Swine Flu in Ireland

Mr. Incognito

https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2019/0104/1020318-flu/

The Health Service Executive has warned that the virulent H1N1 flu strain - also known as swine flu - is in Ireland and could become a potentially serious public health issue.

The HSE's Assistant National Director for Public Health, Dr Kevin Kelleher, said that already a number of people - including those in the 20s, 30s and 40s - have been admitted to hospital intensive care units.

Speaking on RTɒs News at One he said at least two, and possibly four, people have died.

Dr Kelleher said that the flu strain circulating can be problematic for people under the age of 65, predominantly those with a pre-existing disease and pregnant women.

He said it can cause chest problems that can bring on pneumonia, which affects breathing.

He said it was not too late to get the flu vaccine and urged vulnerable people in particular to get it.

Dr Kelleher said most people who get the flu should stay at home in bed, but those who feel seriously ill could call their GP or out-of-hours numbers.

"I know it's difficult not to let your child go to school, or not yourself go to work, but it is important if you've got these symptoms," he said.

Dr Kelleher also warned that people with flu symptoms should not visit elderly or vulnerable people.

This looks like the same strain of the Spanish flu which killed more people than the first world war.

Pretty scary stuff giving the state of our hospitals and the time of year and the overcrowding on public transport in the morning.

Hopefully it doesnt manage to spread too much.

gctest50

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

.................

Hopefully it doesnt manage to spread too much.

It will

Scare mongering.

oLoonatic

quick trip to your local chemist, 20 quid (if you dont have a medical card) vaccine sorted in 5 minutes.

BattleCorp

oLoonatic wrote: »

quick trip to your local chemist, 20 quid (if you dont have a medical card) vaccine sorted in 5 minutes.

The flu vaccine only protects against one strain of the flu doesn't it? I got the vaccine in December but I don't think it protects against all strains.

gctest50

Except they lost the Post-It note :

Health Department failed to locate advice on flu vaccine for 2018/2019 season from NIAC

There is confusion over the full extent of the advice — if any — that the Government was given regarding this winter’s flu vaccine, after the Department of Health (DoH) admitted that it cannot locate the relevant advisory memo from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), the Irish Medical Times can reveal.

Established in 1998, the NIAC advises the Chief Medical Officer at the DoH on “specific vaccine recommendations for use in Ireland”.


Earlier this year, according to a RCPI spokesperson, the NIAC wrote to the DoH with advice regarding this season’s flu vaccine.

The HSE website states this year’s inoculation therapy “protects against the three strains of flu virus recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the strains most likely to be circulating this season”.

But the WHO also advises that there are two types of vaccines which can be used in the northern hemisphere this year — a trivalent vaccine, a type of which is being used by the HSE; and a quadrivalent vaccine, which is a stronger vaccine as it provides protection against the four strains of the flu in circulation.


In June this year, IMT asked the NIAC to provide details about the advice it had sent to the DoH regarding this year’s flu vaccine.

Still waiting a reply two months later, we were forced to send a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to the DoH asking for a copy of the NIAC advice.
On September 21 we were informed that the note could not be located.

In a written judgement, Michael Smith from the DoH’s Health Protection Unit advised IMT: “No correspondence to the Department of Health from the NIAC in relation to the flu vaccine for the 2018/2019 season has been located.”

The HSE website states that “the 2018/19 HSE seasonal vaccination programme is Influvac manufactured by Mylan”.

However, it does not state whether this vaccine was recommended by the NIAC.

gctest50

BattleCorp wrote: »

The flu vaccine only protects against one strain of the flu doesn't it? I got the vaccine in December but I don't think it protects against all strains.

3 or 4 strains usually

BattleCorp

gctest50 wrote: »

3 or 4 strains usually

Are any of those strains H1N1 I wonder?

gctest50

BattleCorp wrote: »

Are any of those strains H1N1 I wonder?

Whatever about H1N1,

this years (2018/19) vaccine is just 8% effective against H3N3

H3N3 killed 4 of the 10 people that died

Gatling

I had H1N1 6 years ago ,

It's a serious dose to get potentially life threatening

Sycamore Tree

Deleted User wrote: »

Scare mongering.

