Complain about a product or service

Flu Outbreak Jams California Emergency Rooms

Flu Activity Also Picking Up in New York City

December 29, 2005

• More Flu Shots for Kids • Record Amount Of Flu Vaccine On Hand • Nasty Flu Year in Store • Nasal Flu Vaccine Approved For Young Children • FDA OKs Relenza for Treatment and Prevention of Flu • Expanded Flu Shot Recommendations for Children • CDC Revises Flu Treatment Guidelines • Flu Outbreak Jams California Emergency Rooms • FDA Approves Tamiflu for Prevention of Flu in Children • Do Flu Shots Really Help Seniors? • No Surprises in Use of Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine • Flu Expert Wants Mandatory Vaccination of Health Care Workers • Like the Flu, Vaccine Shortages Return • Chiron Cleared To Ship Flu Vaccine • Flu Shots' Benefit to Elderly Questioned --- • U.S. Fears Devastating "Bird Flu" Pandemic

Emergency rooms and doctors' offices throughout California are jammed by victims of a sudden surge in influenza cases. This "California Flu" epidemic has nothing to do with the "bird flu;" it is a regional outbreak of the yearly flu onslaughts that sweep the country.

"This human flu now invading California and contiguous states is part of the annual flu season and is not a harbinger of pandemics yet to come," said Gilbert Ross, M.D., Executive and Medical Director of the American Council on Science and Health.

Flu activity is also picking up in New York City. Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said daily monitoring of emergency department visits showed a growing number of flu cases.

"The growing number of New Yorkers experiencing cough and fever over the past several days - signs typically associated with the spread of community-wide flu - is a reminder for New Yorkers to get vaccinated for influenza," Frieden said.

The best way to avoid coming down with the annual flu is to get a flu shot. Although it takes a few weeks for the vaccine to become effective, that may be enough time for most Americans, depending on how fast the California outbreak spreads.

The vaccine is not foolproof. Some individuals, especially seniors, do not make protective antibodies to the flu virus, even after a shot.

Ross said that while the bird flu is a theoretical threat, the annual flu is very real.

"The yearly flu epidemics kill up to 40,000 Americans. The 'bird flu' has killed about 70 people. No Americans have died of bird flu," Ross noted. "We should get more upset about this real threat and not pay so much attention to that somewhat over-hyped one, for now."

Ross noted that Tamiflu, the most effective antiviral drug, is in short supply this year, thanks to hoaring by those fearing a bird flu outbreak.

"Some people may actually die for want of this drug, which works well within the first 48 hours of flu infection," he said. "There is another effective drug, the inhaled Relenza, which may be available in sufficient quantities to help right here in the U.S. for this flu season."

Ross and other medical authorities noted that it's important to immunize children, as a means of protecting older Americans.

"Children also get the flu -- indeed, they are the main reservoir of influenza virus, and they generally don't get very sick from it. But, they do transmit it to their grandparents, who do get quite ill, and sometimes even die," he said.

The parents of all toddlers are advised by the CDC to get their youngsters vaccinated against the flu.

"I believe vaccinating all schoolchildren as well would help to reduce the toll among the elderly, and this should be considered as an added indication by vaccine specialists at the CDC," Ross said.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.