February 24, 2010- The ACIP voted on updated recommendations for use of trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine for the 2010-2011 influenza season.
Provisional recommendations for the prevention and control of seasonal influenza (2010-2011 influenza season):
Vaccination recommendations for adults were expanded to include all adults beginning in the 2010-11 influenza season. Therefore, all people age 6 months and older are now recommended to receive annual influenza vaccination.
Background information on influenza vaccines:
The 2010–2011 trivalent vaccines will contain A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like, A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like, and B/Brisbane/60/2008-like antigens. Compared to the 2009-10 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine, the influenza A(H1N1) and A(H3N2) strains are changed. The A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like strain is the same strain that was included in the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccines. full article
800,000 H1N1 vaccine doses for young children recalled; safety not a concern
CDC: H1N1 spreading even as supply of vaccine grows
By Miriam Falco and Debra Krajnak, CNN
October 30, 2009 4:24 p.m. EDT
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- As the new H1N1 flu virus keeps spreading, more vaccine is available to fight it, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.
Forty-eight states are reporting widespread flu activity, two more than a week ago, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden said at the CDC's weekly briefing.
There have been 114 pediatric deaths since April, when the H1N1 virus first emerged, with 19 reported to the CDC in the past week, he said.
Frieden also told reporters on Friday that in the past two months, more people younger than 65 have been hospitalized than would be expected in a full season of more common strains of flu.
He urged people with underlying illnesses who exhibit flu symptoms to seek medical attention promptly, saying that only half of the people in this high-risk group appear to be doing so. more
Swine Flu Nasal Spray Explained
Dr. Sapna Parikh Reports
Published : Tuesday, 06 Oct 2009, 12:20 PM EDT
MYFOXNY.COM - The vaccine for the H1N1 virus is currently being distributed across the country in the form of a nose spray.
An injectable vaccine will be available later this month.
Dr. Sapna Parikh explains what the difference is between the two and which form you should consider getting.
Since 2003, there have been two versions of the flu vaccine-- a shot and a nasal spray called FluMist. Instead of a needle in the arm, you get a squirt up the nose. Both new vaccines for the H1N1 influenza strain were approved by the FDA in September.
Health experts say they are both equally effective.
The nasal spray contains a weakened form of a live virus. FluMist is not for everyone. It is only approved for healthy people between the ages of two and 50. You should not get the nasal spray vaccine if you are pregnant, have asthma or have a weakened immune system.
Anyone over the age of six months can be given the flu shot. Both the seasonal flu shot and season flu nose spray are currently available.
Swine (H1N1) Vaccine Manufacturers Explored
October 9,2009--The FDA, which approved swine flu vaccines from MedImmune, CSL Ltd., Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Ltd., and Sanofi Pasteur Inc. -- GlaxoSmithKline PLC is the only contracted vaccine tester that didn’t get a vaccine approved -- said the first doses should be made available by mid October. The FDA said preliminary data from several clinical trials showed that adults had a “robust immune response” eight to 10 days after a single dose -- a similar response as with seasonal vaccines.
MEDIMMUNE MedImmune LLC is one of four vaccine makers that won federal approval for a swine flu vaccine, priming it for a potential surge in revenue depending on demand and the disease’s spread.
A subsidiary of London-based AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE: AZN), MedImmune has been testing its swine flu vaccine candidate in two ongoing clinical trials, one for adults and one for children above the age of 2, each involving 300 patient volunteers. So far, MedImmune said it has logged data on how safe its vaccine is and expects to have more data on its effectiveness in coming weeks.
“The safety data is much in line with what we’d see with the seasonal vaccine,” said MedImmune spokeswoman Karen Lancaster.
CSL LTD. CSL, Australia’s leading biopharmaceutical company, is the only commercial manufacturer of influenza vaccines in the Southern Hemisphere. As such we have been contracted by the Australian Government to supply 21 million doses of pandemic H1N1 vaccine, in a global environment where demand for influenza vaccines greatly exceeds supply.
