Flu News for Senior Citizens
Flu Virus Here Early, Moving Fast: Senior Citizens
Should Be Extra Careful During Holidays
CDC provides seniors with videos other information on
what they should do to be safe
 Dec. 11, 2012 - The flu has hit the U.S. earlier
than usual this season and senior citizens, who are among the most
vulnerable to this threat, are warned to take extra precautions during
the holiday season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says,
"Share time, not the flu virus, with your family this holiday season."
Read more, see
videos...
Senior Citizen Alerts
CDC Notes Jump in A-H3N2v Virus Infection; Stresses Caution with Pigs
10 cases in Ohio associated with attendance at a fair where ill swine may have been - senior citizens must be cautious
August 3, 2012 –Twelve new cases of human infections with influenza A (H3N2) variant virus in 3 states were reported today
by the Centers for Disease Controal and Prevention. The H3N2v virus contains the M gene from the human influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (2009 H1N1)
virus, as have the previous 17 cases detected since July 2011. All of this week’s reported cases occurred in people who had direct or indirect
contact with swine prior to their illness. Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Statin Study Finds Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Save Lives of Flu Patients
Patients not receiving statins were almost twice as likely to die from influenza
 Dec. 16, 2011 - Statins, traditionally known as cholesterol-lowering drugs, may reduce deaths among patients hospitalized with influenza,
according to a new study released online by the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Read more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
FDA Gets Set for Flu Season with Approval of Vaccines for 2011-12
CDC recommends everyone aged 6 months and older get vaccination
 July 19, 2011
– As senior citizens suffer through a blistering hot summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is finalizing plans for the flu season
around the corner. Yesterday the agency approved the influenza vaccine to be made for 2011-2012 by all six manufacturers licensed to produce
and distribute flu vaccine for the U.S. Read more...
Medicare News
CMS Issues New Regs Making Free Flu Shots Even More
Available for Senior Citizens
Remove barriers for seniors who want to receive
annual flu shots as part of their Medicare preventive health routine
May
4, 2011 – Medicare has taken action to make seasonal flu vaccinations
more available and suggested the new requirements for Medicare-certified
providers will encourage senior citizens getting the free shots when
they are at the doctor’s office for their free preventive health
checkup.
Read more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
National Flu Vaccination Week Emphasizes Everyone in Family Needs Flu
Shot
First
year for CDC to recommend every one six months older and older get the
shot - senior citizens still considered in high risk group
Dec.
6, 2010 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday
launched its fifth annual National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) -
December 5-11 -
to highlight the importance and safety of flu vaccination, and to
encourage Americans to get vaccinated. Today, the CDC effort got a push
from
Family Vaccination Day sponsored by Families Fighting Flu, which
emphasizes the need for flu shots for the whole family.
Read more...
Senior
Citizens, Others at High Risk Not Enthusiastic to Get Flu Shot This Year
Consumer Reports
Health says only 40% of health care workers, 51% seniors say they will be
vaccinated
 Oct. 14, 2010 –
Despite the introduction this year of a super flu vaccine that prevents
both H1N1 and season flu, key “at risk” groups – like those who care for
young children and healthcare workers in nursing homes, hospitals and
other facilities – show little interest in being vaccinated, according
to a Consumer Report Health poll. And, too, among senior citizens only
51 percent plan to get the shot.
Read more...
Steamed Pears, Herbal Bathes, Massage Popular for
Senior Citizens to Avoid Flu Without Shot
Study in 9 countries of why seniors fail to get flu
vaccination finds unusual health rituals
 Oct. 12, 2010 –
Researchers, puzzled by why so many senior citizens in various countries
fail to take advantage of the highly successful flu vaccine, find that
people who chose not to be vaccinated were more likely to rely on
indigenous health practices - together with good general health and hand
hygiene - than those who decided to be vaccinated.
Read more...
 Senior Citizens Have New Reason to Get Flu Shot: It
Greatly Reduces Risk of First Heart Attack
The earlier you get the vaccination the more heart
protection if provides
Sept.
20, 2010 – If senior citizens needed a new reason to get their annual
flu shot, they just got it today. A new study found the season flu
vaccine appears to reduce the chances of a first heart attack by 19
percent. And, says the study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association
Journal), early vaccination in the fall further increases these
benefits. Read
more...
All CVS, MinuteClinic Locations Now Providing Flu
Shots; No Appointment Needed at Clinics
CVS introduces My Flu Shot Scheduler for online flu
shot appointments at pharmacies
Aug. 23, 2010 - CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic,
today announced that flu vaccinations are available at all of their
locations nationwide. CVS/pharmacy has more than 7,000 locations and
MinuteClinic has more than 500 locations inside select CVS/pharmacy
stores. Big crowds are expected for flu shots following a recommendation
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that everyone
over six months old get the vaccination.
Read more...
CDC Says Senior Citizens Not Only Ones Needing Flu
Shots; This Year Everyone Needs One
P olicy change from past years, when government
focused on vaccinating people in ‘high-risk’ groups
Aug. 23, 2010 – Senior citizens will, again, need
to get a flu shot this year, but, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), so will everyone else over six months of
age. This year’s vaccine is designed to protect against H1N1 and two
other strains of seasonal flu.
Read more...
H1N1 Influenza Pandemic of 2009 Declared Officially
Over by WHO; U.S. Did It in June
Bug expected to continue hanging around but will
behave more like seasonal flu; U.S. gears up for seasonal flu shots that
will also stop H1N1 and more
 Aug. 11, 2010 – The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic is
officially over. It was declared so yesterday by the World Health
Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency
Committee and the WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan. The decision
was based on “strong indications that influenza, worldwide, is
transitioning toward seasonal patterns of transmission.”
Read more...
Senior Citizen Alerts
FDA Warns About Fraudulent Tamiflu Being Sold on
Internet
Fraudulent product is dangerous
to patients allergic to penicillin
June
18, 2010 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
yesterday warned consumers about a potentially harmful
product represented as “Generic Tamiflu” sold over the
Internet. FDA tests revealed that the fraudulent product
does not contain Tamiflu’s active ingredient,
oseltamivir, but cloxacillin, an ingredient in the same
class of antibiotics as penicillin.
Read more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens Still Doing Well Against H1N1 but
Need Vaccination Says CDC
 Cases leveling off but new
surge is possible – see charts by age of cases, hospitalizations, deaths
March 15, 2010 - The latest report from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a relatively small increase
in H1N1 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The numbers released on
Friday also confirm senior citizens are fairing relatively well in
avoiding and battling this flu. Just ten percent of cases have been
seniors but CDC still says
people 65 years
and older should get vaccinated for 2009 H1N1.
Read more...
Heart Disease Patients Should Get H1N1 Flu Shot Says
American Heart Association
 National Influenza Vaccination Week started Sunday;
pushed by HHS and CCD
Jan. 11, 2010 — The American Heart Association has
joined the national effort to get more Americans vaccinated against H1N1
flu during National Influenza Vaccination Week, Jan. 10-16.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Need to Get In Line for Widely
Available H1N1, Seasonal Flu Vaccinations
Many seniors confused about antiviral drugs being
used to treat flu; they are high priority if sick
 Jan. 6, 2010 – This has been a confusing flu season
for senior citizens. Almost all older Americans know they should get the
seasonal flu shot each winter and that Medicare pays for it. This year,
however, the H1N1 flu struck and seniors were not on the high priority
list for vaccinations, because they seemed to have some immunity not
enjoyed by younger people. Now, however, there is plenty of H1N1 vaccine
out there and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the
elderly should get the shot.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Now Getting H1N1 Shots in Some
Communities Where Priority Groups Completed
Supply expected to expand rapidly in weeks ahead
but new HHS public service spots do not target seniors
 Dec. 7, 2009 – Vaccine to protect senior citizens
from H1N1 flu is now available in some communities and will become
increasingly available over the next few weeks, according to Thomas
Frieden, Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Protection.
