Talk:Wikinews discusses the H1N1 pandemic with the CDC

Original email
Below is the original email with address and phone numbers removed.

Answers below

Jeff Dimond

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Division of Media Relations

number removed

From: email removed Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 11:30 AM To: Dimond, Jeffrey (CDC/CCID/OD) Subject: Re: flu interview

Dear Mr. Jeff Dimond,

The questions are below:

1. How does the CDC feel the media has handled the H1N1 flu pandemic?

Media coverage has been quite good.

2. What measures are the CDC taking to combat the swine flu?

Public health information is being distributed nationwide, scientists worked hard to identify the H1N1 virus and produce a vaccine in record time

3. What areas around the world are affected most by the swine flu?

This is a question for the WHO

4. Are the current anti-flu vaccines effective and how sufficient is the current supply?

All current anti-flu vaccines are effective. Manufacturers are producing doses as fast as possible. Spot shortages may occur, but there is not an overall shortage of vaccine. For the most severe cases, a drug called Peramivir has been authorized for emergency use by the FDA.

5. How can one avoid infection and how deadly is this disease?

Proper hand sanitation and avoidance of individuals who have flu-like symptoms is the best way to avoid becoming ill. To date more than 1000 Americans have died from LABORATORY CONFIRMED cases of H1N1 and of those 129 are under the age of 18. The most at-risk populations are pregnant women, younger people in the 18-49 age group and those with other complicating conditions such as asthma, COPD, diabetes and morbid obesity.

6. What efforts have the CDC made to insure vaccines are available for those with no or poor health-care?

Distribution of vaccine is up to the state health departments. CDC is not a regulatory agency.

7. If someone suspects they have swine flu what would the best course of action be?

They should seek medical attention

8. When will the swine flu die down and cease being a pandemic?

No idea

9. Besides the CDC, what other entities, governmental and private, are involved in stopping this disease and how?

All public health and medical agencies with a stake in H1N1 are cooperating to control the spread of H1N1

10. Is there a significant risk of H1N1 mutating and becoming more deadly?

Flu viruses are unpredictable so there is no way of answering this question. The CDC is constantly monitoring these viruses.

Best regards,

Mike Morales

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/User:The_New_Mikemoral

-Original Message- From: Dimond, Jeffrey (CDC/CCID/OD)  To: email removed Sent: Tue, Nov 3, 2009 7:53 am Subject: flu interview

Hi Mike,

I can help you with your questions. Most of them, however, can probably be answered by going to our website at cdc.gov/flu. Send any questions you have to me and I will get them answered for you.

Jeff Dimond

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Division of Media Relations

number removed