Absolute scaremongering.

Many people getting swine flu will just think they have the common cold. This is not in any way similar to the Spanish flu of 1918/1919.

Nothing to see here.

gctest50

BattleCorp wrote: »

Are any of those strains H1N1 I wonder?

This what was recomended feb 2018,

WHO:

Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2018-2019 northern hemisphere influenza season
22 February 2018


an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;

an A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 (H3N2)-like virus;

a B/Colorado/06/2017-like virus (B/Victoria/2/87 lineage)

gctest50

Sycamore Tree wrote: »

.........

Nothing to see here.

Four people have already died from it

The pneumonia etc that follows it have many more in serious trouble

r93kaey5p2izun

I got swine flu in 2010. It wasn't as bad as I expected but it was certainly something to be avoided if possible. Since then I get the flu vaccine every year. However last March I ended up in hospital with flu complications anyway as the vaccine didn't include one of the circulating strains apparently. I really hope this year the vaccine is effective. I've been unable to shift a a bad bout of bronchitis since October as it is.

BattleCorp

BattleCorp wrote: »

The flu vaccine only protects against one strain of the flu doesn't it? I got the vaccine in December but I don't think it protects against all strains.

Protects against all probable circulating strains of the season. One thing about influenza vaccine is that the protection is not absolute, but is very helpful. Will give my own direct example. I got the current seasonal vaccine back in October, two weeks before I caught what is very probably the current H1N1 whilst travelling in a place where it was then rampant. I had a previous annoying but cold/rhinovirus back in September, but then went down immediately after traveling with what I remembered as an influenza from the several occasions I had it in past life: shaking chills, bone pains, dreadful facial and head pain, zero appetite/nausea, ticklish cough but very little nasal discharge/sneezing. Was stuck in bed for a day and expected that to last a week or two followed by another week or so of weakness and depression and at about three weeks a full recovery. But miraculously after a further half day in bed I suddenly recovered almost fully in the space of 12 hours, and became very hungry and energetic, only a very slight and fading ticklish cough for about three days as a residual. It is highly likely that the vaccine, whilst not preventing me from catching it, had enormously fore-shortened the illness and if I had been a vulnerable person it would likely have saved me from hospitalization. Very well worth having that two second shot.

Sycamore Tree

gctest50 wrote: »

Four people have already died from it

The pneumonia etc that follows it have many more in serious trouble

Yeah yeah. The bullets and the fall killed them.
Same happens every year with whatever flu virus is active.

Fann Linn

Nothing to worry about. Varadkar and Harris are on top of this. Believe me.

pc7

Gatling wrote: »

I had H1N1 6 years ago ,

It's a serious dose to get potentially life threatening

+1 it was horrific, never so sick. To take a breath hurt, everything ached, couldn’t eat or drink, stomach was upset, it really was vile. Was in bed for over a week couldn’t move, and took a good for weeks to get back to normal. I was young and fit, hate to see someone with an underlying illness get it.

gctest50

[Deleted User] wrote: »

.......................

but then went down immediately after traveling with what I remembered as an influenza from the several occasions I had it in past life: shaking chills, bone pains, dreadful facial and head pain, zero appetite/nausea, ticklish cough but very little nasal discharge/sneezing. Was stuck in bed for a day and expected that to last a week or two followed by another week or so of weakness and depression and at about three weeks a full recovery. But miraculously after a further half day in bed I suddenly recovered almost fully in the space of 12 hours, and became very hungry and energetic, only a very slight and fading ticklish cough for about three days as a residual. ...........

If you didn't lab test it, that could have been anything

Sardonicat

Could someone clarify: did the flu vaccine my Dad got back in September cover for H1N1 or will he have to get another one?

c.p.w.g.w

Sardonicat wrote: »

Could someone clarify: did the flu vaccine my Dad got back in September cover for H1N1 or will he have to get another one?

Don't think so, as it normally more common flu strains I believe

Lia_lia

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Don't think so, as it normally more common flu strains I believe

Thinks it’s okay according to this link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/flu-vaccination/about-the-vaccine/

If you click on 2018/19 flu vaccine it says H1N1 is one of the strains.