Frieden made his comments on Friday before Health and Human Services
released a new series of public service commercials this morning urging
people to get the vaccine – none targeting seniors.
Read more...find
shots near you, locator in story
Senior Citizen Alerts
Flu News for Senior Citizens
May Be Time for Many Senior Citizens to Seek
Location to Get Flu Shot - Seasonal and H1N1
Too many senior citizens failing to get seasonal flu
shot; 36,000, mostly seniors, die every years from flu
Dec. 2, 2009 – Most senior citizens are aware that
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that older
Americans are not as vulnerable to the H1N1 (Swine) Flu as are younger
people. The CDC still recommends older Americans get the vaccinations
but they have been moved to the back of the line. Now, with increased
supplies, may be the time to
start checking on the availability of these shots in your local area
with the handy search tool provided by CDC.
Read more...Use Google Flu
Vaccine Locator
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Aspirin and Tylenol May Decrease the Effectiveness
of Flu, Other Vaccines
Best choice maybe to not take aspirin, Tylenol or
ibuprofen for a couple weeks before and after you get a vaccine
Dec. 1, 2009 - With flu season in full swing and
the threat of H1N1 looming, demand for vaccines is at an all-time high.
Although those vaccines are expected to be effective, University of
Missouri researchers have found further evidence that some
over-the-counter drugs, such as aspirin and Tylenol, that inhibit
certain enzymes could impact the effectiveness of vaccines.
Read more..
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Smart Senior Citizens Guide to Flu Season from
Geriatrics Center at U. of Michigan
Seasonal flu shot a priority, call doctor promptly
if you have flu-like symptoms
 Nov. 23, 2009 - Those over 50 need to be immunized
against seasonal flu. That’s the most important step most older people
can take to get safely through the flu season, says Karen Hall, M.D.,
Ph.D., a University of Michigan Geriatrics Center specialist.
Read more...
California H1N1 Study Finds Those Over 50 Most
Likely to Die in Hospital, Elderly Least Likely
JAMA report shows hospitalizations occurring at all ages; fewer hospitalizations and
fatalities occurring in elderly persons
Nov. 4, 2009 – A study out of California in today’s
Journal of the American Medical Association creates a warning for older
Americans about the H1N1 flu – hospitalization and death can occur at
all ages. The study found those age 50 or older had the highest death
rate among those hospitalized. Still, however, the elderly have fewer
deaths and hospitalizations.
Read more...Watch
video...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Senior Citizens Should Avoid Common Pain Relievers
When Getting Their Flu Shot
A variety of pain relievers seem to dilute the
production of necessary antibodies to protect against illness
Nov. 3, 2009 - With flu vaccination season in full
swing and senior citizens lining up for shots, research from the
University of Rochester Medical Center cautions that the use of many
common pain killers – Advil, Tylenol, aspirin – at the time of injection
may blunt the effect of the shot and have a negative effect on the
immune system.
Read
more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Scientists Discover Possible Achilles Heel of
Influenza: Our Old Friends Antioxidants
 Opens the door for new drugs that could
prevent severe flu-related lung damage... and another reason to drink red
wine
Oct. 29, 2009 - As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for
H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that
they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the flu -
antioxidants. Their research indicates that antioxidants—the same
substances found in plant-based foods—might hold the key in preventing
the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Senior Citizens with Dementia at Much Higher Risk of
Dying with Flu, Not So Likely to Get It
Limited access to health care, inadequate testing
may contribute to higher rates of mortality and lower rates of
diagnosis of flu in elderly with dementia
 Oct. 27, 2009 – Senior citizens (age 65 and over)
with dementia are diagnosed with flu less frequently, have shorter
hospital stays, but have a fifty percent higher rate of death than those
without dementia, according to an epidemiological study on pneumonia and
influenza (P&I).
Read
more...
Medicare News
H1N1 Flu Information for Seniors Prepared by CMS for
Medicare, Medicaid Beneficiaries
Medicare’s coverage of H1N1 flu vaccine and more
explained in Q&A below
 Oct. 13, 2009 – Due to concerns among senior
citizens about H1N1 flu, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) has opened a Web page with information specifically for people on
Medicare and Medicaid. The basic information is presented in a question
and answer presentation by Medicare, which appears below.
Read
more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Microsoft Launches Site to Help Consumers Decide if
They Have H1N1 Flu, What to Do
H1N1 Response Center hopes to keep patients at home
with self-assessment based on material from Emory University.
 Oct. 7, 2009 – Microsoft jumped into the H1N1 flu
fight today with the launch of a Website, H1N1 Response Center, which it
says provides users with a program by Emory University to self-assess
their flu symptoms. It provides timely and relevant content, says the
announcement. Read
more...
Seniors Need Pneumonia, Seasonal Flu Shots; CDC
Finds Pneumonia Bacteria in H1N1 Fatalities
CDC Advisory Committee recommends single dose of
PPSV23 (23–valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine) for all senior
citizens
 Oct. 1, 2009 - Senior citizens may have relaxed
about the H1N1 flu shot, convinced it seems more likely to attack
younger people, but they do have vaccinations they should worry about.
They should not only be getting their vaccination for the seasonal flu
but need to get their pneumonia vaccination, too, according to an alert
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people who
have died from H1H1 this year were also infected with pneumonia
bacteria, warns the CDC.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Rumor Circulating on Internet that H1N1 Shots Are
Mandatory is False
Flu.gov says vaccination program for H1N1 is
voluntary, like regular flu shot
Sept. 29, 2009 - There is currently a petition
circulating on a few internet sites protesting the federal government’s
“mandatory” H1N1 vaccination program, reports Flu.gov. The Health and
Human Services Website says, “Here’s a flu fact for you: the federal
vaccination program for H1N1 flu is Voluntary, just like the seasonal
flu vaccination program.”
Read more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Flu.gov Gets a Facelift as It Strives to be the
Leader for Information on H1N1, Seasonal Flu
Health and Human Services site gets info from HHS
Interagency Public Affairs Group
Sept. 21, 2009 – The Website – flu.gov – is
becoming an increasingly helpful source of information on the flu for
U.S. citizens. The Health and Human Services site has made new additions
aimed at making this the “one stop” for flu information, seasonal and
H1N1 flu. Read more...
Senior Citizens Should Get Regular Flu Shot Now,
H1N1 Shot After Younger People
Studies show the risk for H1N1 Flu infection among
persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups
 Sept.
21, 2009 – The government agencies involved in protecting U.S. citizens
from the flu this season – regular seasonal flu and H1N1 – are pouring
out information to help citizens better understand the threat and
prevention, but there is still much confusion among senior citizens, who
are surprised to find themselves at the end of the line for H1N1
vaccinations. Read
more...
Opining of a Cranky Old Man
Maybe Howie Mandel Has the Right Idea, At Least When
It Comes to Avoiding H1N1 Flu
First concern for me is the customary shaking of
hands us Catholics engage in at Mass
By Bill Kalmar, Retiree
Sept.
3, 2009 - Newspapers and airwaves have been inundated with news of the
impending swine flu, or H1N1 influenza, which gives it a more ominous
sounding! And, speaking of ominous, the World Health Organization
predicts that within two years, nearly one-third of the world’s
population will have caught it! “What we know is, it’s brand new and no
one really has an immunity to this disease,” Health and Human Services
Secretary Kathleen Sebilius says.
Read more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens on Low Priority for H1N1 Flu Shots
Due to Signs that Younger More Vulnerable
CDC advisors do urge seniors to be at the top of
the list of seasonal flu vaccinations
 July 30, 2009 – Senior citizens are not a high
priority for the vaccine being developed to ward off the H1N1 flu virus
that has been sweeping the world, according to an advisory committee for
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The good news about this
is the evidence shows people age 65 or older are at less risk of
catching this flu, once known as swine flu, than are younger people.