CSL is manufacturing a pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine called Panvax®H1N1 which uses the proven technology that has enabled us to provide Australia with seasonal flu vaccines over the last 40 years. This technology is also used by the majority of influenza vaccine manufacturers around the world. The process used to manufacture Panvax®H1N1 vaccine is essentially the same as the process used to manufacture influenza vaccines used to prevent seasonal flu.
NOVARTIS Novartis already started first deliveries of pandemic vaccines under quarantine to governments in Europe – just 3 months after WHO declaration of the pandemic – despite the initially low yields with the current production seed strain provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Novartis also plans to begin delivery of its Fluvirin A(H1N1) monovalent vaccine to the U.S. market by early October.
We recently received a new seed strain from the WHO and are working diligently to improve the yields, while continuing with the production process, to make as much vaccine available as quickly as possible.
SANOFI PASTEUR Interim data from European studies confirm that one dose of Panenza® or Humenza®, Sanofi Pasteur’s pandemic influenza vaccines, induces robust immune response in children and adults.
10 Ways You Put Yourself at Risk for Swine Flu (Without Realizing it)
November 11, 2009- health.com
1. Worrying too much Panicking about getting sick can make you just that—sick. more2. Hugging, kissing, and shaking hands
What's so dangerous about a simple handshake? more3. Smoking
Smoking cigarettes weakens the tiny disease-fighting hairs tucked inside nasal passages and the lungs, which trap and dispose of germs. more4. Hitting the gym
Some behaviors that in moderate amounts keep you healthy can actually weaken your immune system when taken to the extreme. more5. Drinking alcohol
You may want to reconsider that night on the town during the height of flu season: You could wake up the next day with something much worse than a hangover. more6. Relying solely on antibacterial hand gel
First, check the ingredients in your hand sanitizer: It should contain 60% to 95% alcohol, ethanol, or isopropanol, to work best. more7. Washing hands incorrectly
Too many people are not washing their hands correctly, despite all the advice to get scrubbing. more8. Mishandling a face mask
As of September, face masks are generally not recommended by the CDC in normal home or occupational settings. more9. Taking flu drugs prematurely
In the midst of the swine flu panic, some patients have rushed to stock up on antiviral medications like Tamiflu. more10. Worrying too little
This may seem to contradict risk factor No. 1, but, in fact, the healthiest approach to flu season is to take a position somewhere between panic and indifference. more
8 Ways Swine Flu Is Changing Society
October 7, 2009-- Flu season is here, and this year, people are actually taking notice. The outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, commonly known as swine flu, has people reevaluating the way they live, travel, interact with each other, and even how they eat.
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the virus a pandemic in June, and it announced in early September that at least 3,205 people have died from the virus. And while more than 60% of Americans say they are "not too" or "not at all" worried about swine flu affecting them or their families, according to a Washington Post–ABC News poll, the scare has left its mark on many parts of society, both in the United States and abroad. Here, eight ways swine flu is changing the world.
1. People may finally get flu shots.
2. People are reconsidering cultural greetings.
3. It's scarier than religion.
4. Schools, workplaces, and day-care centers are changing policies.
5. People are scared to eat pork.
6. Tourism to Mexico has suffered.
7. Precautionary (and bizarre) merchandise is flying off shelves.
8. Coughing and sneezing are practically federal crimes. full story
What to know about getting H1N1 vaccine
October 1, 2009- (CNN) -- Next week, the long-awaited H1N1 vaccine is expected to arrive. At least three of the four vaccine makers have begun shipping their products to undisclosed distribution centers.
There are two types of the vaccine available: the flu shot, an inactivated vaccine containing fragments of killed influenza virus, and a nasal spray, which is made using a weakened live flu virus. The nasal spray will most likely be the first to be widely distributed, however certain groups, including pregnant women, young children and people with compromised immune systems, cannot receive the nasal spray.
