As the availability of the vaccine against swine flu is increasing steadily, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is intensifying its efforts against a growing sense of complacency in the country about the pandemic.
At a press conference today, Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said that 76 children in the US have died of the new H1N1 virus because area in April. She compared this with the last three flu seasons in the country, which recorded between 46 and 88 deaths in this age group. "It is only the beginning of October," Schuchat said. "Of course, the flu season often will last all the way until May."
The flu is now widespread in 37 states, up from 10 states last week, Schuchat said. "We believe that the vast majority of people in a given community are vulnerable or susceptible to the virus," she said. she stressed that the vaccine may in once protect individuals against infection and reduce the chances that they will spread the infection to others. limited amounts of vaccine became available on Monday.
Schuchat downplayed the news yesterday that New York and other cities may have high levels of immunity against the virus because they have been hit hard in the first wave in the spring. "We are far too early to know if the disease it will happen again, "Schuchat said. "We looked at about 50 different cities to see if places that had homes in the spring now see increases. In many of them, we see increased disease. So it can not be on the same street where the patients were, but I think it is much too early for us to be certain about that second or third wave. You know, I would be as happy as anyone if New York City is no more sickness, but I really believe that vaccination is the best way to reduce the chances that everyone in New York will get sick. "
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, revealed reassuring data from clinical trials that test the impact of the vaccine against seasonal influenza H1N1 product .
"We are pleased to report that the vaccine, when administered at the same time, do not affect the immune response to one of these," Fauci said.
on a related note, Schuchat addressed a Canadian report that showed the seasonal vaccine increased the risk of being infected with swine flu and one from Mexico that showed precisely the opposite conclusion. Schuchat said CDC conducted four separate analyzes that address these issues in the American people. "None of them are increased or decreased risk of H1N1 disease associated with exposure to the vaccine against seasonal flu," she said.
As of yesterday, the United States had 6.8 million doses of vaccine against H1N1 and was the ship to the States in response to requests.
0 Komentar