the shots wanes so quickly.

(CIDRAP News) – Business officials who attended a conference this week on how the business world can cope with the H1N1 influenza pandemic said employee absenteeism was far and away their leading concern.

In live polling conducted during a conference plenary session, 81% of the attendees said their greatest concern about the pandemic was absenteeism. Only 13% said they were most worried about disruption of critical supply chains.

(CIDRAP News) – While antiviral-resistant H1N1 influenza viruses remain rare, clinicians should watch for two particular kinds of H1N1 cases that seem more likely to give rise to viruses resistant to oseltamivir (Tamiflu), the World Health Organization (WHO) said today.