So far officials of the National Institutes of Health say that in clinical trials they've seen no serious side effects and that study subjects who have been immunized have generated a good response.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine for certain high-priority groups because they are more likely to have serious complications if they develop swine flu. These groups include: pregnant women; caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6 months; everyone between the ages of 6 months and 24 years; and people ages 25 to 64 with existing health problems. more
Swine Flu Contagious for About a Week
September 23, 2009- New studies show that many people spread swine flu for a week or more after symptoms first appear, and doctors say coughing may be a better sign than fever for telling who is contagious.
Health officials have been telling people to avoid contact with others for a day after their fever goes away. The new research suggests they may need to be careful for longer, especially at home where the risk of spreading the germ is highest.
"This study shows you're not contagious for a day or two. You're probably contagious for about a week,'' said Gaston De Serres, a scientist at the Institute of Public Health in Quebec, Canada. He presented one of the studies Monday at a microbiology conference.
It is unclear whether the new research will prompt the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to rethink its prior advice. more
Little kids to need 2 shots for swine flu
But teens will gain immunity from one shot
September 22, 2009-The swine flu vaccine works in just one dose for older children, but kids younger than 10 will likely need two shots, according to early results of clinical trials, federal health officials said Monday.
The findings mean that younger children could need as many as four shots this fall, to protect against both the seasonal flu and the swine flu.
In the clinical trials, the swine flu vaccine produced a strong immune response in children 10 to 17 years old in just 10 days; younger children generally had a weaker reaction over the same time period. They will likely need two shots given 21 days apart, officials said. more
FDA clears the way for swine flu vaccine when it's available
September 16, 2009--The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a vaccine for the pandemic H1N1 influenza from four manufacturers, clearing the way for the vaccine to be administered as soon as enough is available.
The approval was announced to Congress by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
The licensing means that the vaccine is made properly and meets manufacturing and quality standards. more
Address swine flu vaccine fears, doctor urges
September 14, 2009-The federal government needs to reassure the public that it will track the swine flu vaccine's safety and effectiveness, an Ottawa health policy researcher says.
Some Canadians at high risk of getting swine flu have said they don't trust the vaccine enough to get the shot.
"People will refuse to take the vaccine if they don't have confidence in how the vaccine is being rolled out," said Dr. Kumanan Wilson, a doctor of internal medicine at the Ottawa Hospital and Canada Research Chair in public health policy at the University of Ottawa.
Wilson worries that fear of the vaccine could undermine government flu prevention programs.
Pregnant women, health-care workers, those living in northern and remote communities and people under age 65 with chronic health conditions are expected to be targeted first when the vaccine is released in Canada in November.more
Swine flu vaccine may work with a single jab, studies suggest
September 11, 2009-Two studies of swine flu vaccine suggest that a single jab may be enough to protect people against the H1N1 virus, rather than the two doses scientists had feared might be required.
Research carried out by drug manufacturers CSL and Novartis have indicated that recipients get a protective immune response from a singe dose, with even lower quantities effective when used with an immune system compound called an adjuvant.
The findings may in effect double the prospective global vaccine supply and quell fears about the logistical nightmare of trying to vaccinate hundreds of millions of people around the world. more
Questions about Swine Flu?
September 10, 2009- What is the difference between a flu drug and a flu vaccine? How is the flu spread? Why is this happening now?
As swine flu appears across North America and various parts of the world, officials are attempting to explain and contain this disease. Check out this video for answers.
Swine Flu Vaccine Seems Safe in Early Trials
No worrisome side effects so far, U.S. officials say; flu infections continue to be mild
August 21, 2009- As the H1N1 swine flu virus continues to circle the globe, producing minor infections
similar to seasonal flu, U.S. health officials said Friday that they were on track for a viable vaccine by the fall, with early indications that the shot is safe.
The new vaccine is now in a series of clinical trials, the results of which should be completed between mid-September and late October. Officials said they hope to have 45 million to 50 million doses by mid-October and 195 million doses by year's end. more
Story By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
WHO recommendations on pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Vaccines
13 JULY 2009 | GENEVA -- On 7 July 2009, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization held an extraordinary meeting in Geneva to discuss issues and make recommendations related to vaccine for the pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
SAGE reviewed the current pandemic situation, the current status of seasonal vaccine production and potential A(H1N1) vaccine production capacity, and considered potential options for vaccine use.