Read more...
H1N1 Virus More Dangerous Than Suspected, But Oldest
Senior Citizens Appear Immune
Good news for oldest seniors – those born before 1918
have antibodies that protect against the new H1N1 virus
| |
The pandemic H1N1 flu virus (red)
has been shown to be more virulent than scientists previously
believed. The filamentous shape of the virus, which in this
image have recently budded from infected cells, is also unusual.
Courtesy Yoshihiro Kawaoka |
|
by
Terry Devitt, University of Wisconsin
July 14, 2009 - A new, highly detailed study of the
H1N1 flu virus shows that the pathogen is more virulent than previously
thought. Writing in a fast-tracked report published yesterday in the
journal Nature, an international team of researchers led by
UW-Madison virologist
Yoshihiro Kawaoka provides a detailed portrait of the pandemic virus
and its pathogenic qualities.
Read more...
HHS Commits Over $1.23 Billion to Prepare for Fall
Flu Season Battle with H1N1 and Regular Flu
$884 million buys more vaccine, $350 million goes
to states for preparedness
July
13, 2009 - HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today
that the department will commit $884 million to purchase additional
supplies of two key ingredients for potential H1N1 vaccine to further
prepare the nation for a potential resurgence of the 2009 H1N1 virus.
This follows her announcement on Friday of $350 million in grants to
help states and territories prepare for the 2009 novel H1N1 flu virus
and the fall flu season.
Read more...
 No Vaccine to Battle Swine Flu Sweeping Mexico and
into U.S.; Annual Flu Shot Won't Work
CDC sets up Web pages with latest information as
Public Health Emergency declared
April 27, 2009 – “At this point there is not a
vaccine for this swine flu strain. It's a new strain of influenza,” said
Dr. Richard Besser, Acting Director, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, at a news conference Sunday. “And so what we're talking
about is whether it's warranted at this point to move toward
manufacturing a vaccine.”
Read more...
Pharmacies Offering No-Cost Antibiotics Should
Promote Responsible Use, CDC Says
 Some are offering no-cost antibiotics have linked
the offers to the cold and flu season, neither of which should be
treated with antibiotics
March 5, 2009 – The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
last week sent out letters to several chain pharmacies that offer
no-cost prescription antibiotics to low-income consumers urging them to
promote responsible use of antibiotics, the
New York Times reports. According to the Times, the agency is
concerned that the no-cost drugs could promote the wrong message and
might worsen the problem of drug resistance.
Read more...
Increasing Prevalence of Influenza A Resistance to Drug Oseltamivir,
JAMA Study Finds
As of February 19, resistance to oseltamivir
identified among 98.5% U.S. influenza A(H1N1) viruses tested
 March
3, 2009 - Influenza A viruses (H1N1 subtype) that are resistant to the
drug oseltamivir circulated widely in the U.S. during the 2007-2008
influenza season, with an even higher prevalence of drug resistance
during the current 2008-2009 influenza season, according to a study to
be published in the March 11 issue of the Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA), and released early online yesterday,
along with two other related studies below, because of their public
health importance.
Read more...link to video
Senior Citizen Alerts
Antibiotic Promotions by Pharmacies are Wrong
Prescription for Cold and Flu Season
 Infectious Diseases Society of America says
it is unhealthy promotional gimmick - a better option to help people are
free flu shots
Jan.
16, 2009 - With an epidemic of antibiotic-resistant infections
growing, experts are warning grocery-store pharmacies that antibiotics
giveaways are an unhealthy promotional gimmick. If grocery stores want
to help customers and save them money during cold and flu season, the
Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) says, they should offer
free influenza vaccinations instead.
Read
more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Feed a Cold, Feed a Fever is Best Advice for Senior
Citizens; Calories Needed to Fight Flu
Research
shows having a body ready to fight a virus leads to a faster recovery
and less-severe effects than if calories restricted
Nov. 25, 2008 - Dieters or those who consume fewer
calories during flu season could have a harder time fighting off the flu
virus, according to research by Michigan State University nutritional
immunology professor Elizabeth Gardner. Her advice applies particularly
to senior citizens. Read
more...
Google Provides Instant Tracking of Flu Trends that
May Protect Many Elderly
Early-warning system for outbreaks of influenza;
early detection is critical to helping health officials respond quickly
and save lives of senior citizens
Nov.
12, 2008 – Maybe Google should be persuaded to track down Obama Bin
Laden. It seems no challenge is too big for their tracking program. The
latest is Flu Trends, that Google engineers say can accurately estimate
the level of flu in each state – in near real time. It could be a
life-saver for senior citizens that need a dire threat to motivate them
to get their flu shot.
Read more...
Flu Shots Found to Also Reduce Risk of Blood Clots
in Veins by 26 Percent
Effect more pronounced before, rather than after,
age 52, with a 48%t lower risk of VTE
Nov. 10, 2008 – Flu shots – well established as
protection for senior citizens from influenza – are being found to have
other benefits, too. A presentation this weekend at the American Heart
Association’s Scientific Sessions 2008 says these inoculations appear to
also reduce the risk of blood clots in the veins by 26 percent. And, it
works best for those under age 52, which was the average age of
participants in the study.
Read more...
High-Dose Flu Vaccine Shows Increased Immune
Response Among Senior Citizens
Key finding is that the new high-dose vaccine
increased the immune responses to all three influenza strains
 Oct. 26, 2008 – A high-dose influenza vaccine
demonstrated in testing an increased immune responses among senior
citizens - adults 65 years of age and older - compared with the standard
influenza vaccine, according to an announcement today by Sanofi Pasteur,
the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group. Approximately 90% of the
36,000 average annual influenza-associated deaths occur among elderly
adults 65 years of age and older.
Read more...
Medicare News
Free Flu Shots Just One of the Preventive Services
Covered by Medicare
Medicare Rights Center offers free one-on-one
counseling over the phone about Medicare's preventive services
 Oct.
15, 2008 - Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, may not
seem like a dangerous disease, but every year about 20,000 Americans die
because of it. People at high risk for complications from influenza -
most senior citizens with Medicare - should get a flu vaccine.
Read more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Poll Finds Just 74 Percent of Senior Citizens
Planning on Flu Shots This Year
 CVS, MinuteClinic, Walgreens, Walmart,
Maxim begin offering
flu shots this week
Oct.
2, 2008 - Senior citizens are the
most likely to get a flu shot with 74 percent of those age 65 and older
planning to be vaccinated, compared to 58 percent of those age 55-64 and
43% of adults younger than 55, according to a CVS/pharmacy survey.
Read more...
CVS, MinuteClinic Begin Flu Shots October 1 with
Goal of One Million Vaccinations
Will offer flu shots every day without an
appointment; sponsor 7,500 flu clinics
Sept. 10, 2008 – The annual push to push senior
citizens into getting flu shots got off to an aggressive start today
with an announcement by CVS/pharmacy and Minute Clinic of a commitment
to prevent flu by delivering one million flu vaccinations. The program
begins October 1. Read
more... Watch Video
CDC Releases 1918 Pandemic Flu Storybook Relating
Stories of Many Survivors
Recognizes 90th anniversary of scourge
that killed millions around world
| |
 Elmer
Kretzschmar, 95 tells his story about 1918 |
|
Aug. 22, 2008 - In recognition of the 90th
anniversary of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed millions of
people around the world, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) released today an online storybook containing narratives from
survivors, families, and friends about one of the largest scourges ever
on human kind. Read more...
National Flu Vaccination Week Hopes to Motivate
Stragglers to Get It Done
'The time to get vaccinated continues in December,
January, and later,' CDC
Nov. 24, 2007 – Most senior citizens, by this time
of year, have already received a potentially life-saving flu shot. But,
some have not. It is these stragglers that are the target of National
Influenza Vaccination Week, which starts November 26 and ends December
2. Sponsors include the Centers for Disease Control, Health and Human
Services and the National Influenza Vaccine Summit.