Gatling

pc7 wrote: »

+1 it was horrific, never so sick. To take a breath hurt, everything ached, couldn’t eat or drink, stomach was upset, it really was vile. Was in bed for over a week couldn’t move, and took a good for weeks to get back to normal. I was young and fit, hate to see someone with an underlying illness get it.

I ended up in an ICU for two weeks very nearly didn't survive it left with complications as well badly scarred lungs as a result and will likely be on inhalers and steroids for life too ,
Never been the same since

byhookorbycrook

Sycamore Tree wrote: »

Absolute scaremongering.

Many people getting swine flu will just think they have the common cold. This is not in any way similar to the Spanish flu of 1918/1919.

Nothing to see here.

Really?A pregnant lady I know died from it, I'm immunomodulated and can die quite easily, as can several of my students.

Sardonicat

Lia_lia wrote: »

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Don't think so, as it normally more common flu strains I believe

Thinks it’s okay according to this link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/flu-vaccination/about-the-vaccine/

If you click on 2018/19 flu vaccine it says H1N1 is one of the strains.

Think you're right. Will give Dad's medical centre a call on Monday just to be sure to be sure and will most definitely be getting the vaccine myself now.

Sardonicat

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Sycamore Tree wrote: »

Absolute scaremongering.

Many people getting swine flu will just think they have the common cold. This is not in any way similar to the Spanish flu of 1918/1919.

Nothing to see here.

Really?A pregnant lady I know died from it, I'm immunomodulated and can die quite easily, as can several of my students.

For sure. It really does depend. My nephew was in his early teens and he honestly had worse colds before and since. A friend of mine in her twenties ended up in intensive care. It's not worth taking any chances. Also, if you get a 'mild' dose and don't realise you've got H1N1 you could actually be putting vulnerable people at risk. Just get the vaccine, people!

dublinman1990

They also have confirmed on Twitter that H1N1 is covered by this vaccine.

https://twitter.com/HSEImm/status/1081241348366159872

If you got the vaccine, like me last October, you should be covered.

stevek93

I got influenza b last year, I was brought into ANE it got so bad I would dread to see what this would be like

Sardonicat

Sardonicat wrote: »

Could someone clarify: did the flu vaccine my Dad got back in September cover for H1N1 or will he have to get another one?

He’s covered.

gctest50

gctest50 wrote: »

If you didn't lab test it, that could have been anything

Of course it might have been*anything*, but I think on the balance of probabilities what I was struck with that time was one of the current circulating influenzas, for which I got the vaccine two weeks before. It’s the body’s own immune system that actually does the damage as the cytokines sent out to respond to the virus fill up the lungs in those unexposed to the virus before. In my case I had recent exposure from the vaccine, so my body withdrew the cytokine reaction as quickly as it realised it was not an enemy. However I would have been contagious to others for a while. Hence I stayed out of circulation for a little while.

MarkHenderson

Sycamore Tree wrote: »

Absolute scaremongering.

Many people getting swine flu will just think they have the common cold. This is not in any way similar to the Spanish flu of 1918/1919.

Nothing to see here.

Tell that to the families of those who have already died. My wife works in one of the major Dublin hospitals and they are really worried about what the coming weeks will bring.

Jumbo2018

Sardonicat wrote: »

For sure. It really does depend. My nephew was in his early teens and he honestly had worse colds before and since. A friend of mine in her twenties ended up in intensive care. It's not worth taking any chances. Also, if you get a 'mild' dose and don't realise you've got H1N1 you could actually be putting vulnerable people at risk. Just get the vaccine, people!

If it is such a crucial public health issue then why has the flu vaccine not become mandatory for everyone in the country.

retro:electro

I had it when it first arrived here a few years ago. Genuinely never felt as ill in my entire life. I couldn’t even speak. I felt all but dead and I was young fit and healthy. Scary to think how someone with already compromised health would fight it off and return to normalcy. It took me ages to feel better again.

Wibbs

pc7 wrote: »

I was young and fit,

This bit in the cases of some flus and especially the real killers actually makes you more vulnerable if you're young.

