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(CIDRAP News) – On the final day of a business preparedness summit in Minneapolis, a panel of experts emphasized having clear, open communication with employees as well as having flexible plans—lessons they learned from being on the frontlines in Mexico and the Southern Hemisphere during the spring novel H1N1 outbreak.

Sept 23, 2009 (CIDRAP News) – To mask or not to mask, hand washing versus hand sanitizers, how long to stay away from the workplace if sick with novel H1N1 influenza, tips for travel—these were some of the issues addressed in a panel discussion yesterday during a business preparedness summit in Minneapolis.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that seasonal influenza vaccines for use in the southern hemisphere next year contain the pandemic H1N1 virus instead of a current seasonal H1N1 strain, signaling that the pandemic strain is expected to push the older H1N1 strains aside.

Sep 23, 2009

Survey finds businesses see flu risk but have planning gaps

(CIDRAP News) – With the second wave of the H1N1 influenza virus now hitting, much of the response toe the pandemic is focused on the development and distribution of an effective vaccine, a project that poses many challenges and uncertainties.

(CIDRAP News) – With so much uncertainty over how broad and severe the next wave of H1N1 influenza could be, now is the time to focus on the two top goals of saving and sustaining lives, Dr. Julie Gerberding, former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told business groups today.

(CIDRAP News) – A federal review of state and local pandemic preparedness efforts identified some gaps in medical surge planning and said that, while states are typically prepared to distribute antivirals and vaccines, some cities hadn't addressed all of the recommended planning components.

The findings were released today in two reports from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Sep 21, 2009

(CIDRAP News) – The earliest results from testing of a pandemic H1N1 vaccine in children suggest that older children will get a good immune response with a single dose, but children younger than 10 are likely to need two doses a few weeks apart, federal officials said today.

(CIDRAP News) – With the health of small businesses at stake in fragile economic times, federal officials and one of the nation's top business groups pushed new efforts this week to help companies prepare for the next wave of the H1N1 pandemic influenza.

WHO praises pandemic vaccine donations

(CIDRAP News) – The first wave of H1N1 vaccine will probably consist of 3.4 million doses of MedImmune's nasal-spray product and is likely to reach providers the first week in October, federal health officials said today.

(CIDRAP News) – A study in which N95 respirators strongly outperformed surgical masks in shielding hospital workers from influenza viruses and other microbes is being hailed as a landmark in research on respiratory protection for healthcare workers.

Sep 17, 2009

Sep 15, 2009

(CIDRAP News) – A new study suggests that patients infected with pandemic H1N1 influenza can transmit the live virus longer than previously thought, though it's not clear if the findings will lead to changes in self-isolation recommendations.

(CIDRAP News) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced approval of four of the five different versions of the pandemic H1N1 vaccine ordered by the US government, helping to pave the way for a vaccination campaign expected to start in October.

Sep 14, 2009