Read more...
Flu Vaccine Found to be Less Effective Last Year but
Worked for Seniors
Survey finds more people getting shot and flu than
in past years
May
7, 2007 - A new Harris Poll suggests that the
flu vaccine used before last winter may have been less effective than
the vaccines used in some previous years. The adults who had flu shots
before last winter were only 24 percent less likely to get the flu than
those who were not vaccinated. In the two previous years Harris has
found a larger difference in protection – 45% in 2004/05 and 33% in
2003/04. The good news is 73% of senior citizens got a flu shot and
fewer got the flu last year than any other adult age group.
Read more...
Flu Vaccine Produced in Insect Cells May Speed
Development in Emergency
Preliminary study finds it safe, successful in
adults; faster than eggs
April 11, 2007 – A fear of many involved in
preparing for an outbreak of avian flu and a possible pandemic has been
the dependency on the slow process of developing the influenza vaccines
in chicken eggs. Now, scientists have found a promising alternative to
create vaccine to treat seasonal and pandemic influenza – insect cells.
The vaccine produced appeared safe and produced an immunogenic response
in healthy adults in a preliminary study reported in the April 11 issue
of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Senior Citizens May be Safer Than Young Adults in
Flu Pandemic, Study Finds
1918 pandemic tended to kill the young, as has
recent bird flu
 March
1, 2007 - Evidence is mounting that senior citizens and the
elderly may not be the ones most in danger should there be an avian
influenza pandemic, contrary to what many have predicted, according to a new report
that looked at studies of the 1918 influenza pandemic. One of the great
unsolved mysteries surrounding this “Spanish Flu” pandemic is why it
tended to kill the young and healthy, rather than older people, say the
authors. Read more...
Yearly Flu Shot Senior Citizens Get May Offer Some
Protection from H5N1
St. Jude studies show N1 protein in seasonal flu
vaccine can trigger an antibody response to avian flu virus
Feb. 13, 2007 – The annual flu shot that Medicare
provides and every senior citizen should be getting, may also offer
protection from the bird flu virus, H5N1, at least for some people,
according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Read more...
Government Paying $102.6 Million to See if Peramivir
Can Protect Against Bird Flu
HHS says drug has shown effectiveness against a
number of influenza strains
January 4, 2007 – There may be a new tool in the
war against the bird flu that threatens a world pandemic. At least the
government is betting $102.6 million on it. Health & Human Services
today announced they have awarded the money to Bio Cryst
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., for development of their influenza antiviral
drug, peramivir. The funding will also pay to see if it is an effective
treatment for the H5N1 virus.
Read more...
As H5N1 Virus Concern Grows, U.S. Buys Additional
Influenza Vaccine
U.S. wants to prepare to protect 20 million from
pandemic
November
20, 2006 – The U.S. government has taken another step toward building a
stockpile of vaccine to protect 20 million people in the event of an
influenza pandemic. The newest vaccine purchases of 5.3 million doses
supplements the existing stockpile of 5.9 million doses of H5N1 vaccine.
Health & Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the
department has awarded contracts totaling $199.45 million to three
vaccine makers to the 90-microgram doses.
Read more...
CDC Sets Last Week in November as National Flu
Vaccination Week
Plenty of vaccine delivered, seniors urged
to get shots even if late
November 13, 2006 – The week after Thanksgiving has
been designated at National Influenza Vaccination Week by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention in an effort to urge Americans –
senior citizens in particular – to get a flu vaccination, even if it is
in December or later. The primary focus has been on urging shots in
October and November. Read more...
Public Health Leaders Want Pandemic Planning Moved
to HHS from Homeland Security
American Public
Health Association launches its own effort to better inform public
November 7, 2006 - The American Public Health
Association today voted to adopt new policy that supports comprehensive
national planning for an influenza pandemic and recommends key changes
to the current response strategy, including ensuring care for vulnerable
populations, such as, senior citizens, and making the Department of
Health & Human Services the lead agency for pandemic flu planning,
rather than the Department of Homeland Security.
Read more...
Election Day is Good Day for Seniors Citizens to Get
Flu Shot While Out
74% of 65+ say they plan to get shot but we need 100%
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
November 7, 2006 – Today is Election Day, and also
a good day to get your flu shot while you are out. In some communities
these vaccinations are even being offered at the polls. A recent
Rasmussen Reports survey found that 74 percent of America's senior
citizens – those ages 65 and older – plan to get a flu shot this year.
That's not enough. We need 100%.
Read more...
Light Activated Coating That Kills Viruses Like Flu
is Headed to Market
'These are applications that can change the world,'
says scientist
 October 31, 2006 - Imagine if killing flu viruses
and other microbes were as simple as turning on a light. Exposing a
unique surface coating to light may in fact hold the key to protecting
us from virtually all viruses and bacteria, including the feared avian
flu. It's being touted as a possible "anti-pandemic" agent.
Read more...
Flu Clinics are Open for Business, Wal-Mart Shooting
for a Million People
Senior citizens have
many options for free flu shots this season
October 19, 2006 – Flu shot clinics – free to
senior citizens on Medicare – are busy all over the U.S. These clinics
are easy to locate and there is an ample supply of vaccine, especially
for the high-risk older Americans. Wal-Mart and its associated Sam's
Club, partnering with Theraflu, claim to be hosting the nation's largest
flu vaccination event this month and their target is immunize a
million people. Read more...
Flu Medicine Heavily Hoarded in 2005 but Not by
Endangered Senior Citizens
300%
jump in prescriptions by healthiest
Americans after pandemic alert
October 17, 2006 – There was extensive hoarding of
the antiviral medication Tamiflu last year after the news media warned
of avian flu and America learned to fear the word "pandemic." It was
not, however, the senior citizens, the age group most likely to get the
flu and whose lives are most endangered, that were doing the hoarding.
It was the 50 through 64 year olds who were filling the most
prescriptions. Read more...
Maybe One-Two Punch Will Knock Out Deadly Bird Flu
Virus
Seeking solution to anti-Pandemic dilemma of not
knowing the virus we are trying to stop
October 13, 2006 – Scientist around the world are
scrambling to find a vaccine that can prevent bird flu in humans and,
thus, protect humanity from a deadly pandemic. But there is a problem –
the bird flu virus we need to stop probably does not even exist, yet,
which makes it difficult to design a preventive medicine. But
researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center think they are
on to something – a one-two punch that has worked in a small trial.
Read more...
Maybe Anti-Flu Protection can be Delivered in a
Cocktail to Prevent Even Bird Flu
Peptide blocks flu virus from entering
cells, thwarting its ability to replicate
 October 5, 2006 – With most senior citizens facing
a flu shot in the near future, they may appreciate the work of
researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that say they have
discovered a novel compound that offers broad protection against
influenza viruses, including deadly avian influenza. Here's the best
part – this protection may be delivered in an anti-influenza cocktail,
rather than with a needle.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Have No Reason to Skip Flu,
Pneumonia Shots This Year
Shots are free for
most seniors, in most neighborhoods,
plentiful
October 4, 2006 – There is no reason for senior
citizens not to get flu and pneumonia vaccine inoculations this year –
there are more vaccine doses available than ever before, the shots are
paid for by Medicare Part B and Medicaid and an online flu shot locator
(see below) can help easily find where shots are available near home.
Still, statistics show, many will not, which puts them endanger and can
help spread the diseases to others.
Read more...
Flu Shots
Encouraged for Heart Patients in New Advisory as Flu Season Nears
American Heart
Association reminds seniors its time for flu shots
 September
29, 2006 - The American Heart Association and the American College of
Cardiology are asking heart doctors to do something they may not
normally do — give flu shots to their patients. However, patients with
cardiovascular disease should not get the nasal-spray flu vaccine. This
is a significant new recommendation for this flu season, with senior
citizens and other high risk individuals.
Read more...
