October 21, 2009
H1N1 forcing governments to rethink health strategies
A Mexico city statue during the early days of swine flu. Photo: Flickr user olivcris |
With concerns rising in the U.S. and abroad about the H1N1 virus, we want to hear your thoughts.
Do you think the U.S. government is doing enough to protect American citizens from H1N1?
Tell us what you think in the comments section below. Please remember to be respectful and on-point in your comments. Malicious or offensive comments will be deleted and repeat offenders will be banned.
29 comments
Please put Martin Savidge back on this program. I have to watch Daljit on Foreign Exchange, thats enough. Mr. Savidge has a nice smooth voice and good presentation.
I think the Vaccines are more true than many medicines being advertised on TV..I’m 56-yrs. old and have taken alot of vaccine-medicines/I have also used many of the drugs that flood a countries pharmacies..my personal belief is that SOME medicines are phony(nothing more than money scams)..but the Vaccines seem A-OK..considering this idea of Epidemic..or different levels of epidemic outbreaks..there is alot of evidence that people would manipulate such a thing–and I mean just everyday folks–would play with the lives of citizens useing a epidemic..I think that priorites would be the schools–but I have seen some very poor maintainance and janitorial practices..I have seen that some are asking for trouble.
Once again. like Katrina, America has failed. I just came back from Europe and they are way ahead of us with their inoculations. Why doesn’t America work anymore? That’s the BIG ????
Bring martin back,btw we don’t need a live picture of person reading the news.
guy magnuson, World Focus prints it all, you need to hit the submit button before your PC goes to sleep.
I am a 63 year old microbiologist. There is little we can do, except try to develope and give everyone the best vaccines. A pandemic of great magnitude will come. The govenment should also pay more attention to diet, exercise and other health factors. The government can not even take MSG and food dyes out of our diet. The wise pay attention to good diet, etc.
I gave you a well thought out and well researched opionion last night. you didn’t post it. You are just part of the problem. Better diagonostic testing is definitley a solution. I guess you just prefer these dumbed downed reponses. By the way freedom of speach is for everyone not just the media.
I think it’s inconceivable for the U.S. government to be behind the Chinese in getting the H1N1 vaccine out to their populous. Really? I support this administration and I’m encouraged by the healthy debate of health care reform ( no pun intended), but being two to three weeks late in rolling out a needed drug to stem one of the largest outbreaks of flu in a generation is unforgivable. Who dropped the ball? Heads should roll especially given that this pandemic has been given a bigger head start getting a foot hold on the vulnerable among our population. People are dying and it’s only going to get worse. This pandemic needs to be met with decisive and immediate action. Come on America, let’s get to lead out. Get this vaccine to ALL of the people now!!
I am worried for my family and no, I don’t believe the government is doing enough to get the vaccine out in the earlier months. I am worried I have two small children and pregnant myself and will soon be traveling to Europe, but I have no way to protect myself with the vaccine, instead I must rely on my own ability to keep myself and children clean and wash their hands, which is obviously not always a fool-proof plan.
I don’t believe the government is doing enough to get the vaccine out in the earlier months. I am worried I have two small children and pregnant myself and will soon be traveling to Europe, but I have no way to protect myself with the vaccine, instead I must rely on my own ability to keep myself and children clean and wash their hands, which is obviously not always a fool-proof plan.
I believe the government is doing just fine (as far as H1N1 goes). It’s the media that we should evaluating here. Creating a panic because its “good business” for the media is shameful.
Of course it is, but there are a lot of people who well not accept it’s help because, they are afraid
the treatment is not safe and short of adequate
testing,even doctors and nurses feel as I do.
The government (and the media) is doing too much to try and vaccinate us against H1N1. The risks of the vaccine seem to outweigh the risks of the flu itself. My one year old and three year old kids both got H1N1. The 1yo didn’t even get a fever. The 3yo had a slight fever for almost 48 hours. Over and done. If you have pre-existing conditions or are high risk ok, that is a category in itself and that population needs to take precaution against dozens of potential diseases. But for the general population, you’re wasting our time when there is real news to report.
It seems the fear and panic that is attempting to be spread is a means to an end, and its laughable.
In many Asian countries people are wearing protective face masks (especially in populated locations,ie airports)as a precaution against H1N1,why is this practice not being urged by the health department?
Daljit or Martin - they’re both fabulous! So is WorldFocus.org coverage.
After this flu season, I would like to see a follow up study showing:
• If vaccinated people were ultimately better protected from the H1N1 flu than un-vaccinated people.