The experts identified three different objectives that countries could adopt as part of their pandemic vaccination strategy:
protect the integrity of the health-care system and the country's critical infrastructure;
reduce morbidity and mortality; and
reduce transmission of the pandemic virus within communities.
Countries could use a variety of vaccine deployment strategies to reach these objectives but any strategy should reflect the country’s epidemiological situation, resources and ability to access vaccine, to implement vaccination campaigns in the targeted groups, and to use other non-vaccine mitigation measures.
Although the severity of the pandemic is currently considered to be moderate with most patients experiencing uncomplicated, self-limited illness, some groups such as pregnant women and persons with asthma and other chronic conditions such as morbid obesity appear to be at increased risk for severe disease and death from infection.
Since the spread of the pandemic virus is considered unstoppable, vaccine will be needed in all countries. SAGE emphasized the importance of striving to achieve equity among countries to access vaccines developed in response to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009. more
World Now at the Start of 2009 Influenza Pandemic
June 11, 2009- Statement to the press by WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan
Ladies and gentlemen,
In late April, WHO announced the emergence of a novel influenza A virus. This particular H1N1 strain has not circulated previously in humans. The virus is entirely new. The virus is contagious, spreading easily from one person to another, and from one country to another. As of today, nearly 30,000 confirmed cases have been reported in 74 countries.
This is only part of the picture. With few exceptions, countries with large numbers of cases are those with good surveillance and testing procedures in place.
Spread in several countries can no longer be traced to clearly-defined chains of human-to-human transmission. Further spread is considered inevitable.
I have conferred with leading influenza experts, virologists, and public health officials. In line with procedures set out in the International Health Regulations, I have sought guidance and advice from an Emergency Committee established for this purpose.
On the basis of available evidence, and these expert assessments of the evidence, the scientific criteria for an influenza pandemic have been met.
I have therefore decided to raise the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6. more
WHO Declares Swine Flu Pandemic
June 11, 2009-The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global flu pandemic after holding an emergency meeting.
It means the swine flu virus is spreading in at least two regions of the world with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile.
WHO chief Dr Margaret Chan said the move does not mean the virus is causing more severe illness or more deaths.
The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has since spread to 74 countries.
"We have evidence to suggest we are seeing the first pandemic of the 21st century," says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO director-general. Official reports say there have been nearly 30,000 cases globally and 141 deaths with figures rising daily. full story
MedImmune Wins Key Contract To Develop Swine Flu Vaccine
June 2, 2009
Federal health officials, racing to respond to a potential swine flu pandemic that has already sickened thousands of people around the world, yesterday awarded a major contract for a vaccine to Gaithersburg-based MedImmune.
The $90 million deal comes less than two weeks after Department of Health and Human Services officials said they were setting aside about $1 billion to test and purchase vaccines for the national stockpile to fight the unusual virus strain, called swine-origin influenza A (H1N1).
Under the contract with HHS, MedImmune will continue to make its seasonal FluMist vaccine and also develop a vaccine targeted specifically at the H1N1 virus that has prompted world health officials to raise the pandemic alert level to the fifth of six stages. more
Swine Flu (H1N1 Influenza A) Vaccine Q & A
World Health Organization- May 27, 2009
Is an effective vaccine against the new influenza A (H1N1) virus already available?
No, but work is already under way to develop such a vaccine. Making a completely new influenza vaccine can take five to six months.
What will happen if the influenza A (H1N1) virus changes in the coming months?
There is currently no evidence that the virus has changed since it was first identified, and virus changes are difficult to predict, but laboratories worldwide are monitoring the situation very closely. Should this happen in the coming months, and if the new form of the virus is not very different from the current one, the vaccine will still be effective. If there is a significant change, the vaccine may lose efficacy, so WHO would recommend that the vaccine composition be adjusted.
Why is WHO not asking vaccine manufacturers to switch production from a seasonal vaccine to an influenza A (H1N1) vaccine?