Record Number of Flu Vaccine Doses Headed for U.S.
Market
 CDC says
most vaccine providers should have
vaccine in October
September 6, 2006 – A record number of doses of
influenza vaccine will be available this year, according to an
announcement today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vaccine manufacturers are expecting to produce and distribute more than
100 million doses of influenza vaccines in the United States between now
and early January, 2007 - at least 17 million more doses than has ever
been distributed. Read more...
Avian Flu News for Senior Citizens
Discovery of Bird Flu Virus Structure Could Herald
Better Drugs
Tamiflu only drug
shown effective against H5N1, but there were human deaths in Asia where
bird flu resisted the drug
By David
McAlary
Voice of America, Washington - 16 August 2006
British
researchers have taken a step that could lead to more potent drugs
against the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus. They have peered inside a key
protein on the surface of the virus, obtaining structural information
that chemists could use to design new drugs to block it.
Read more...
Pandemic News for Senior Citizens
Bird Flu Found in Michigan Swans Not the H5N1 Strain
- Just H5 and N1
No threat to human health says Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
 August
14, 2006 – Two Michigan swans were found to have an H5 and an N1 but
they don't fit together to make H5N1. These avian influenza subtypes
have been found in two wild mute swans but the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and Interior have ruled out the possibility of this being
the H5N1 strain that has spread through birds in other parts of the
world and caused a number of human deaths. Tests results indicate there
is no threat to human health from the Michigan swans, according to a
news release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Testing, however, is continuing.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Studies Show Only Modest Benefits of Flu Shots Among
Older Adults
By Becky Ham,
Science Writer
Health Behavior News Service
July 18, 2006 - Although national and international
health organizations urge anyone over age 65 to get yearly flu shots,
the vaccinations are only modestly effective in preventing flu and its
complications among older adults, according to a new review of recent
studies.
Read
more...
Avian Flu News for Senior Citizens
Pandemic Flu Preparedness Gets More U.S. Funding as
Threat Marches On
June
16, 2006 – Although the threat of pandemic flu seems to have dropped
considerably as a concern of Americans, the Congress yesterday approved
an emergency funding request of $2.3 billion for pandemic preparedness.
And, the threat still grows as China today reported its 19th case of
H5N1 avian influenza and the World Health Organization tracking shows
there have already been more cases and deaths from bird flu in these
early months of 2006 than in any of the last three years.
Read more...
HHS Secretary Lays Out Pandemic Plan for Elderly
Senate aging committee focuses on preparation for
pandemic
May 25, 2006 – At a hearing this morning by the
Senate's Special Committee on Aging on "Preparing For Pandemic Flu,"
Health & Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said, "two federal
advisory committees have recommended HHS prioritize elderly populations,
"particularly those with 1 or more influenza high-risk condition, for
vaccine administration and antiviral drug use." He added, however,
"these recommendations will be reviewed and possibly revised."
Read more...
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Higher Dose of Flu Vaccine Improves Immune Response
in the Elderly
Senior citizens with double dose had up to 79%
more antibody
May 22, 2006 - There may be a simple way to provide
elderly Americans with extra protection against the annual flu virus:
give them a higher dose of seasonal flu vaccine. This idea is suggested
by the results of a newly reported clinical trial supported by the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a
component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Read more...
'Holy Grail' of Flu Vaccines Successful in St. Jude
Test
Vaccine protected animals from bird and human
influenza virus
May 2, 2006 – Senior citizens, considered among the
most vulnerable should a bird flu pandemic erupt, may find hope in
research at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital that has discovered
that a new
vaccine protects mice and ferrets from a highly lethal avian influenza
virus.
Read more...
Relenza Inhaler Approved for Prevention of A and B
Flu; Stockpiled for Pandemic
Second drug option
for Americans to prevent and treat flu
March 31, 2006 – Although not a substitute for the
flu vaccine, Relenza, an inhaler administered drug, has been approved
for prevention of influenza A and B virus infections in adults and
children. In one of the clinical trials used for the approval, which
consisted primarily of senior citizens, the percent that developed
symptoms confirmed to be flu were reduced from 1.4% of those on placebo
to 0.2% for those who used Relenza. It is being stockpiled by the U.S.
for use in a possible bird flu pandemic.
Read more...
Bird Flu Vaccine Supply Shrinks with News It Takes
Double Dose to Work
Even then it only
worked in half the participants - no seniors included
March 30, 2006 – The U.S. supply of vaccine to
prevent bird flu (H5N1) just got cut at least in half by the report of a
clinical trial that found it took two doses to achieve immunity, and
that was only in about half the patients. This trial, incidentally,
included no senior citizens – people over age 64 – who are considered
most in danger should an avian flu pandemic strike.
Read more...
Marketing Program Could Boost Elderly Flu
Vaccinations, Save Lives
10-year federal flu vaccination program could save
more than 6,500 lives
By Krista Hopson
March 24, 2006 - To increase influenza vaccinations
rates among the elderly – those ages 65 and over who are at high risk
for influenza-related mortality – the federal government could consider
borrowing a page from the pharmaceutical companies' prescription drug
advertising campaigns.
Read
more...
Seniors' Avian Flu Alert
U.S. Now Has 26 Million Avian Flu Antiviral
Treatments to Fight Pandemic
Death toll at 27 in first three months of 2006,
compared to 44 in all of 2005
March 23, 2006 - HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt
yesterday
announced additional purchases of six million antiviral drug treatments
that could be used in the event of a potential influenza pandemic. With
these purchases, the Strategic National Stockpile will have a total of
26 million treatment courses of antiviral drugs for distribution to the
states when an influenza pandemic is deemed to be imminent. Deaths
worldwide from the feared Avian Flu or Bird Flu have now reached 27
compared to 44 for all of last year, according to the World Health
Organization. Read more...
Flu Shots Work Best in Married Senior Citizens,
Worst in Those Sad
March 20, 2006 – Senior citizens who are happily
married show stronger responses to flu shots that those who are
unmarried, especially those who are widowed. And, flu shots do not work
as well in older adults who have recently experienced the death of a
family member or close friend, a new study shows.
Read more...
Vaccinated Senior Citizens Less Likely to Die from
Pneumonia
March 16, 2006 – It may be unclear if the
vaccination for pneumonia will prevent the deadly disease, but a new
study says senior citizens hospitalized for pneumonia and who received
the pneumococcal vaccine are at a lower risk of dying from the disease
than those who haven’t been vaccinated. Prior vaccination also reduces
patients’ risk of developing medical complications and decreases their
length of stay in the hospital, according to an article in the Clinical
Infectious Diseases, April 15 issue and now available online.
Read more...
Senior Health Alert
Don't Use Amantadine or Rimandatine to Treat Flu,
Warns CDC
Evidence indicates Influenza A viruses in US are
resistant to these drugs
Jan. 15, 2006 – The Centers for Disease Control
yesterday issued an urgent health alert warning Americans not to rely on
the antiviral drugs amantadine or rimantadine to treat influenza
infection. The agency says a resistance to the medicines has developed
in much of the US influenza A virus. Amantadine, however, is also used
to treat Parkinson’s disease, and should continue to be used for this
treatment.
Read more...
Respiratory Syncytial Virus May Kill as Many Elderly
as Flu
How to prevent it? Wash your hands.
Jan. 13, 2006 - Infectious disease experts at the
University of Rochester Medical Center have tracked the dangers from one
of the most common winter bugs, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and
they say the threat to some groups of people, such as the elderly,
equals that from flu. Even though flu gets all the press, RSV is a
stealth bug worthy of attention too.
Read
more...
HHS Announces $100 Million to Accelerate State and
Local Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Efforts
Jan. 12, 2006 - Health and Human Services today
announced $100 million in funding for state and local governments to
help prepare for a possible influenza pandemic. These grants will be
awarded to all 50 states, 7 territories, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, and the District of Columbia. Each state will receive a minimum of
$500,000, with additional allocation of funds by population. In addition
to the state grants, funds are being awarded to New York City, Chicago
and Los Angeles County. He also announced a preparedness checklist for
community organizations.
