An email from a very reliable source from work.... ----- Original Message -----
This is from my friend, Charlotte, that I used to teach with. Her son-in-law is a doctor, working in the E. R. at the hospital in New Braunfels and at his own office in Wimberley.
T.
----- Original Message -----
Thought this was very good information for you and Jim to have. This is beginning to look very serious.
Governor Perry had a press conference mid-day and updated the level of response to pandemic.
The last couple of bullets below suggest some homeopathic and supplement information that we are all starting on today.
I will keep you updated as Marc sends me information.
Although he is not at the Hospital today, Heather said he has been in constant contact with the doctors on duty and will probably have to go back in they are so overrun. They have confirmed 80 cases today. The CDC alerted them to classify any A positives on the flu test as H1N1 swine flu.
C
Begin forwarded message:
From: Heather Carter <hcartist@mac.com>
Date: April 29, 2009 8:55:31 AM CDT
Subject: Flu Update from Dr. Gitterle
After I returned from a public health meeting yesterday with community leaders and school officials in Comal County, Heather suggested I send an update to everyone, because what we are hearing privately from the CDC and Health Department is so different from what you are hearing in the media. Some of you know some or maybe all of this, but I will just list what facts I know.
- The virus is infectious for about 2 days prior to symptom onset
- Virus sheds more than 7 days after symptom onset (possibly as long as 9 days) (this is unusual) - Since it is such a novel (new) virus, there is no "herd immunity," so the "attack rate" is very high. This is the percentage of people who come down with a virus if exposed. Almost everyone who is exposed to this virus will become infected, though not all will be symptomatc. That is much higher than seasonal flu, which averages 10-15%. The "clinical attack rate" may be around 40-50%. This is the number of people who show symptoms. This is a huge number. It is hard to convey the seriousness of this.
- The virulence (deadliness) of this virus is as bad here as in Mexico, and there are folks on ventilators here in the US, right now. This has not been in the media, but a 23 month old near here is fighting for his life, and a pregnant woman just south of San Antonio is fighting for her life. In Mexico, these folks might have died already, but here in the US, folks are getting Tamiflu or Relenza quickly, and we have ready access to ventilators. What this means is that within a couple of weeks, regional hospitals will likely become overwhelmed.
- Some of the kids with positive cases in Comal County had more than 70 contacts before diagnosis.
- There are 10-25 times more actual cases (not "possible" cases -- actual), than what is being reported in the media. The way they fudge on reporting this is that it takes 3 days to get the confirmatory nod from the CDC on a given viral culture, but based on epidemiological grounds, we know that there are more than 10 cases for each "confirmed" case right now.
- During the night, we crossed the threshold for the definition of a WHO, Phase 6 global pandemic. This has not happened in any of our lifetimes so far. We are in uncharted territory.
- I expect President Obama will declare an emergency sometime in the next 72-96 hours. This may not happen, but if it doesn't, I will be surprised. When this happens, all public gathering will be cancelled for 10 days.
- I suggest all of us avoid public gatherings. Outdoor activities are not as likely to lead to infection. It is contained areas and close contact that are the biggest risk.
- Tamiflu is running out. There is a national stockpile, but it will have to be carefully managed, as it is not enough to treat the likely number of infections when this is full-blown. I don't think there is a big supply of Relenza, but I do not know those numbers. If I had to choose, I would take Relenza, as I think it gets more drug to the affected tissue than Tamiflu.
- You should avoid going to the ER if you think you have been exposed or are symptomatic. ER's south of here are becoming overwhelmed -- and I mean that -- already. It is coming in waves, but the waves are getting bigger.
- It appears that this flu produces a distinctive "hoarseness" in many victims. The symptoms, in general, match other flu's; namely, sore throat, body aches, headache, cough, and fever. Some have all these symptoms, while others may have only one or two.
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine -- a nutritional supplement available at the health food store or Wimberley Pharmacy, has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of influenza. I suggest 1200mg, twice a day for adults, and 600mg twice a day in kids over 12. It would be hard to get kids under 12 to take it, but you could try opening the capsules and putting it on yogurt. For 40 pounds and up, 300-600 mg twice a day, for less than 40 pounds, half that.
- Oscillococinum, a homeopathic remedy, has been vindicated as quite effective in a large clinical trial in Europe, with an H1N1 variant. You can buy this at Hill Country Natural Foods, or the Wimberley Pharmacy.
I will try to keep everyone posted if I have any new information. Meanwhile, don't be afraid just avoid infection. The fewer people infected the easier it will be for our public officials to manage it.
Marc
This is from my friend, Charlotte, that I used to teach with. Her son-in-law is a doctor, working in the E. R. at the hospital in New Braunfels and at his own office in Wimberley.
T.
----- Original Message -----
Thought this was very good information for you and Jim to have. This is beginning to look very serious.
Governor Perry had a press conference mid-day and updated the level of response to pandemic.
The last couple of bullets below suggest some homeopathic and supplement information that we are all starting on today.
I will keep you updated as Marc sends me information.
Although he is not at the Hospital today, Heather said he has been in constant contact with the doctors on duty and will probably have to go back in they are so overrun. They have confirmed 80 cases today. The CDC alerted them to classify any A positives on the flu test as H1N1 swine flu.
C
Begin forwarded message:
From: Heather Carter <hcartist@mac.com>
Date: April 29, 2009 8:55:31 AM CDT
Subject: Flu Update from Dr. Gitterle
After I returned from a public health meeting yesterday with community leaders and school officials in Comal County, Heather suggested I send an update to everyone, because what we are hearing privately from the CDC and Health Department is so different from what you are hearing in the media. Some of you know some or maybe all of this, but I will just list what facts I know.
