The swine flu has thrown us a curve. Apparently, those 65 years of age and under are more likely to be infected by this strain of flu than those over 65 and, even more surprising, this bug is targeting young people.
Here’s a list from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of groups who have been prioritized to receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine first:
- Pregnant women
- People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
- Health care and emergency medical services personnel
- People between the ages of 25 and 64 years old who are at high risk for H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems
The CDC reports that, of the 27 states reporting hospitalizations from September 1st to October 10th this year, more than half were people age 24 and younger and about 23 percent of deaths reported from 28 states during this time were in this age bracket.
About 90 percent of hospitalizations and deaths from the swine flu are in people age 64 and younger. This is the reverse of what we see with the seasonal flu, where 60 percent of hospitalizations and 90 percent of deaths are in people age 65 and up.
Another group that is at high risk for the swine flu includes people with immune systems compromised by diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. These folks are at risk for complications from both types of flu, that is, seasonal and H1N1, and should get both vaccinations as soon as they become available to them. For more information about inflammatory arthritis and the flu shot, visit the CDC website.
Even healthy pregnant women can have medical complications from both the seasonal and swine flu. It is recommended that you get both of these shots as soon as possible. However, you should not be given the nasal spray flu vaccine.
It seems that the flu poses added risks to pregnant women because pregnancy weakens a woman’s immune system and makes her more likely to suffer pneumonia when she catches the flu. The CDC says that, in earlier flu pandemics, infection also raised the risk of premature birth.
It’s a double dilema for pregnant women with asthma and some other health conditions. These women are particularly at risk for complications. The CDC recommends that pregnant women take prescription flu medicines if they are diagnosed with the swine flu. It is believed that the virus poses a greater risk to the unborn baby than the unknown risks of the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. These anti-viral drugs can help lessen or avert complications, according to Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC.
The website Flu.gov has more information for pregnant and nursing moms.
It’s not bad enough that we have to put up with flu season, now we have two different strains to contend with. The regular seasonal flu is still around and it’s recommended that children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems especially, be immunized to protect them from serious complications that may arise from the infection.
In Canada, go to the 
Pigs and people have more in common than you think when it comes to the flu. Influenza viruses can be spread from pigs to people and also people to pigs. Although this transmittal usually occurs when humans and pigs are in close proximity, such as in swine production or livestock exhibits, it is also possible to catch this rare type of flu virus from other species, like birds, through the transmission process.