WHO has not recommended stopping production of seasonal influenza vaccine because seasonal influenza causes 3 million to 5 million cases of severe illness each year, and kills from 250 000 to 500 000 people. Continued immunization against seasonal influenza is therefore important. Given the time that it takes to develop a fast growing candidate vaccine virus, stopping seasonal vaccine production immediately would not allow a pandemic vaccine to be made quicker. At this time, WHO is liaising closely with vaccine manufacturers so that large-scale vaccine production can start as soon as it is required.
How quickly will influenza A (H1N1) vaccines be available?
The first doses of influenza A (H1N1) vaccine could be available within five to six months after identification of the new virus. Prior to this date, small quantities of experimental vaccine will be made available to immunize volunteers in clinical trials to select the best vaccine formulations. Regulatory approval for the vaccines will be conducted by national authorities in parallel with the manufacturing process. National regulatory authorities have put into place expedited processes that do not compromise on the quality and safety of the vaccine. Delays in production could result from poor growth of the virus strain used to make the vaccine.
Will influenza A (H1N1) vaccines be effective in all population groups?
There are not data on this but there also is no reason to expect that they would not, given current information.
US Swine Flu Deaths Hit Double-Digits
May 21, 2009 -Swine flu forced Christina Huitron to make a choice no mother should ever have to make.
On Wednesday she told doctors to take her 21-year-old son off life support, making Marcos Sanchez the nation's 10th fatality associated with the newly discovered virus that continues to spread across the globe.
"I knew he was suffering," Christina Huitron told KSL-TV. "I don't know how he was feeling, but I just knew I had to do it because he was passing away slowly anyways, and I didn't want him to suffer anymore."
Sanchez checked into a suburban hospital Saturday, vomiting blood and burning with fever, Huitron told The Salt Lake Tribune. By Tuesday he was suffering from multiple organ failure.
Dr. David Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, said Marcos, the state's first swine flu fatality, was overweight and had chronic medical conditions, including respiratory problems, that put him at risk.
"This is not a person who was overall genuinely healthy," Sundwall said.
Sanchez had not traveled recently. Dagmar Vitek, medical director for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, said an investigation to determine how he contracted the virus was under way. Utah has 122 confirmed cases of the virus. more
New York Reports Its First Swine Flu Death
May 17, 2009- An assistant principal at a New York City public school died of complications from swine flu in an intensive care unit of a Queens hospital on Sunday night, the first death in New York State of the flu strain that has swept across much of the world since it was first identified in April.
Hours before the death of the assistant principal, Mitchell Wiener, city officials announced that five more Queens schools had closed. more
Third Swine Flu(H1N1) Death Reported in U.S.
May 10, 2009-An unidentified man in his 30s from Snohomish County in Washington state is the third person in the United States to die from swine flu, state health officials said late Saturday.
In a Department of Health news release, officials said the man, who had an underlying heart condition, died last week with what appeared to be complications from the swine flu, the Associated Press reported.
The man's death comes after two prior fatal U.S. cases of swine flu: a 33-year-old woman in Texas, and a Mexican toddler who had been treated at a Texas hospital. Both of those individuals also had chronic underlying medical conditions.
The swine flu count in the United States now stands at 2,532 confirmed cases in 44 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday. more
Second U.S. Death Linked to Swine Flu
May 5, 2009-A Texas woman who had swine flu has died, officials said Tuesday, marking the second death in the United States linked to the virus and the first of a U.S. resident.
The news came as officials in the United States and Mexico, where the outbreak of the H1N1 virus started, were voicing hope that the worst of the new flu strain may be over.
The woman, who died earlier this week, was from Cameron County on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. The Texas Department of State Health Services said the woman had "chronic underlying health conditions," but did not provide more details.
Dr. Brian Smith, regional director for the department, confirmed the virus was linked to the woman's death and told one CNN affiliate there was "one death confirmed in Cameron County from H1N1 influenza." But speaking with CNN affiliate KRGV-TV, he stopped short of saying it killed her.