Read
more...
Senior Flu Watch
Tamiflu Provides Flu Tracker Download to Keep Eye on
Flu Spread
Website tools make it easy for senior citizens to get
current info online
Jan. 12, 2006 – The marketer of Tamiflu, the
top-selling treatment for seasonal flu and currently being used to treat
bird flu, is providing online tools that many senior citizens may want
to use to track the seasonal flu threat in their area. The latest is the
upgraded Desktop Flu Tracker that allows users to track the spread of
flu in any community in the continental US. They also have the Zip Code
Tracker that allows you to enter your zip code and get an immediate
graphic showing the flu threat in your community compared to the US
average.
Read more...
Flu Update: State Planning Summits Begin as H5N1
Deaths Spread to Turkey
HHS issues pandemic planning book for families,
seasonal flu steady
Jan. 6, 2006 – While the war in Iraq and corruption
in government grab the headlines, senior citizens, the most vulnerable
to influenza, need to keep their eyes on the war against the flu, both
pandemic and seasonal. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced a new
guide to help American families guard against the avian flu (pandemic)
at a statewide planning session in Arizona. Yesterday, the World Health
Organization confirmed two deaths from H5N1 in Turkey, the first outside
of East Asia. Meanwhile, the regular flu season in the U.S. seems to be
under control.
Read more...
Senior Alerts
Avian Flu Treatments Found Fraudulent by FDA
Dec. 14, 2004 - The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has issued warning letters to nine companies
marketing bogus flu products behind claims that their products could be
effective against preventing the avian flu or other forms of influenza.
FDA is not aware of any scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety
or effectiveness of these products for treating or preventing avian flu
and the agency is concerned that the use of these products could harm
consumers or interfere with conventional treatments.
Read more...
Pandemic Planning Moves to Community Level
Feds gather state and local officials to develop
cooperative plans
Dec. 5, 2005 – The U.S. effort to ward off a
possible influenza pandemic went local today as Health and Human
Services convened senior state and local officials at a meeting in
Washington to focus on moving pandemic planning to the community level.
Read more...
Flu Expert Calls For Mandatory Vaccination of Health
Care Workers
Only 40 percent getting shots puts patients, in
particular senior citizens, at high risk
Nov.
9, 2005 – Expressing a view that is sure to draw debate, a Johns
Hopkins' senior hospital epidemiologist and flu expert is calling for
mandatory vaccination of all health care workers as the best means of
protecting patients and hospital staff from widespread outbreaks of the
viral illness. Studies by other researchers show that voluntary
vaccination programs don't do the job and that each year, nearly 40,000
Americans die from influenza, many of them elderly or ill, with weakened
immune systems that cannot readily fend off the disease.
Read more...
Pandemic Flu Plan for Health Care System Released by
HHS
Nov. 2, 2005 – Health and Human Services got into
the Pandemic strategic act today when HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt
released the HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan, which is described as “a
detailed guide for how our nation's health care system can prepare and
respond to an influenza pandemic.” The HHS plan is the medical and
public health component of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza,
announced by the President yesterday.
Read more...
Pandemic Flu Questions Answered by CDC Director
Nov.
1, 2005 - Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director, Centers for Disease Control,
answers questions about the possible flu pandemic after President Bush
outlines his strategy for the war on the pandemic.
Read more...
President Asks Congress for $7.1 Billion for War on
Pandemic
Bush outlines pandemic flu strategy of preparation
and response
Nov. 1, 2005 – President Bush said today the key
elements of the U.S. strategy to avoid the pandemic flu are to detect
outbreaks anywhere in the world, to stockpile vaccines and antiviral
drugs, as well as improve our ability to rapidly produce new vaccines,
and prepare to respond at all levels of government should a pandemic
reach the U.S. He also asked Congress for $7.1 billion in emergency
funding to carry out the strategy.
Read more...
Website on National Pandemic Strategy
Nov. 1, 2005 – At the same
time President Bush was announcing his strategy for the war on the
possible pandemic flu in the U.S., the White House posted a new Website
called the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza. It is divided into
sections that provide an easily searchable presentation. To visit the
site –
click here.
Doctor Charged for Fake Flu Shots Given
to Senior
Citizens
Oct. 31,205 – A doctor is accused of giving flu
shots of purified water, rather than flu vaccine, to at least 14 senior
citizens that lived in a nursing home near La Porte, Texas, and to more
than 1,000 employees of Exxon Mobile near Baytown. His motive, says the
government, was to defraud Medicare. The news created a scary vision for
many seniors this Halloween day.
Read
more...
Tamiflu Vaccine Shipments to U.S. Halted by
Manufacturer
Tamiflu, Relenza antiviral drugs primarily for
regular flu but seen as help in avian flu battle and hoarding suspected
Oct. 28, 2005 – The manufacturer of Tamiflu, a
vaccine primarily for the regular seasonal flu, but also considered as
help against avian flu, has announced a halt to shipments of their
vaccine to the U.S. Excessive orders have led the company to believe
their drug is being hoarded by companies anticipating a high demand if
avian flu should emerge in this country.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Needed for Testing First Avian Flu
Vaccine
Oct. 28, 2005 – Senior citizens, age 65 and over,
are needed for a clinical trial of the first vaccine that targets the
deadly avian flu virus. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville,
Tenn., is now enrolling volunteers. Dr. Kathryn Edwards says 100 seniors
are needed for this second phase of the study for the National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Read more...
HHS Increases Buy of Pandemic Bird Flu Vaccine to
$162 Million
New contract to develop H5N1 vaccine is with Chiron
Corporation
Oct. 27, 2005 – Health and Human Services has
ordered an additional $62.5 million in influenza vaccine designed to
combat the H5N1 avian flu virus that many fear will cause an
international pandemic. In September, HHS awarded $100 million to Sanofi
Pasteur for bird flu vaccine and announced an agreement with a German
company to develop at least one vaccine for each of the 16 variations of
a key influenza surface protein known as hemagglutinin (represented by
the letter "H" in the names of influenza strains, such as H5N1).
Read more...
Pandemic Flu Rapid Response Team Created by FDA,
Warns of Fake Treatments
Team to help expedite vaccine, new drugs to fight
avian (bird) flu
Oct. 24, 2005 - In response to the emerging threat
of pandemic (Avian) influenza, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
today announced the formation of a Rapid Response Team to ensure that
antiviral drugs are available to the American people - in particular
high risk senior citizens, in the event they
are needed. The agency also issued a warning about possible fake drugs
and fraudulent treatments it suspects will emerge.
Read more...
World's Pandemic Fighters to Gather in Geneva, Worry
Grows of Bird Flu in Africa
UK asks for bids on 120 million vaccine doses, in US
surgical mask in demand
Oct. 19, 2005 – While world leaders in the fight
against avian flu prepare for a summit in early November, there is
increasing worry of the bird flu’s spread to Africa, and the UK is
asking for pandemic vaccine providers to bid on providing that country
with 120 million doses. And, a distributor of surgical face masks used
to avoid the flu says it is struggling to keep up with the U.S. demand.
Read more...
FDA Attempts to Quell Growing Fear of Flu Vaccine
Shortage, Again
Oct. 18, 2005 – With growing concern about another
shortage of flu vaccine this year, the FDA issued a statement that it
“anticipates the production of more vaccine than last year.” Yesterday,
Chiron, the flu producer whose shutdown caused last year’s problem, said
its U.S. flu vaccine deliveries will fall short of targets – less than
18 million doses of the 18 to 26 million projected.
Read more...
Rule Final to
Require Flu Shots by Nursing Homes
Residents must get flu, pneumonia vaccine to keep
Medicare, Medicaid
Oct. 7, 2005 – A rule by the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid that requires nursing homes serving Medicare and Medicaid
patients to provide immunizations against influenza and pneumococcal
disease to all residents became official today with publication in the
Federal Register.
