who's getting a h1n1 flu shot before their cruise?

[serendipity1499]

We're leaving on our cruse Nov.13, & will not have the H1N1 shot as we are not in the at risk group at all... So still trying to stay well by washing hands frequently, taking vitamin C, gargling with Listerine, trying to get enough rest & trying not to touch my face unless eating or washing..I need this cruise!;);)

On Friday, our County Health Dept. that the clinics which were to open up this week, are being delayed one week..It seems they did not get their full compliment of vaccine yet..Someone mentioned that they also seem to be starting to run out of regular flu shots too..

Our Health Dept. is looking for 200 Volunteers to help with Paper work, parking etc. at the various clinics, which will be set up in all our high schools..

Never realized there were so many at risk people in our area:eek:..

 

Betty

[fuzzywuzzy]

I just saw on the news today that the President has declared a "National emergency" with regard to H1N1. 1000 deaths have been attributed to this flu? I am torn between whether to get the vaccination or not. I have been fortunate in not getting the flu in years but one never knows. I am not in the high risk group but when on a cruise ship germs do float around quickly. Here in Canada the vaccine has just arrived and vaccinations will be starting very soon. Maybe already with frontline caregivers.

 

Does anyone know if HAL has taken any other measures with regard to the H1N1?

[fann1sh]

I'll be getting my H1N1 shot on Monday.

 

Even though this is an article from a Canadian weekly news magazine, I think the issues are universal enough to be of interest to anyone on this board:

 

http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/10/19/swine-flu-fiasco/

 

Quote from article: "The chief public health officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, estimates that one in three Canadians will get the pandemic flu. The vaccine could curb that."

 

Second quote: “People think of pandemics as people dying left and right,” says Kredentser. That’s the stuff of science fiction. Pandemic alerts actually signal that a virus is highly communicable, not virulent. The WHO officially calls this a moderate pandemic, but “mild” has become the buzzword, referring to the symptoms experienced by most sick people. So, while the WHO’s pandemic alert is alarming in that it represents the highest level of transmissibility, it doesn’t mean H1N1 is always deadly.

[Seavoyage]

:eek:RE: OP question -

No way - would not even consider putting that bama juice in my body!

They are trying to get rid of us....

[sail7seas]

No choices to be made here in MA. There doesn't seem to be but a tiny supply of vaccine in the state. Makes the decision whether to get or not rather moot. :rolleyes:

[Cruisin'Lady]

Two weeks ago the doc confirmed that I had the H1N1 virus and he thought my hubby and lil one also had it as they were sick too...just not as much as I was. I had 104 fever and thought at one point I was going to die. But hey...I am still here and although just have a small lingering cough...I am not as fatigued as before and back to my normal life.

 

Not saying that its not worse for some..but I have known at least 15 people (friends and family) that have had confirmed cases of it and luckily none of them have been hospitalized. We are taking lots of vitamin C and echinae (sp?). I have other serious health issues that made it much worse for me...but all the others I know that have had it said that they got over it within two weeks...including the cough. I just keep my inhaler close and the doc said if I don't run a fever again I should be ok.

 

I am looking forward to our cruise and by then should be totally well! Although we do have insurance for any reason cancelations.:D

[CowPrincess]

Am unsure about myself -- DH is getting one. A friend's child has been diagnosed with H1N1, and there is a LOT of flu where we live right now. The friend's pediatrician told her that 80% of the flu cases they are seeing are H1N1. So a vaccine may be too late to give us immunity, as we are already being exposed, I presume.

[Parrot57]

In our area there seems to be a great shortage of H1N1 vaccine and also the regular stuff. Only a very few children are getting the H1N1. No adults. Regular vaccine is also scarce. Since I work in the healthcare industry I was able to get both at work but DH is going to be out of luck.

[heathriel]

DH and I got our seasonal shots in September, and yesterday got the H1N1 inhaler.

 

We're also up to date on Yellow Fever, Pneumonia, and various other things (due to our travels).

 

So, we're all set.

[Lynnees]

DH and I received regular flu shots about 3 weeks ago. I had my H1N1 last Friday. DH will be getting his some time this week.

[dwillis43]

DH and I got our seasonal shots in September, and yesterday got the H1N1 inhaler.

 

We're also up to date on Yellow Fever, Pneumonia, and various other things (due to our travels).

 

So, we're all set.

 

Has anyone got the shot to prevent shingles? I have seen several lately with the shingles in this area. This is something that would dampen a cruise.

[heathriel]

DH and I both had chicken pox as kids, and then my college roommate got shingles and I was fine (since I'd had the pox), so no shingles shots for us. We're low and mid 30's though, so dunno if they'd even give it to us.