"It's certainly part of the clinical picture," Smith said. more
First Death Confirmed in Texas
April 29, 2009-A Mexican child in Texas has become the first person to die from swine flu in the United States, according to Dr. Richard Besser, the acting director of the CDC. "I can confirm the very sad news out of Texas that a child has died of the H1N1 virus," Besser said. Six of the 64 confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. have been reported in Texas, according to the CDC.
Patient Zero Found in Mexico
April 29, 2009-Health officials said they think they may have found "patient zero" in the global outbreak in a village in the mountains of Mexico.
Five-year-old Edgar Hernandez survived the earliest documented case of swine flu in an outbreak that has spread across four continents.
Lab tests confirmed that Edgar was the only patient in Veracruz to test positive for the swine flu virus; the others had contracted a common flu. Health officials had returned to Edgar's sample only after cases of the new flu strain were spotted around the country.
OBAMA :Cause for Concern, Not Alarm
INSIDE STORY: Swine Flu threat
What is Swine Influenza?
A respiratory disease of pigs –similar to the flu which affects humans--caused by type A influenza virus. It frequently causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months and it is nothing uncommon in the industry.
What are the risks for the human population?
Although Swine Flu typically does not infect humans, there are sporadic cases where humans are infected. Those who get ill are usually persons with direct exposure to pigs. Although current cases in Mexico seem to have been more severe than those in the U.S., it is still too early to tell.
How does Swine Flu spread?
The virus can be transmitted from people to pigs and from pigs to people. Human infection is most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs in farms, pig barns, live stock exhibits and fairs. Human-to-human transmission of Swine Flu occurs in the same way as seasonal flu: person-to-person transmission chiefly through coughing, sneezing or by touching a surface with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Swine Influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get Swine Influenza from eating properly cooked pork or pork products.
What are the symptoms of Swine Flu in humans?
Symptoms are similar to those of Human Influenza:
• fever
• lethargy
• lack of appetite
• coughing
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea
What medications treat Swine Flu infections in humans?
Amantadine, Rimantadine, Oseltamivir and Zanamivir. CDC recommends the use of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or Zanamivir (Relenza) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses as lab results have indicated that the virus is sensitive to these two anti virals.
Can I get a vaccine for Swine Flu?
Vaccines are available to be given to pigs to prevent swine influenza. There is no vaccine to protect humans from Swine Flu. The seasonal influenza vaccine will likely help provide partial protection against swine H3N2, but not swine H1N1 viruses. However,
this particular virus seems to be a combination of several different strains: one strain of bird flu, one strain of human flu and two strains of swine flu The seasonal flu shot might offer some protection against that portion of the virus which is derived from the human influenza strain.
Avoid travel to regions where Swine Flu has been detected, especially Mexico.
Cases have also been confirmed in U.S., Mexico, Denmark, New Zealand, China, Israel, Canada, Germany, U.K., Austria, Spain, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Switzerland
Practice basic good hygiene.
Avoid large crowds and leave crowds if you observe someone who is symptomatic.
If you are symptomatic, stay at home away from large crowds and your workplace.
Wear a surgical mask whilst in areas where the Swine Flu has been detected and when traveling on airplanes.
When you cough or sneeze, if you do not have a tissue available, cough into your arm, not your hand. Use of hot water and soap and alcohol sanitizers are proven methods to avoid transmission of the virus.
Continue to check with our Health Alerts updates for the latest on the Swine Flu outbreak.
The Swine Flu pandemic threat has travelers on edge this week. The CDC has issued a travel alert recommending that all U.S. travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico. With 40 confirmed cases of Swine Flu spanning the U.S. from New York to Texas to California many U.S. citizens are worried that the Swine Influenza virus will continue to spread.
Not just travelers are worried over this outbreak. People who book travel are worried as well. Some airlines, like U.S. Airways and JetBlue are allowing fliers to change travel dates free of charge. If you do have essential travel plans to Mexico, the CDC urges you to make sure you have antiviral medications like Tamiflu or Relenza. The prescription meds fight against swine flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in the body.
Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way.
