9/13/2009

Where is the swine flu vaccine ?

When Swine Flu first reared its head we were assured that a vaccine could be available as early as the first weeks of July. This date passed and we were then told it would be August. As August rolled on we were then told it would be September. Now, it appears, it will be October at the earliest that the vaccine will be here.

I've made this point before, but the government's planning for pandemics was based on H5N1 Bird Flu, which has a kill rate of about 60%. This means that for every 100,000 people getting it, 60,000 die. The government's own plan stated that a vaccine should take just four months to start arriving.

Now we are very lucky that this is a mild swine flu, but still it will be six months before the vaccine arrives.

How can the government have got this so wrong, been so slow and the government get away with it without receiving any flak ? If this had been H5N1 (and it might still be at some future date), we'd have had 200,000 dead by now, with another 500,000 in a second wave. Why are the government being let off the hook for getting this flu wrong just because only a few are dying. People are still dying who could have been saved if this government had pulled their finger out.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

FOR US AND EOROPEAN FRIENDS
There are natural herbs & spices that inhibit NF Kappa B expressions. One of them is CURCUIMINIODES and they are available in western countries as CURCUMIN 95% extracts. This will not only inhibits NF KappaB expression to reduce the inflammation but this also inhibits HAT activity of P300. It is essential for the flu virus to recruit this to multiply rapidly in our body. - MUCH BETTER OPTION THAN UNKOWN AND UNTESTED VACCINES and a poor Neuraminidase inhibitors "TAMIFLU".


FOR INDIAN AND SOUTH EAST ASIA FRIENDS
GILOI (This is not available in western countries)
can definitely help in reducing the effect of SWINE FLUE. In advanced stage flue causes activation of "NF Kappa B" initiating "CYTOKINE STORM". This results in to massive inflammation of the lungs and respiratory tracts taking their tolls on the victims of the SWINE FLUE. GILIOI is one of the few natural substances which can inhibit "NF Kappa B" expression and hence can be very useful in SWINEFLUE management strategy. However, there is very little or no DATA available as to the doses, bio-availability, half life and toxicity of Giloi. Perhaps, one can take this in quantity and way suggested by NAMDEO, as this is TIME TESTED method used by thousands for ages. Further, why should this require a “PROTOCOL” at the time of PANDEMIC, specially when there is nothing to offer from the shelves of modern medicines. I REPEAT - THERE IS NO MORDERN “MAN MADE MOLECULE” THAT CAN ADDRESS “NF Kappa B” EXPRESSION.

Perhaps our EUROPEAN and AMERICAN friends can form groups of NGO and import the extract of GILOI on humanitarian basis.

Feel free to contact me on my email address or my cell phone +91 9820192863.or email d_agarwal@dga-group.com / goldenford@gmail.com

DEV

Brian said...

"Why are the government being let off the hook for getting this flu wrong?" Because nobody expects them to succeed at anything anymore. Normal politics will resume after the election.

Anonymous said...

It is a sign of the continuing incompetence.

life insurance broker said...

I don't think this complaint involves just one particular government - the problem is more general as it includes almost any government existing in those countries that are under the threat of wide and wild swine flu spreading. So based on this issue there is a more general question we could ask ourselves - how comes almost each government proves to be incompetent when it comes to so many aspects of the things they are supposed to control? Lorne

Gho Cheng said...

I think we must protect our body first by eating well and have enough sleep before we take the vaccine

Anonymous said...

I will not take the shit.

Tarquin said...

Maybe they couldn't be bothered as the 'crisis' was basically over before it started - maybe if people were dying in the street they'd pull their finger out

...or declare martial law - probably that actually

Anonymous said...

I can't help but think that it would have been faster if the strain were more deadly.

If this virus had a death rate of 5% or something, every government in the western world would have thrown tens of billions of dollars at every vaccine company out there, expanded operations overnight, funded accelerated trials, etc.

As is, the vaccine IS here fast enough to cover 90% of the flu season. Overall, I'm pretty happy about the response time, even though you're right that it needs to be faster in the future.

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