We're not done with swine flu in the U.S. yet, according to the C.D.C. Influenza-like activity is still active in the Southeast. Yikes, this means me. I'm not in Topeka, I mean Chicago, any more. People haven't taken action, despite all the talk about this being the BIG ONE, a pandemic like the movie I am Legend. Now for some instructive data from the C.D.C. Nationally, the median vaccination rate for the general population was 23.9%, for 36.8% for 6months to 18 years old (yes, we do love our kids), but for adults only 20.1% (yes we do hate ourselves). Furthermore, we health care providers have definitely been doing a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do talk. "By mid-January 2010, estimated vaccination coverage among HCP was 37.1% for 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) and 61.9% for seasonal influenza. Overall, 64.3% received either of these influenza vaccines, higher coverage than any previous season, but only 34.7% of HCP reported receiving BOTH vaccines,"per the C.D.C. Twice the average for the general population, but hardly a model consistency. [BTW, I was in the 34.7%.] The story gets worse. About 71.5 million doses are ready to expire in the next month or so (about 23% of the population) and so must be disposed of. There goes our tax dollars. Not that it wasn't a good idea to get ready. We citizens didn't follow through. The remaining doses will expire later this year (53%), Now we're talking about big, big-time waste!
So the bottom line is: we're not out of the woods yet, you un-vaccinated-ones go get your vaccinations and so kindly contribute to our collective herd immunity. Thank you!
Your Allergy Dude
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