- The virus is infectious for about 2 days prior to symptom onset
- Virus sheds more than 7 days after symptom onset (possibly as long as 9 days) (this is unusual) - Since it is such a novel (new) virus, there is no "herd immunity," so the "attack rate" is very high. This is the percentage of people who come down with a virus if exposed. Almost everyone who is exposed to this virus will become infected, though not all will be symptomatc. That is much higher than seasonal flu, which averages 10-15%. The "clinical attack rate" may be around 40-50%. This is the number of people who show symptoms. This is a huge number. It is hard to convey the seriousness of this.
- The virulence (deadliness) of this virus is as bad here as in Mexico, and there are folks on ventilators here in the US, right now. This has not been in the media, but a 23 month old near here is fighting for his life, and a pregnant woman just south of San Antonio is fighting for her life. In Mexico, these folks might have died already, but here in the US, folks are getting Tamiflu or Relenza quickly, and we have ready access to ventilators. What this means is that within a couple of weeks, regional hospitals will likely become overwhelmed.
- Some of the kids with positive cases in Comal County had more than 70 contacts before diagnosis.
- There are 10-25 times more actual cases (not "possible" cases -- actual), than what is being reported in the media. The way they fudge on reporting this is that it takes 3 days to get the confirmatory nod from the CDC on a given viral culture, but based on epidemiological grounds, we know that there are more than 10 cases for each "confirmed" case right now.
- During the night, we crossed the threshold for the definition of a WHO, Phase 6 global pandemic. This has not happened in any of our lifetimes so far. We are in uncharted territory.
- I expect President Obama will declare an emergency sometime in the next 72-96 hours. This may not happen, but if it doesn't, I will be surprised. When this happens, all public gathering will be cancelled for 10 days.
- I suggest all of us avoid public gatherings. Outdoor activities are not as likely to lead to infection. It is contained areas and close contact that are the biggest risk.
- Tamiflu is running out. There is a national stockpile, but it will have to be carefully managed, as it is not enough to treat the likely number of infections when this is full-blown. I don't think there is a big supply of Relenza, but I do not know those numbers. If I had to choose, I would take Relenza, as I think it gets more drug to the affected tissue than Tamiflu.
- You should avoid going to the ER if you think you have been exposed or are symptomatic. ER's south of here are becoming overwhelmed -- and I mean that -- already. It is coming in waves, but the waves are getting bigger.
- It appears that this flu produces a distinctive "hoarseness" in many victims. The symptoms, in general, match other flu's; namely, sore throat, body aches, headache, cough, and fever. Some have all these symptoms, while others may have only one or two.
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine -- a nutritional supplement available at the health food store or Wimberley Pharmacy, has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of influenza. I suggest 1200mg, twice a day for adults, and 600mg twice a day in kids over 12. It would be hard to get kids under 12 to take it, but you could try opening the capsules and putting it on yogurt. For 40 pounds and up, 300-600 mg twice a day, for less than 40 pounds, half that.
- Oscillococinum, a homeopathic remedy, has been vindicated as quite effective in a large clinical trial in Europe, with an H1N1 variant. You can buy this at Hill Country Natural Foods, or the Wimberley Pharmacy.
I will try to keep everyone posted if I have any new information. Meanwhile, don't be afraid just avoid infection. The fewer people infected the easier it will be for our public officials to manage it.
Marc
26 swine flu cases in Texas; 3 schools closed in Austin
11:16 AM CDT on Thursday, April 30, 2009
By GEORGE KANUCK / KVUE Newsand KVUE.com
The Centers for Disease Control and prevention Thursday confirmed 26 cases of swine flu in Texas, including a child from Mexico City who died earlier this week in a Houston-area hospital, state health officials said. There were 109 cases across the US, with confirmed infections in 11 states.
Three schools in the Austin area have been closed due to swine flu concerns, including an Austin ISD pre-Kindergarten campus.
Officials closed the Lucy Read Pre-Kindergarten Demonstration School until May 11 because a boy who attends the school has contracted what health officials believe is swine flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has yet to confirm the case. It isn't known where the child contracted the virus. The closure affects more than 530 students.
Kirby Hall School, a private school in Hyde Park, has closed for the rest of the week as a precaution. School officials say four eighth grade students went on a school trip last week to Mexico, the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak. They returned to school on Monday, and officials decided to send all of the 150 students home as a precaution.
The Regents School of Austin, located near 290 and MoPac, closed Thursday and Friday as a precaution. One student and her mother were diagnosed with the flu and samples were being tested for swine flu.
AISD Superintendent Pat Forgione posted this message on the district's website:
"Those individuals with fever and flu-like symptoms and/or those testing positive for Influenza Type A are asked to remain at home until their fever and symptoms have resolved."
The district set up a hotline to answer swine flu questions: 414-9967.
The Department of State Health Services has asked hospitals, doctors and others to be alert for other possible cases.
People are urged to follow standard precautions to reduce the spread of any respiratory illness.
-- Stay home when you are sick to avoid spreading illness to others.
-- Cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow or a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.
-- Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
-- Cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow or a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.
-- Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
In total, the closings across the state affect more than 100,000 students.
************
In response to the above email I also received this:
This is part of an email that I received from a medical professional who knows Dr. Gitterle personally. It was in response to the suggestions in taking N-Acetyl. Please don't take it. I don't want those of you with asthma or diabetes to develop a worse medical condition from it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
also remember that if you run out and buy this stuff to take and assume that it is "natural" therefore, cannot harm you, do some research. You have to up your vitamin C intake by about 3 times for it to work properly (or so reported) and Individuals with diabetes, asthma or kidney gallstones should only use N-Acetyl Cysteine with medical supervision.
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