Sep 21, 2009
Poll: Many workers feel pressure to work when ill
More than 80% of workers feel pressure to come to work when sick, and 69% have received little direction from employers on pandemic H1N1, according to a survey released today. The poll of 1,028 employees by Mansfield Communications found that 84% of workers believe the recession creates more pressure to show up for work, even when they're feeling sick. Mansfield's Rob Ireland said that employers need to communicate clearly about extended sick-leave policies and how to minimize disease spread.
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS58759+21-Sep-2009+BW20090921
Sep 21 Reuters story
US orders 27.3 million more doses of Sanofi vaccine
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has ordered another 27.3 million 15-microgram doses of pandemic H1N1 vaccine from Sanofi Pasteur, bringing the total government order of Sanofi vaccine to 75.3 million doses, the company announced today. HHS had previously ordered a total of about 195 million doses from five companies. Sanofi's H1N1 vaccine and versions made by Novartis, CSL Ltd., and MedImmune were licensed by the Food and Drug Administration last week.
http://www.vaccineplace.com/docs/US_ADD_ORDER_H1N1_VACCINE_ENG_210909.pdf
Sep 21 Sanofi press release
Sanofi projects mid October for US vaccine delivery
An official from Sanofi said today that the company would begin delivering pandemic H1N1 flu vaccine to the United States by mid October, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Chris Viehbacher, head of the France-based company, said Sanofi would be able to produce at least 800 million doses of pandemic flu vaccine per year.
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=105&sid=1767120
Sep 21 AP story
WHO's Chan says severe cases could overwhelm ICUs
Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), told a WHO Western Pacific regional meeting today that the overall clinical picture of the pandemic H1N1 virus is reassuring, but health officials are increasingly concerned about a small group of patients who rapidly become severely ill. Though numbers have been small, they could burden intensive care units as infections spread. She said the second wave of the pandemic appears to be beginning.
http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2009/WPRO_ceremony_20090925/en/index.html
Sep 21 Margaret Chan speech
China begins immunizing students
China today became the first country to start administering the pandemic H1N1 vaccine, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Medical workers are vaccinating students who will take part in National Day celebrations. Health workers, border inspectors, and transportation workers will also be among the first to receive vaccine, followed by the military, police, children and their teachers, and those with chronic conditions.
http://health.yahoo.com/news/afp/healthfluchina_20090921133554.html
Sep 21 AFP story
Canadian experts applaud deliberate vaccine process|
Some of Canada's infectious disease experts are applauding the country's decision to put its pandemic vaccine through the full approval process, rather than speeding it through with an emergency use authorization, the Canadian Press reported. One expert said the vaccine uses an adjuvant that hasn't been used before, and a more thorough and deliberate review could avoid future problems and build public trust in the new vaccine.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5g3xUqfcj5tds9LjeSUvnZSpdrJQA
Sep 20 Canadian Press story
Health departments' job losses accelerate
Budget cuts forced public health departments to cut 8,000 positions between January and June, according to a new survey from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The trends reflects a big increase in the continuing erosion of the health department workforce, which lost more jobs in the first 6 months of 2009 than all of 2008. The news comes as departments prepare to launch two immunization campaigns, one for seasonal flu and the other for the pandemic H1N1.
http://www.naccho.org/press/releases/0921.cfm
Sep 21 NACCHO press release
