So, I finally got the H1N1 vaccine last week. And aside from a sore arm, I’m no worse for wear. Even better? It looks like the virus is winding down.
Reuters.com reports that H1N1 seems to be on the wane in Canada and the U.S. To boot, it wasn’t resistant to the antiviral oseltamivir (otherwise known as Tamiflu) in the overwhelming majority of cases. And while there’s always the possibility the virus will resurge, a World Health Organization flu expert quoted in the article says it’s quite possible that the H1N1 pandemic will remain a mild one.
Here’s to that. Happy Friday!
As Chatelaine’s health editor, it’s my job to determine what health information you absolutely need to know about, without, in the case of dead serious topics like H1N1 and heart disease, scaring the pants off you in the process. It’s a tough balance to strike, which is why I was so pleased to read all of the great letters we received in regard to our November feature on H1N1. Here’s a line from one of my favourites:
“Presenting the facts of H1N1 in a clear, concise manner is exactly what the doctor ordered. We do not need to be in panic mode, but we can’t bury our heads in the sand and not be prepared to take care of our health.”
That last line really sums my approach to Chatelaine’s health coverage (thank you, Shayna Murray of Regina). This great column from today’s National Post touches on another challenge I face as a health editor: is it possible to bombard people with too much information, however well-intentioned?
Writer Marni Soupcoff says yes, arguing that the high amount of awareness-raising health campaigns is causing the public to tune out. Back to H1N1 again (my apologies if you’re, well, sick of this topic): a poll conducted in the early fall found that 45% of Canadians weren’t intending to get the H1N1 vaccine, in part, Soupcoff says, because we’ve stopped paying attention to Health Canada’s myriad, albeit well-meaning, warnings. Instead, it took the tragic death of a 13-year-old to drive the masses to get vaccinated.
I’d love to hear your take on this and any other matters related to Chatelaine’s health coverage. Love it? Hate it? Wish we’d do a feature on X or stop talking about Y, already? Let me know, please. To paraphrase a great Canadian icon, Everything I do (in our health section), I do it for you.
Health Canada has approved the adjuvanted H1N1 vaccine (adjuvants make the vaccine more effective; pregnant women will receive an unadjuvanted version that should be available in early November). Starting Monday, many Canadians can begin receiving the shot. And contrary to earlier reports, only one dose is required.
The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that certain groups of people – those under 65 with chronic conditions, pregnant women, children from six months old to five years old, people living in remote or isolated communities, health care workers and people who live or work with people who are immunocompromised or children under the age of six months – get the shot first. Click here for the complete list.
For more information about how the vaccine will be rolled out across Canada, visit the website of your provincial health ministry. For more information about H1N1, visit fightflu.ca.
And, while I’ll admit that I’ve never gotten the general flu shot before (nor have I ever been unlucky enough to get the general flu), I am definitely, 100%, without-a-doubt getting the H1N1 vaccine. I’ll keep you posted.