Read more...
Avian Flu Controllable in U.S. as Long as It’s “Bird
Flu”
By Krishna Ramanujan, Cornell
University
Oct.
6, 2005 - If a virulent strain of avian influenza ever struck the U.S.
poultry industry, this country probably would fare better than many
other nations, due to careful biosecurity procedures in force. As long
as the disease stays primarily a bird flu, officials have some control,
says Alfonso Torres, a government consultant on the issue. He is a
former U.S. chief veterinary officer and director of the Plum Island
Animal Disease Center, a high-security animal laboratory previously
operated by the USDA but now part of the Department of Homeland
Security. Read more...
U.S. Makes Second Agreement for Anti-Pandemic Flu
Vaccine
Developers targeting H5N1 virus that has caused Asian
epidemic
Sept. 28, 2005 – In the second announcement within
two weeks, Health and Human Services says an agreement has been signed
to develop vaccines against avain flu viruses that have the potential to
cause pandemics. Today, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said an agreement has
been signed with MedImmune of Gaithersburg, Md., to produce and test
these vaccines, including one for the H5N1 avian flu virus, which has
caused an epidemic in Asia.
Read
more...
Clinics Others Open, Too
Largest National Pharmacies Offer In-Store Flu Shots
CVS opens October 1, Walgreens on October 3 – over
8,000 locations
Sept. 28, 2005 – The two largest pharmacy chains in
the U.S. – Walgreens and CVS – are both offering flu shots in their
stores with senior citizens a top priority through October 23. At CVS,
flu shots begin October 1 and continue through November. Walgreens will
offer shots from October 3 through November 18. Shots are free at both
stores to those presenting their Medicare card with Medicare Part B
coverage that has not been assigned to an HMO.
Read more...
HHS Buys Vaccine, Antiviral to Combat Potential Flu
Pandemic
Secretary voices support of International Partnership
on Avian and Pandemic Influenza
Sept. 15, 2005 - HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the
purchase of vaccine and antiviral medications that could be used in the
event of a potential influenza pandemic. He also affirmed his commitment
to the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza
announced by President Bush yesterday at the United Nations General
Assembly. Read more...
Health Experts Press Urgency in Flu Vaccinations
Senior citizens, others at high risk are priority for
vaccinations through October 24
Sept. 14, 2005 – Government agencies and national
health associations came together today for a press conference at the
National Press Club to warn about the severity of influenza and
pneumonia and call for renewed efforts to increase vaccination rates
among senior citizens and others considered at high risk from these
vaccine-preventable diseases.
Read
more...
FDA Approves New Fluarix Vaccine for Upcoming Flu
Season
HHS says it is big step toward providing adequate
supply
Aug. 31, 2005 - The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) today approved Fluarix, an influenza vaccine for adults that
contains inactivated virus. Fluarix is approved to immunize adults 18
years of age and older against influenza virus types A and B contained
in the vaccine. Influenza is also commonly called the flu.
Read more...
Nursing Homes Must Give Flu Shots: Medicare,
Medicaid Say
Aug. 12, 2005 - Nursing homes serving Medicare and
Medicaid patients would have to provide immunizations against influenza
and pneumococcal disease to all residents if they want to continue in
the programs, according to a proposed rule to be released by CMS in the
August 15 Federal Register.
Read
more...
Flu Pandemic Could Be Stopped With Early Actions
Aug. 4, 2005 - A carefully chosen combination of
public health measures, if implemented early, could stop the spread of
an avian flu outbreak at its source, suggest two international teams of
researchers in Nature
(August 3) and Science
(August 5). This deadly virus poses the potential threat of the flu
pandemic that could kill thousands of people, with senior citizens being
the most vulnerable.
Read more...
Pandemic Flu Projection Says More Than Half Million
Could Die in U.S.
Chart shows expected deaths, hospitalization, cases
by state
June 24, 2005 - Trust for America's Health (TFAH)
today released state-by-state projections that found over half a million
Americans could die and over 2.3 million could be hospitalized if a
moderately severe strain of a pandemic flu virus hits the U.S. Senior
citizens and the elderly would be at high risk. Based on the model
estimates, 66.9 million Americans are at risk of contracting the
disease.
Read more...see
state chart
HHS Awards $97 Million Contract to Develop Cell
Culture-Based Influenza Vaccine
Effort Designed to Diversify and Accelerate Vaccine
Production to Enhance Pandemic Preparedness
April 3, 2005 – Health and Human Services has
awarded a $97 million contract to Sanofi Pasteur to speed the production
process for new influenza vaccines for the U.S. The five-year award
supports the development of advanced techniques using a cell-based,
rather than an egg-based, approach to producing influenza vaccines. The
contract also calls for plans to establish a U.S.-based, cell cultured
influenza vaccine manufacturing facility.
Read more...
Value of Flu Vaccination in Preventing Elderly
Deaths is Questioned
Feb. 15, 2005 - Studies
which report that influenza vaccination reduces winter mortality risk
among the elderly by 50 percent may substantially overestimate the
vaccination benefit, according to the February 14 issue of The Archives
of Internal Medicine.
Read more...
Flu Shots Benefit Anybody
With High-Risk Medical Condition
Feb. 15, 2005 - Persons
younger than 65 with high-risk medical conditions such as chronic lung
and heart disease can substantially benefit from annual influenza
vaccination during an epidemic, according to a study in the February 14
issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine.
Read more...
Flu Vaccine Available and Senior Citizens Should Get
Shot
February is usually the worst month for influenza
Feb 15, 2005 – Midway in the month that most often
sees the most influenza, the Centers for Disease Control says there are
still millions of doses of flu vaccine available and senior citizens
should continue to seek vaccinations from their local healthcare
providers. Read more...
Latest Survey
Flu Shots Hitting Target
Groups: Slightly Lower for Seniors, Big Gain in Babies
Feb. 15, 2005 – Flu vaccine reached a record number
of babies in 2004 but the percentage of senior citizens and others
receiving the vaccine was down slightly from 2003, according to the most
recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control, which covered
September through December of 2004.
Read
more...
Demonstration Project
Medicare Offers Help to Seniors With Flu
Jan. 7, 2004 – Senior citizens who get the flu can
get assistance to help pay for antiviral medicines under a demonstration
project announced today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS). More... 1/7/05*
Caregivers, Adults Over 49 May Get Flu Shots in 2005
Availability will determine where these groups
allowed
Dec. 20, 2004 – Effective January 3, 2005, the
priority group for flu vaccine will be expanded in certain areas to
include persons from age 50 through 64, out-of-home caregivers and
household contacts of persons in high-risk groups. These areas will be
determined by as where state and local health authorities judge vaccine
supply to be adequate to meet demand.
More... 12/20/04*
Get Prepared for Pandemic from Avian Flu Virus, Says
World Health Organization
Estimates of deaths range from two to fifty million;
seniors, children most at risk
Dec. 9, 2004 - The World Health Organization and
influenza experts worldwide are concerned that the recent appearance and
widespread distribution of an avian influenza virus, Influenza A (H5N1),
has the potential to ignite the next flu pandemic. All avian influenza
viruses are not the same, however, and the strains found in North
America have not been H5N1.
More...
12/09/04*
HHS Purchases 1.2 Million Doses of Flu Vaccine
GlaxoSmithKline Vaccine Adds To 61 Million Doses
In United States
Dec. 7, 2004 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson
announced today that the Food and Drug Administration authorized the use
of GlaxoSmithKline influenza vaccine, Fluarix, in the United States
under an Investigational New Drug application. Additionally, HHS has
reached an agreement with the company to purchase 1.2 million doses of
the vaccine for distribution to areas most in need.
