Anti-flu jabs?
 

Yeah I know there is another thread on this but this is a semi-serious post!!

I have a daughter travelling around S America for 2 months in a week's time and a son leaving for USA in 3 weeks where he will be helping/playing at a number of gigs all over the place.

Now it seems likely that the flu thing will spread in those regions and it strikes me that it wouldn't do any harm if they had a couple of jabs before they went.

What do you reckon?

dl

As time goes by we will be given advise on what is needed where. At the moment there are no restrictions on other countries. In 2 weeks it could be a totally different story :thumb:


The jab will help you get better but will not stop you getting the flu

IIRC the WHO determines 4 main strains of flu each year to base the development of the 'flu vacine' on. This has obviously already been done and therefore giving a jab now will do no good at all in respect of swine fever.


Edited to add this from the BBC site

It is unclear how effective currently available flu vaccines would be at offering protection against the new strain, as it is genetically distinct from other flu strains.

US scientists are already developing a bespoke new vaccine, but it may take some time to perfect it, and manufacture enough supplies to meet what could be huge demand.

A vaccine was used to protect humans from a version of swine flu in the US in 1976.

However, it caused serious side effects, including an estimated 500 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome. There were more deaths from the vaccine than the outbreak.

I had "a" flu jab late last year, obviously that will be no help at all. They said it would take 6 months to develop a vaccine which could be too long.

I am quite worried about these sort of things, more than terrorist attack etc. I mean, Northamptonshire is quite low risk on the terrorist front I should think, but a virus doesn't care...

If I was you David, I wouldn't let my kids go, but then I'm probably being over sensitive and it's not as serious as we think.

What I want to know is if the flu is killing young healthy people who have good health care, or whether they are from the poorer regions who don't have access to the best healthcare and preventative measures....

Hi David, when I went to that part of the world last year I took my Tubercolosis (sp?), Hep B, and Typhoid fever jabs. If shes venturing north towards Columbia/Panama then Id suggest Malaria tablets too. As for the current flu problems, Im not so sure what you can have to combat it.

Thanks folks. I am naturally against taking jabs and Si's post is worrying!

But I note that British people who have been in contact with the 2 Scottish victims are being given jabs "just in case". So presumably medical thinking is that a jab may do some good.

OK the USA is a bit more civilised but if you start to feel ill in some out of the way S American village medical help is not always readily available.

There is a long list of jabs and tabs for S America which now includes Rabies stuff.

Thanks for input. David

I have a flu jab every year, it does not even sting and it is well worth having I think.

They say that the standard flu jab may offer some protection against the Swine Flu jobber since it is an H1N1 virus.

Better to get some protection if it is available I reckon.

Les

Its funny how like Norton Anti Virus, the cure is worse than the actual infection.

Swine flu is a strain with no vaccine yet so you may as well vaccinate yourself against getting shot by drug lords at the same time.

"Treatment is available in the form of anti-virals. These are not a cure, but evidence from elsewhere shows that they lessen the symptoms and shorten the illness" NHS source on BBC site


Better than nothing. dl

Unless you die from it.

Would defo suggest they pack a couple of Lemsips just in case things get nasty :)

They did say that it is possible that the vaccine they use now might have some protection against an H1N1 like the Pig Flu jobber.

Les

Best thing you should take with you to that part of the world is immodium. Trust me, its a life saver, last thing you want to do is spend most of the day sitting on the bog in a horrid smell sh!t house that youve paid £5 a night to stay ;)

Good tip Dave, thanks :thumb:

I used to travel in and out of West Africa and at the airport there was usually one poor suffering sod sat looking awful with a just a bottle of mineral water!!

Did you like the area btw?

david

And don't forget inoculations for bird flu, SARS, ebola and AIDS while you're at it !

Brilliant part of the world, I reckon you'd get alot more out of it if you spoke Spanish. My conversational skills were very very poor when I went out there but after a month or so I was meeting people and enjoying conversations but I was still limited. Be alot more fulfilling with a larger volcabulary I should imagine :thumb: She'll love it