Sep 14, 2009
Feds launch novel H1N1 guidance for small businesses
Federal officials today released guidance to help small businesses prepare for the next surge of pandemic H1N1 illnesses. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano emphasized that the most important element is to have a written plan, and the guidance lists steps for doing that. The resource also includes tips for keeping employees healthy, such as encouraging sick workers to stay home, providing for telework, and supplying resources for personal hygiene.
http://www.flu.gov/professional/business/smallbiz.html/?date=091409
Federal pandemic flu guidance for small businesses
Glaxo study supports single dose for adjuvanted pan flu vaccine
GlaxoSmithKline today announced that the first results from clinical trials of its adjuvanted pandemic H1N1 vaccine show a strong immune response from one dose, 3 weeks after immunization. The study involved 130 German adults, aged 18 to 60. The antigen content was 5.25 micrograms. Glaxo, the fourth company to report evidence of one-dose efficacy, said it is conducting 15 more studies in healthy adults, elderly people, and children, including infants.
http://us.gsk.com/html/media-news/pressreleases/2009/2009_pressrelease_10087.htm
Sep 14 Glaxo press release
Sebelius predicts early October arrival of first vaccine doses
The nation's first doses of the pandemic H1N1 vaccine could be available the first week of October, about a week earlier than expected, US Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said yesterday, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Appearing on ABC's "This Week" news show, she said the first doses are earmarked for healthcare workers and high-priority groups. She predicted ample supplies will be available by mid October and said vaccine will be sent to states as soon as it is produced.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hVaB-P6Q2Xqt9vpMEpG64Yq1bTFQD9AMGQH80
Sep 13 AP story
G-7 nations vow to help developing nations with pandemic response
Members of the Group of Seven (G-7) leading economies plus Mexico at a Sep 11 meeting to discuss pandemic flu measures in Brussels agreed to prioritize pregnant women, healthcare workers, and people with underlying conditions for H1N1 vaccination, the AP reported. The seven nations—Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, and the US—also agreed to share data, coordinate vaccine actions, and help poorer nations fight the virus.
http://wtop.com/?nid=106&sid=1760330
Sep 11 AP story
ICU study: Half of flu patients were previously healthy
A review of the first 32 patients with severe pandemic H1N1 infections treated in Spain's intensive care units found that only half had preexisting medical conditions, though about a third were obese. Most required mechanical ventilation. About 90% of patients had viral pneumonia with severe lung damage, while only one had secondary bacterial pneumonia.
http://ccforum.com/content/pdf/cc8044.pdf
Sep 11 Critical Care study
GISAID re-launches flu database
A widely used database for influenza gene sequences is available again at the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) Web portal, according to a press release today. In July GISAID's database administrator, the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, removed access after a legal conflict. The Max Planck Institute and A3 Systems developed the new version with the world science community. WHO researchers are using it to select strains for the southern hemisphere's 2010 flu vaccine.
http://platform.gisaid.org/dante-cms/live/struktur.jdante?aid=1131
GISAID EpiFlu database platform
