How's the Flu Hitting You?

"Dave Stadt" wrote in message
y.com...
I'm with Jay on this. There have been numerous news reports that have
stated the flu shots being given do not prevent the A/Fujian strain which
is
the one causing the problems.

You are "with Jay" in claiming that all of the news reports are false?
Funny. There haven't been any well-researched news reports saying that the
vaccine does not prevent the dominant strain for this season.

Jim's comments are exactly right, at least according to all of the news
reports. The current vaccine includes three strains of flu, none of which
turned out to be the dominant one this season. However, they are similar
enough that health officials expect *some* protective effect from the
vaccine. No, it won't be 80-90%. But they are expecting as much as 50%
protection, even among those infected with the A/Fujian strain, due to the
similarities.

The vaccine does not need to include the *exact* strain for there to be a
protective effect in some percentage of individuals. For that matter,
having the exact strain does not guarantee a protective effect. It's just
that the percentage is higher when the vaccine is the same strain.

It's the same story every year. The shots
only work on the virus strains that were around last flu season and don't
work on any new strains that have mutated and spread this year.

The same story? Yeah, right. The flu vaccine is just a big scam. You
caught 'em with their pants down. Maybe you should get to the Wall Street
Journal or New York Times with this breaking news.

Seriously though, you don't appear to be getting it. The shots work to
varying degrees depending on the individual and depending on how closely the
virus strain in question matches the strains found in the vaccine. It's not
a binary either/or thing. For many people, this year's flu shot will
prevent them from being infected with this year's dominant flu strain (as
well as any number of others).

Sorry, I forgot...what does this have to do with flying?

Pete

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Dave Stadt" wrote in message
y.com...
I'm with Jay on this. There have been numerous news reports that have
stated the flu shots being given do not prevent the A/Fujian strain
which
is
the one causing the problems.

You are "with Jay" in claiming that all of the news reports are false?
Funny. There haven't been any well-researched news reports saying that
the
vaccine does not prevent the dominant strain for this season.

Jim's comments are exactly right, at least according to all of the news
reports. The current vaccine includes three strains of flu, none of which
turned out to be the dominant one this season. However, they are similar
enough that health officials expect *some* protective effect from the
vaccine. No, it won't be 80-90%. But they are expecting as much as 50%
protection, even among those infected with the A/Fujian strain, due to the
similarities.

The vaccine does not need to include the *exact* strain for there to be a
protective effect in some percentage of individuals. For that matter,
having the exact strain does not guarantee a protective effect. It's just
that the percentage is higher when the vaccine is the same strain.

It's the same story every year. The shots
only work on the virus strains that were around last flu season and
don't
work on any new strains that have mutated and spread this year.

The same story? Yeah, right. The flu vaccine is just a big scam. You
caught 'em with their pants down. Maybe you should get to the Wall Street
Journal or New York Times with this breaking news.

Seriously though, you don't appear to be getting it. The shots work to
varying degrees depending on the individual and depending on how closely
the
virus strain in question matches the strains found in the vaccine. It's
not
a binary either/or thing. For many people, this year's flu shot will
prevent them from being infected with this year's dominant flu strain (as
well as any number of others).

Sorry, I forgot...what does this have to do with flying?

Pete


So you are saying they don't know how effective this years vaccine will be
against the new strains if it will be effective at all. You use a lot of
wishy washy words like if, some, suspect, varying degrees and depending to
describe what you think is an effective vaccine. Sounds pretty much the
same as what I have been hearing, it isn't the right stuff and it isn't
working very well plus their might not be enough of it.

It all seems pretty binary to me. Either the vaccine prevents the flu for a
high percentage of people or not. From what I have heard and based the
number of people getting sick it looks mostly like a _not_ situation. On
top of all that, if the shortage plays out it makes the effectiveness that
much less. All in all not poster material for the medical or pharmaceutical
industries. Then again we aren't yet in a 1918 situation although I have
not heard that such a situation could be prevented with current practices.

OBTW...I'm going flying the 17th at 10:35 eastern if the weather is good and
I don't catch the flu.

Speaking of the "flu", I wonder if SARs will reappear this year?

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 00:31:36 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote:

Sorry, I forgot...what does this have to do with flying?

I don't know about you, but my new FBO doesn't permit rental of
aircraft if the PIC is sick. Presumably, that means the flu as well.

Although, why one would feel like flying with the flu is a bit beyond
me. When I get the flu I generally just want to curl up and die.

Rob, flu-free for nine years, now *knock on wood*

"Rob Perkins" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 00:31:36 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote:

Sorry, I forgot...what does this have to do with flying?

I don't know about you, but my new FBO doesn't permit rental of
aircraft if the PIC is sick. Presumably, that means the flu as well.

Although, why one would feel like flying with the flu is a bit beyond
me. When I get the flu I generally just want to curl up and die.

Your new FBO seems like a responsible organisation to me. Mind you the pilot
should ground himself if he is sick under the term of his medical. To do
otherwise is irresponsible. But then.................

Dave

"Rob Perkins" wrote in message
...
I don't know about you, but my new FBO doesn't permit rental of
aircraft if the PIC is sick.

How sick? Are you allowed to fly if you have a slight cold?

"Gary L. Drescher" wrote in message
news:JoZCb.537679$HS4.4093142@attbi_s01...
"Rob Perkins" wrote in message
...
I don't know about you, but my new FBO doesn't permit rental of
aircraft if the PIC is sick.

How sick? Are you allowed to fly if you have a slight cold?

For me a cold is a cold and I chose not to fly. I have one now and I am
dreading Thursday when I fly to the US for my holiday. 11 hours of flying
even as a passenger does not thrill me. I just know that pressure changes
will cause me sinus pain. It seems that anything involving more than 2000ft
in pressure changes with a cold becomes uncomfortable.

I just know my limits

Dave

Dave wrote:

For me a cold is a cold and I chose not to fly. I have one now and I am
dreading Thursday when I fly to the US for my holiday. 11 hours of flying
even as a passenger does not thrill me. I just know that pressure changes
will cause me sinus pain. It seems that anything involving more than 2000ft
in pressure changes with a cold becomes uncomfortable.

Try a double dose of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (if it's available there).
Take it several hours before boarding and follow the directions for repeat doses
until you land. Its major side-effect is insomnia.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Dave wrote:

For me a cold is a cold and I chose not to fly. I have one now and I am
dreading Thursday when I fly to the US for my holiday. 11 hours of
flying
even as a passenger does not thrill me. I just know that pressure
changes
will cause me sinus pain. It seems that anything involving more than
2000ft
in pressure changes with a cold becomes uncomfortable.

Try a double dose of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (if it's available
there).
Take it several hours before boarding and follow the directions for repeat
doses
until you land. Its major side-effect is insomnia.

We have that here its called Sudafed, not only does it cause insomnia, it
causes me nightmares too. Wont do ranting on the plane at 35,000 ft.

Dave

"Dave" wrote in message
...
For me a cold is a cold and I chose not to fly... I just know that
pressure changes
will cause me sinus pain.

That makes sense, but for me there's no apparent correlation between
pressure-change sensitivity and having a cold. I've piloted several times
with a significant cold, never with any resulting sinus pain. I've had
descent-induced sinus pain on only two occasions (both times as a passenger,
once on an airliner), without having a cold either time. So unless I'm ill
enough to feel run-down, I don't avoid piloting just because of a cold.

--Gary