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News: Swine flu, H1N1 flu: Facts you should know about symptoms and vaccination Two strains of flu, seasonal flu and the H1N1 (Swine) flu, are currently circulating. A third, highly lethal H5N1 (Bird) flu is being closely tracked overseas. Most healthy people recover from the flu without problems, but certain people are at high risk for serious complications. Read more |
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Flu refers to illnesses caused by a number of different influenza viruses. Flu can cause a range of symptoms and effects, from mild to lethal. |
September 2009
Dear
friends,
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that a
global pandemic of H1N1 (Swine) flu is underway by raising the worldwide
pandemic alert level to Phase 6. This action was a reflection of the
spread of the new H1N1 (Swine) flu virus, not the severity of illness
caused by the virus.
More than 70 countries have reported cases of H1N1 (Swine) flu
infection. The United States continues to report the largest number of
H1N1 (Swine) flu cases of any country worldwide, however, most people
who have become ill have recovered without requiring medical treatment.
Continuous global surveillance, rapid detection and isolation of
influenza are ongoing, coordinated efforts.
During an influenza pandemic, businesses and other employers have a
key role in protecting employees' health and safety as well as limiting
the negative impact to the economy and society. Planning for pandemic
influenza is critical. Companies that provide critical infrastructure
services, such as power and telecommunications, also have a special
responsibility to plan for continued operation in a crisis and should
plan accordingly. As with any catastrophe, having a contingency plan is
essential.
Community strategies that delay or reduce the impact of a pandemic (also
called non-pharmaceutical interventions) may help reduce the spread of
disease until a vaccine is available.
Get vaccinated because vaccination is the best protection against
contracting the flu. You need two vaccines to be fully protected this
year. The seasonal flu vaccine is different from the H1N1 (Swine) flu
vaccine. The CDC is encouraging people to get both vaccinations. Get the
seasonal vaccination as soon as possible and get the H1N1 (Swine) flu
vaccination as soon as it is available.
Read more about this timely issue in the article Swine flu, H1N1 flu: Facts you should know about symptoms and vaccination that you will find attached with our 80th Progressive Insurance Newsletter. You may also find very useful information at excellent official websites such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) PandemicFlu.gov and World Health Organization.
Regulatory authorities have licensed pandemic vaccines in Australia, China and the United States of America, soon to be followed by Japan and several countries in Europe. The length of the approval process depends on factors such as each country's regulatory pathway, the type of vaccine being licensed, and the stage of manufacturers' readiness to submit appropriate information to regulatory authorities.
Takis A. Haggiandreou
Director
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Children from 6 months through 18 years of age should be vaccinated against seasonal and swine flu. |
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