Flu activity rebounds at many colleges
Flu activity at US colleges has increased significantly, showing spikes even in some areas such as the southeast that have reported decreases over the past few weeks, the American College Health Association (ACHA) said yesterday. The Midwest, mid Atlantic, and northeast regions also showed unexpected rebounds. The report for the week ending Oct 23 said the rate of flu-like illnesses on member campuses was 28 per 10,000 students, up 34% from the week before.
http://www.acha.org/ILI_Surveillance.cfm/?date=102909
Oct 28 ACHA surveillance report
Feds address spot liquid Tamiflu shortages
In response spot shortages of the pediatric liquid suspension version of Tamiflu, an official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today at a media briefing that on Oct 1, 300,000 bottles from the national stockpile were shipped to states. The CDC said more pharmacy chains are compounding the medication and that parents can mix crushed pediatric capsules with a spoonful of, for example, chocolate syrup.
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/antivirals/mixing_tamiflu_qa.htm
CDC info on mixing Tamiflu capsules, liquid
Novartis: US vaccine order is on track
Novartis said today it is on track to produce 90 million units of bulk pandemic vaccine antigen to the US market, enough for 60 million doses. It expects multidose and prefilled vial deliveries to reach 25 to 30 million by the end of November. The company has shipped 7.5 million doses. Novartis said early vaccine yield was low, but a new seed strain it began using in mid September is getting a 63% yield. The CDC said today that total US H1N1 vaccine received is now at 24.8 million doses.
http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/media-releases/en/2009/1351038.shtml
Oct 29 Novartis media release
Lack of parental OK slows NYC school vaccinations
Fewer than half of New York City parents with children in elementary school have signed consent forms for their children to receive H1N1 vaccine at school, the New York Times reported. Health officials had no citywide figure but said between 5% and 50% of parents have given permission. Possible reasons for parents' reluctance may include vaccine safety concerns and the assumption that some children had the virus in the spring and are now immune.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/nyregion/29vaccine.html
Oct 29 New York Times story
US student absenteeism and school closings climb
The number of students home sick with the flu and the number of school closings have been climbing steadily, the Associated Press (AP) reported. By the end of last week, the number of closed schools reported by the US Department of Education reached 351, affecting 125,000 students. Officials suspected that many closing have not been reported. One especially hard-hit school was St. Charles East High in suburban Chicago, where 800 of 2,200 students were absent.
Some Canadian docs slow to join vaccination effort
Family physicians in parts of Canada have been slow to sign up to give H1N1 vaccinations, citing various obstacles, the Canadian Press reported. In Ontario, some doctors have been deterred by a requirement that they order vaccine in 500-dose lots, while others objected to a demand that they provide a weekly record of every dose delivered. Some provinces are not asking family doctors to help launch the vaccination drive and instead are focusing on mass immunization clinics.
Uncertain timing clouds UK vaccine campaign
General practitioners in Britain have said it could take weeks for them to receive H1N1 vaccine supplies, leaving those in priority groups uncertain about when they can be vaccinated, the Daily Express reported. Healthcare workers and hospital patients received their doses last week, and it was expected that vaccination of other priority groups would begin this week. But many doctors have not yet received their doses and don't know just when they will come.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/136800/Chaos-over-swine-flu-jab-as-supplies-are-delayed
Oct 29 Daily Express report
China sees tough flu fight ahead
Chinese government sources said flu activity is spiking in many parts of the country and clusters of illnesses are occurring in schools, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported today. China's state council said the country's challenge is grim. The assessment was prompted by the death of a student at a university in Beijing where other students were ill. The fatality is China's fourth from the pandemic H1N1 virus.
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/30780?tid=37
Oct 29 AFP story