OK a sample of two...

Sardonicat wrote: »

For sure. It really does depend. My nephew was in his early teens and he honestly had worse colds before and since. A friend of mine in her twenties ended up in intensive care.

Cat below explains why:

Deleted User wrote: »

It’s the body’s own immune system that actually does the damage as the cytokines sent out to respond to the virus fill up the lungs.

So because the very young and the very old tend to have weaker immune systems this part at least doesn't tend to happen*. On the other hand if you're a as healthy as a butcher's dog 22 year old that's more likely to kick off and seriously impact you. In the Spanish Flu epidemic there were small towns cut off from the rest of the world by geography or latitude and many caught it(still a bit of a mystery how). When people went into check on them many months even a year later, what they found was most of the people who greeted them were little kids and grandparents.

I had the Swine flu back in (14/15?) and it felled me alright. Luckily I tend to shift off flu pretty quickly, under a week anyway, but that one was up there as worst dose of anything I've ever had. And I've had malaria(TBH I have felt sicker with doses of the flu than with that. It was a different kinda rough).





*the very old have built up more general immunity too. Plus back then with little vaccination of any kind, no antibiotics etc, those that made it to ten were lucky, those who made it to 20 were lucky too. Most families lost 40% of their kids born. So the Spanish Flu killed millions of adult people who were already pretty strong. Today is unbelievably better as far as folks not losing children to common bugs and conditions, but overall we may be a little weaker because of it.

Sardonicat

Jumbo2018 wrote: »

Sardonicat wrote: »

For sure. It really does depend. My nephew was in his early teens and he honestly had worse colds before and since. A friend of mine in her twenties ended up in intensive care. It's not worth taking any chances. Also, if you get a 'mild' dose and don't realise you've got H1N1 you could actually be putting vulnerable people at risk. Just get the vaccine, people!

If it is such a crucial public health issue then why has the flu vaccine not become mandatory for everyone in the country.

Why are vaccinations in general not mandatory?

Sardonicat

Wibbs wrote: »

pc7 wrote: »

I was young and fit,

This bit in the cases of some flus and especially the real killers actually makes you more vulnerable if you're young.

OK a sample of two...

Sardonicat wrote: »

For sure. It really does depend. My nephew was in his early teens and he honestly had worse colds before and since. A friend of mine in her twenties ended up in intensive care.

Cat below explains why:

Deleted User wrote: »

It’s the body’s own immune system that actually does the damage as the cytokines sent out to respond to the virus fill up the lungs.

So because the very young and the very old tend to have weaker immune systems this part at least doesn't tend to happen*. On the other hand if you're a as healthy as a butcher's dog 22 year old that's more likely to kick off and seriously impact you. In the Spanish Flu epidemic there were small towns cut off from the rest of the world by geography or latitude and many caught it(still a bit of a mystery how). When people went into check on them many months even a year later, what they found was most of the people who greeted them were little kids and grandparents.

I had the Swine flu back in (14/15?) and it felled me alright. Luckily I tend to shift off flu pretty quickly, under a week anyway, but that one was up there as worst dose of anything I've ever had. And I've had malaria(TBH I have felt sicker with doses of the flu than with that. It was a different kinda rough).





*the very old have built up more general immunity too. Plus back then with little vaccination of any kind, no antibiotics etc, those that made it to ten were lucky, those who made it to 20 were lucky too. Most families lost 40% of their kids born. So the Spanish Flu killed millions of adult people who were already pretty strong. Today is unbelievably better as far as folks not losing children to common bugs and conditions, but overall we may be a little weaker because of it.

Actually Wibbs, my early 20s friend was immuno compromised, which is why she ended up in intensive care. But I get your point.

Spanish Eyes

Will the vaccine still work if taken up next week?

I dunno. I am a great believer in washing hands when you get home. The received wisdom is apparently two rounds of Happy Birthday To You to get the right amount of timing under the tap with soap etc.

But my neighbours are now worried about me having a birthday in my house a few times a day but what the heck!

