FACTS about Swine Flu

Aside from being a crappy way to lose 5 pounds, H1N1 has nothing to do with weight loss. But you folks know me, right? I meander off into non-diet territory all the time. A key to shedding your fat is getting interested in something besides food.




This week, our area got its first confirmed cases of swine flu, so the health department and I are working on an informational campaign. When I started in broadcasting back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, no one did things like this. They dumped it in the news guy's lap. But information like this is not breaking news. The news department might work it in ... once ... on a slow day. But people don’t remember things they're only told once. Advertising is better suited to deliver a repeated message. Obviously, it should be concise, interesting and change frequently to prevent monotony.



The family joke is that I know 30 to 60 seconds worth of information on a lot of stuff … but no more. I’ve learned about eye disease for an eye surgeon … credit unions … canvas awnings … siding, windows, sunrooms and gutters… tombstones … pharmacies … water softening … birth control … public transportation … tires … auto repair … assisted living … and today, I learned about the flu. The Centers for Disease Control do not write for real people. It has to be translated. Here are some interesting bits.



1) H1N1 and regular flu are different viruses. Apparently this confuses some people. They could have been combined in one shot, but the H1N1 was not ready in time. Consequently, you’ll need 2 vaccines, but you can get them at the same time.



2) The flu virus mutates, so 2008’s flu virus won’t be as effective in 2009. Some strains keep cropping up. Swine Flu or H1N1 last hit the scene in 1976. If you had it then, you MIGHT be immune this time … depending on how much it’s mutated. This is why health departments are more concerned about kids this year and less worried about the aging population. Pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency personnel, young people between 6 months and 24 years and individuals with asthma, diabetes or heart disease are most at risk.



3) Kids under 9 will get 2 doses rather than 1. I have heard 2 explanations for this.

• The doses will be ½ strength, because of their age
• Their bodies metabolize the vaccine differently.