[mamaofami]

DH and I both had chicken pox as kids, and then my college roommate got shingles and I was fine (since I'd had the pox), so no shingles shots for us. We're low and mid 30's though, so dunno if they'd even give it to us.

 

Actually, people who have had chicken pox are the people who can get shingles. Dh and I had the shingles shot 2 years ago.

Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus ”sleeps” (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus “wakes up” when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.

You can't catch shingles from someone else who has shingles

[dwillis43]

DH and I both had chicken pox as kids, and then my college roommate got shingles and I was fine (since I'd had the pox), so no shingles shots for us. We're low and mid 30's though, so dunno if they'd even give it to us.

My understanding is that only those that have had the chicken pox can get the shingles. (please correct me if I am wrong)

[mamaofami]

My understanding is that only those that have had the chicken pox can get the shingles. (please correct me if I am wrong)

 

 

We were posting at the same time. You are correct.

[sail7seas]

You are correct. It is exactly as Mamaofami explained.

 

[sail7seas]

:D Carol .......you and I were posting at the same time. :)

 

[fuzzywuzzy]

The H1N1 vaccine is now available in our area as of today (Southern Ontario). All adults under 65 I think I heard on the radio can be vaccinated as well as young children younger than 5. I'm still undecided as to whether to get it. I suppose we should especially with our cruise coming up quickly.

[fann1sh]

The H1N1 vaccine is now available in our area as of today (Southern Ontario). All adults under 65 I think I heard on the radio can be vaccinated as well as young children younger than 5. I'm still undecided as to whether to get it. I suppose we should especially with our cruise coming up quickly.

 

 

Fuzzywuzzy, I *said* I'd be vaccinated yesterday, but I was wrong. The clinic line snaked out of the building for more than a block. I'll go on a subsequent Monday.

[Typhoon1]

We'll get one before February when/if they ever become available. If there is an extensive line in December or January, we'll just take our chances.

[Faithnthyme]

There are so many people around here with H1N1 that by the time the vaccine is available to others beyond the first high priority groups, we will more than likely have already been exposed to it ( I believe we already have as so many of my kids classmates and husbands co-workers have had it over the last couple of weeks). We probably won't get the vaccine. We will keep eating well, sleeping well, taking our vitamins, washing our hands and following the same herbal supplement routines we have done the past few years and hope that it is as healthy as most others.

 

One thing is for sure, stress is bad for the immune system so we won't spend time worrying about the what if's of the flu. Granted, none of us have any underlying health conditions which might be a whole different ballgame!

[gentlemancruiser]

Fuzzywuzzy, I *said* I'd be vaccinated yesterday, but I was wrong. The clinic line snaked out of the building for more than a block. I'll go on a subsequent Monday.

 

Kingston Ontario opened the first H1N1 Immunization clinic today at 11am, within 2 hours they had to close the clinic because they had too many people in line. That region of eastern Ontario has been very hard hit recently.

I live in the Toronto area and many of my coworkers have been sick with the flu. Dr's in this area are no longer testing for H1N1. I've never seen a flu season like this one before.

[fann1sh]

Kingston Ontario opened the first H1N1 Immunization clinic today at 11am, within 2 hours they had to close the clinic because they had too many people in line. That region of eastern Ontario has been very hard hit recently.

I live in the Toronto area and many of my coworkers have been sick with the flu. Dr's in this area are no longer testing for H1N1. I've never seen a flu season like this one before.

 

 

Our problems in Chatham-Kent were because the over 65 regular vaccination clinic was held from 10 - 4...and the H1N1 for special risk groups only (pregnant, children, chronic health/immune problems) from 2 -8....in the same location.

 

We arrived between 2 and 4, hoping I could get a H1N1 shot (I'm immuno-suppressed); and my parents could get their regular senior 'flu shot.

 

No sorting of the 2 groups. A single line. No one spared to walk down the line, asking which shot each participant wanted. Our local public health office is a typical small town bureaucracy, none too bright. But this was incredibly dumb, even for them :eek:

 

The headline in the local rag....er, newspaper....was seniors don't need H1N1 vaccination. That is, of course, incorrect. Seniors are at low risk for this 'flu. However, the Public Health Agency of Canada has bought enough doses of the vaccine for everyone. In the best of all possible worlds it would like to see everyone to get vaccinated.

 

These kinds of disasters in implementation won't help public skepticism about the necessity of the vaccination, or the severity of the pandemic (ie., if public health officers don't treat it seriously enough to see clinics run properly).

[Rustynail]

I work in a hospital so you bet I'm getting it.

[CowPrincess]

Apparently our H1N1 flu vacc. clinic was open today, and will be open tomorrow. No public notice, no signs, no NOTHING. Being held in a hotel conference room, not in the hospital or public health facility. What's wrong with this picture???? The only reason I know is because a friend was asked to work as a volunteer at tomorrow's clinic.