More... 12/07/04*
New
Budget Has $100 Million to Avoid Flu Vaccine Shortage in 2005
Nov. 24, 2004 – The federal budget for 2005 that
was approved by Congress, includes $100 million to enhance the flu
vaccine supply next year. The American Public Health Association greeted
the action as good news that will “provide for year-round production”
and the purchase of additional vaccine to avoid future shortages.
More... 11/24/04*
Plans to Prevent Another Flu Vaccine Shortage:
Topic for Senate Aging Committee
Hearing Tuesday features FDA commissioner, CDC
official and others
Nov. 15, 2004 - The U.S. Senate Special Committee
on Aging will hold a hearing tomorrow featuring testimony by Lester M.
Crawford, Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, about
the flu vaccine shortage and plans to prevent this happening next year.
More... 11/15/04*
NIAID Launches Expanded Flu Web Site
Nov. 15, 2004 - The National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) today launched its updated Web site on
influenza research. Titled "Focus on the Flu," the Web site spotlights
cutting-edge NIAID-supported research; graphics that illuminate concepts
important to understanding influenza research, such as reverse genetics
and antigenic shift and drift; health-related facts sheets; recent NIAID
publications and Congressional testimony; and other flu resources.
The Web site is available at
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/newsroom/FocusOn/Flu04.
Pneumonia Vaccine Critical for Elderly, Even With Flu Shot
Nov. 9,
2004 – Two years ago, almost 60,000 Americans 65 and older died from
pneumonia – many more than from influenza. Many of the elderly may not
be aware there is a vaccine for pneumonia and that they should seek this
life-saving protection from their doctor, even if they get a flu shot.
More... 11/09/04*
What is Pneumococcal Pneumonia?
Nov. 9, 2004 - Pneumococcal pneumonia
primarily causes illness in children younger than 2 years old and adults
65 years of age or older. The elderly are especially vulnerable to
getting seriously ill and dying from this disease.
More... 11/09/04*
Flu Shot Protects Elderly from Death by Many Causes
Nov. 3, 2004 – Missing an annual flu shot by an
elderly person can put their lives at jeopardy from more than just
influenza, according a new research. The study from the Netherlands says
senior citizens who have a yearly flu vaccination have reduced risk of
death from all causes.
More...
11/03/04*
Seniors Worried Abut
Flu Vaccine Shortage Now Must Worry About “Flu Pandemic”
Pandemic could
cause deaths of tens of millions, says World Health Organization,
that has called for global summit
Nov. 1, 2004 – If
the shortage of flu vaccine was not enough to keep seniors worried, we
now have the “flu pandemic,” which the U.N.’s World Health Organization
says is “closer than ever.” They have called for a world summit on
November 11. The flu killed about 36,000 in the U.S. last year and a
million worldwide. Tens of millions can die in a pandemic, which occurs
ever 20 to 30 years. Here is what you need to know about a pandemic.
More... 11/01/04*
Flu Prevention Update
4.2 Million Flu Vaccine Doses Shipped This Week for
High-Priority Groups
Now 9 million doses to these special needs groups,
antiviral drugs stockpiled for use
Oct. 30, 2004- Over 4.2 million influenza vaccine
doses were shipped this week to health providers serving high-priority
groups as part of the plan announced on October 12 by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Aventis Pasteur. The Department
of Health and Human Services also said yesterday in has purchased a
stockpile of antiviral drugs to treat more than 7 million people.
More... 10/30/04*
FDA Finds Five Million
New Doses of Flu Vaccine
Oct. 28, 2004 – The Food
and Drug Administration has identified about 5 million new doses of
influenza vaccine from foreign manufacturers; HHS has been able to
recoup an additional 300,000 doses of the injectable vaccine originally
bought for federal employees and the military; and a major pneumonia
vaccine manufacturer plans to triple its production.
More... 10/28/04*
Antiviral Drugs Promoted for Flu Prevention,
Treatment
Oct. 19, 2004 – Three antiviral drugs are now being
emphasized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a
means of “preventing” the flu. Amantadine, rimantadine, and oseltamivir
have been approved for flu prevention but not as a substitute for
influenza vaccination. These drugs may be an acceptable alternative for
those who are unable to find flu vaccinations due to the shortage.
More... 10/19/04*
U.S. Turning to Canada for Drugs – Flu Vaccine
Oct. 19, 2004 – Just like many senior citizens, the
U.S. government is turning to Canada for drugs, according to HHC
Secretary Tommy Thompson, who announced today the U.S. is negotiating
with Canada to buy flu vaccine to help solve the shortage in the U.S.
More... 10/19/04*
FDA Confirms Chiron Flu Vaccine Not Usable, Says
Search for More Vaccine Continues
Oct. 16, 2004 - Just to make it official - the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration issued a statement late yesterday
confirming the earlier decision by British inspectors that the Chiron
influenza vaccine is not save for use. But, the FDA did say the search
for more vaccine is continuing.
More...
10/16/04*
States Urged to Investigate, Prosecute Flu Vaccine
Price-Gougers
Oct. 14, 2004 –Attorneys
General in each state was urged today to thoroughly investigate reports
of price gouging involving the flu vaccine and to prosecute all found to
be taking advantage of the vaccine shortage. The encouragement was in a
letter from Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson.
More... 10/14/04*
Most Hospitals Have Been Offered Flu Vaccine at
Inflated Prices
Oct. 13, 2004 – Most hospital pharmacy directors
say they have been contacted by vendors offering to sell flu vaccine at
“highly inflated” prices, since the vaccine shortage was announced on
October 5. More... 10/13/04*
CDS
Announces Plan to Help Get Flu Vaccine to Most Needy
Oct.
12, 2004 - The first phase of a plan to control the shipment of
available influenza vaccine to help assure those most in need get the
shots, was announced today at a news conference by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the Aventis Pasteur company.
More... 10/12/04*
Best Place for Latest Information on Flu
Shots is Online
Maxim Health updating FindaFluShot.com
everyday
Oct. 12, 2004 – The best place we have
found for getting the latest information on flu shots and
where to get them is at the Maxim Health System’s Website -
www.findaflushot.com. A unique service is the
Flu Shot Locator, where users can enter their location and
the site will provide information on the nearest location
for flu vaccinations. The site is updated daily.
More... 10/12/04*
All 65 and Older on Priority List for Flu Shots Issued After Sudden
Shortage Erupts
Oct. 6, 2004 – In response to the sudden news of a
critical shortage in the supply of flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease
Control in the Department of Health and Human Services has issued new
guidelines concerning who should receive priority for the vaccinations
this season, as has the American Medical Association.
More... 10/06/04*
Flu Shot
Crisis Erupts as Major Supplier Shutdown
Oct. 5, 2004 – A major flu shot shortage in the U.S.
emerged today after the major supplier’s plant was shutdown abruptly by British
health officials. Officials are suggesting the U.S. may have to ration the
vaccine. More... 10/05/04*
32,000 Senior Citizens Died From Flu Last Year --
Record Amount of Vaccine Available This Year
Senate hearing held
as the U.S. conducts National Adult Immunization Awareness Week
Sept. 29, 2004 –
The flu killed 36,000 Americans last year – more than 32,000 were 65 or
older – despite the highest immunization rate ever. Over 83 million were
immunized but still only six of every ten senior citizens received the
life-saving shots, according to testimony yesterday before the U.S.
Senate Special Committee on Aging. The flu and pneumonia (the most
common complication of the flu) combined are the fifth leading cause of
death among Americans age 65 and older.
More... 9/29/04*
Urgent Call for
Senior Citizens to Get Flu, Pneumonia Vaccinations
Medicare Part B,
Medicaid Will Pay For Treatment
Sept. 23, 2004 –
U.S. health officials said today that increased hospitalizations for
influenza convinced them to urge Americans at high risk – particularly
senior citizens – to seek flu immunization. They also stressed persons
65 or older should also get pneumonia vaccinations.
More... 9/23/04*
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