Sardonicat

Always good to practice hand hygiene and that will help but this baby is airborne too. And realistically, can you wash your hands after you touch every public surface? Shop door handle, change, the button for the bell on the bus, etc. Will be getting me a bottle of hand sanitiser also. But vaccines will protect others, not just yourself.

Spanish Eyes

Gloves might work lol and a face mask. Seems normal to Japanese anyway. So why should we worry?

Sardonicat

Sardonicat wrote: »

Why are vaccinations in general not mandatory?

I see your point, but as someone who visits my doctor at least every six months for long term medication, I was recommended to get a tetanus vaccine when my doctor realised I work outdoors and with animals, yet I have never been recommended to get a flu vaccine? I do wonder why it isn't being recommended more.

RebelButtMunch

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Gloves might work lol and a face mask. Seems normal to Japanese anyway. So why should we worry?

Usually the people in Asia with the face masks are the ones that are sick. They wear it to stop spreading illness.

0cp71eyxkb94qf

Thanks for the heads up op. Going straight to a gp for the jab.

AllForIt

I went to my chemist today to pick up my Asthma medication and I was offered the flu jab there and then, which I though was rather cool. I have been sick since the 25th Decemeber and not fully recovered yet. I had pains in the top of both my eye-balls which was weird and a very deep chesty cough. I wonder what that was - some virus? Anyway didn't go to doc almost gone now.

Billy86

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Scare mongering.

Pretty much. My sister got either this or bird flu (which was also supposed to wipe out all of humanity) when it went around last. A week off secondary school in bed, good bit of medicine, and she was grand.

It is dangerous to young kids and the elderly if they're frail, but then again so are tonnes of things that don't pose anything like that threat to the rest of us.

Beasty

Had the jab a couple of months ago. The wife (who didn't) has gone down with something today. I had a rough night last night but have been fine during the day

Atlantic Dawn

Another scare tactic to load your body with unknown rubbish.

0cp71eyxkb94qf

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Another scare tactic to load your body with unknown rubbish.

It's not unknown though. A quick Google will tell you the contents of the jab.

Beasty

Billy86 wrote: »

Pretty much. My sister got either this or bird flu (which was also supposed to wipe out all of humanity) when it went around last. A week off secondary school in bed, good bit of medicine, and she was grand.

It is dangerous to young kids and the elderly if they're frail, but then again so are tonnes of things that don't pose anything like that threat to the rest of us.

I think there's enough anecdotal evidence in this thread already suggesting it's not only the young and frail that can suffer long-term effects of something like this

I've never had flu in my 58+ years but have started having the vaccine anyway, as the horror stories I keep hearing are such that I don't see the point of increasing the risk by not having it. I barely felt the injection and there were no real side effects of having it. It's a pretty good price for some basic health "insurance"

Ariadne

I have Cystic Fibrosis and I got Influenza A a few years ago. Really never felt so awful in my entire life. I spent six weeks in hospital trying to recover. The first week with the flu itself wasn't nice but I could manage but when it hit my lungs I was just fcuked, could barely walk to the toilet I was so out of breath, and I had tamiflu and started IV antibiotics immediately so I don't know what state I would have been in if I hadn't gotten then right off. I haven't forgotten my flu vaccine since then. I will ask at the CF clinic next week if the vaccine I got covers swine flu. To be honest I see no harm in healthy people getting the flu jab too, why risk getting the flu when you can increase your chances of avoiding it.

Golfwidow

What about young kids? I’m not sure that they can get the flu jab here whereas in UK it is offered to kids for free as a type of nasal spray in each nostril. Surely it’s very important to young kids who populate crèches and schools to have the vaccine?

I do think people without underlying conditions owe it to those who are compromised to get the vaccine, it's cheap, or even free to those with medical cards. I will be doing this personally. Although I spend so little time with actual people and in public buildings I'm probably pretty low risk to spread infection!

I've never had the flu. My mother got H1N1 last time it came around and was absolutely floored. Didn't need hospitalisation but she says she wouldn't wish it on anyone. She was lying on the couch and my father, always the "comedian" told her the house was on fire and she said she didn't care! She wouldn't have minded at that point.