• If the number of flu cases among vaccinated people INCREASE D or DECREASED after their shot, as compared to the un-vaccinated.
Personally, I think this is a lot of hype to monetarily benefit the pharmaceuticals and choose to remain un-vaccinated.
Vaccines may do more harm than good, rushed to production, untested and over priced Dr Goooooober will do without
market-driven, for-profit hype
Like it or not there are numerous ways to safely counteract viral symptoms even after becoming exposed. They’ve been used safely for years without requiring injections. Get and report all the facts!
10/23/09 The unsanitary, filthy congested disease inducing hacteria infested germ ridden environments swine and fowl are being raised in for human consumption, and forced to live in, is yet to be more thoroughly addressed. Suvh creatures have often already been injected with antibiotics and vaccines that remain in their tissues and are ingested by persons eating their flesh. Such poorly tested antibioltics and vaccines -given fitst to to animals- end up having to be processed in the huuman gut, kidneys and livers.
The fact rhat such virus’s continue virulent and can later prove a danger to persons is evidence itself that use of vaccines is not adequate to control infestation, arrest contagion or prevent subsequent attack. Usage of vaccines do not address the point and cause of virus origination. Also are we told how many who have contracted and died from H1N1 actually contratced it from the vaccine or had a former vaccine for a previous strain and still remained vulnerable?. Check merrcola.com [the site of Dr Jospeh Mercola] for their further Swine Flu Update!
Mr.Marshall Pomroy: As a fellow Canadian from Toronto (Willodalw to be exact), it takes a twit to know a twit. Besides, you missed the whole point about her name. Neither I want to hear her name nor I need to spell it correctly, you nincompoop. She doesn’t count, its the news that counts that I wish to watch. She is a news READER and not a newsmaker. Get it?
We have long suffered from a shortage of essential vaccines in this country, and in recent flu seasons we have had to import vaccines from European countries. We simply do not have the necessary production capacity. This time, we have not only a shortage of both H1N1 influenza vaccine and seasonal influenza vaccine. We also have an extremely limited variety of treatment options, and even those are in such short supply that some seriously sick patients can’t even get treated.
The simple truth is that it’s much more profitable for pharmaceutical companies to produce and market drugs like Viagra and Lipitor than to provide the essential vaccines we need for our public health. Britain, with its “horrible socialized medicine” has vaccine.
If this doesn’t point out the failure of our market-driven, for-profit health care system (or rather “non-system”), I don’t know what does!
D.Lucas, MD, pediatrics
I would like to know what pharmacutical company(ies) is/are producing the vaccine and where is it being produced? Does the fear and lack of vaccine supplies cultivate an increased demand for the product? Why is the media failing to ask the single most important question, which is… Who stands to profit from the vaccine?
It is hyped up. People just need to adhere to cleanliness as in any flu season to contain the spread. However, it is another opportunity given to the government to force a “shot” which is not quite researched and quickly concocted on ea individual under the guise of being “for the common good”.
To Dr. Hodge: Sir,, you are a twit! At least spell her name correctly. Aside; I don’t give a tinker’s damn as to what the Americans do; I am a Canadian, thank God!
There are still lots of Americans who are afraid to take the H1N1 Vaccines as well as the Seasonal Vaccines. These people will likely get the flu and may spread it to their immediate families or office mates.
Question: Do you think that the US Government can jail these people up for not taking their vaccines???
Then Why do some people say the US Health Department and government is not doing enough?????????????
YES, the Health Department are working very closely with the different State Health departments and by monitoring the spread of the Swine Flu shows that the government is pretty much concern.
The government can do what it takes to do but, it is how the Americans discipline themselves and take the responsibilities not to spread and avoid the H1N1 flu.
The US government cannot spoon feed or spank its citizens to do the right thing and it is up to the Americans to take good care of themselves.
No I do not think the government is doing enough. This is a public health emergency. Given the power of the pharmaceuticals in this country, and the torturous health care reform debate now underway, I am beginning to wonder if Big Pharma is practicing a slow code as leverage against a public option. Does that sound a little like blackmail? You bet. I hope am am wrong, but the delay here, while China has begun its vaccinations, does not make sense.
I don’t need to hear Walliwalji’s name so many times…………….give me a break. I am not watching this news to see her nose, nor to hear her name so many times, thank you. Bring Martin back, you hear?
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10/22/2009 :: 06:24:45 PM
Jennifer Curry Says:
The U.S. for all its wealth, cannot find any domestic vaccine producers and is using one in Switzerland. The U.S. government never handles any dire problems very well. Can the British help us? We don’t have enough flu vaccine for the swine flu.