H1N1 Vaccine in Cancun?

[V]

Uhmm, that's too bad, I thought he might have heard something beyond what I've been hearing about it. The time has to be soon that this stuff gets to be generally available, here, as it is in the U.S. and Europe, already. I just may find time this coming week to drop by the public health to see what they can tell me.

[V]

I dropped by one of the neighborhood branches of the Public Health Service and was told in a most unequivocal manner that the vaccine against H1N1 is now available to all who are residents of Quintana Roo. They added that the only place it was being administered was at the main Public Health Clinic, on the territory of the General Hospital, spoken of earlier on this thread, with details about where it's located.

Positive confirmation of this information can only come from someone going there and asking to have the shot.

Edit: I went by the General Hospital on 17 Feb to check on the information I'd been given, above: as suspected, the information was incorrect, and the shots are still limited to those in high risk categories

[YessicaBB]

I just got my flu shot, from a regional IMSS clinic, I just had to wait in line for 30 minutes and present my IMSS booklet. So I think all regional clinics must be doing the same. They said they are will do it every day till they have none left.

[V]

Good for you, Yessica, for getting your flu shot!

I wonder if you'd mind looking at the shot record and seeing if they notated what kind of vaccine it was: I was in General Hospital, Zone 3, just a few days ago. There was a line for shots there, too. I asked the person giving the shots if it was for H1N1, or seasonal flu, and they told me it was for seasonal flu, and that H1N1 was not available to members of IMSS, generally- information that was then confirmed by one of the doctors I spoke with there. However, this situation is in flux, so please look, and let us know what they wrote in your booklet.

[YessicaBB]

<sigh>

I don't need to look but thank you for telling me to do so, just like CancunCanuk knew that it was IMSS at her sons school.

BUT Thank you anyway

[V]

Hi, Yessica, and thanks for replying back so quickly. But, it's possible you didn't catch what I was asking, which was not whether it was IMSS, but whether it was a vaccination against N1H1 (swine flu), or against the seasonal flu. (All you said was you'd gotten your "flu" shot, so I wanted to know which it was, if you knew, or if you could look at the shot record to see what the doctor wrote there.)

We've known flu shots were available, but been interested in knowing when shots for the swine flu (N1H1) would become available, something rather different. Sorry if I appear a little dense.

V.

[RiverGirl]

I contacted Yessica and she did in fact get the H1N1 vaccine from the IMSS clinic on Nichupte. She is enrolled at IMSS.

Cancun Airport workers are being told they will receive the H1N1 vaccine within the next week. That likely means it will happen within the next month.

ISSSTE is told us today that they will begin giving H1N1 vaccine to members on Monday.

[V]

That's excellent, Rivergirl, and it can't be that long before the private hospitals and clinics will be getting their hands on some, as well. Did you ever manage to get the vaccine, yourself?

[TraceyUk]

My poor daughter has swine flu and she is feeling very sick indeed. Before anyone panics she is in the UK.
She was offered anti virals but told they only work in the first 24 hours of symptoms and the only thing she can do is stay in bed , rest , drink fluids and take nurofen.

[V]

TraceyUK, the swine flu, as well as seasonal flu, are circulating here, as everywhere. I've had two students come down with swine flu in the last two months. We're getting exposed wherever we go, whether we know it or not.

I caught the flu from my barber, in December, who was working sick: never knew what kind of flu it was, but once I got passed the fever stage I felt the need to sleep all the time- I mean, like 20 hours/day- for about four days; then, I just felt extra tired for another ten days, or so, having to rest in bed part of each day. It was a mild case....

As for when to go to the hospital if you have symptoms, I would say any degree of shortness of breath should be responded to, immediately. And what you said about Tamiflu is exactly in keeping with what I know about it: it's only useful on day one, or two, following the very first symptoms of flu. It can be bought over the counter, in Cancun, apparently.

[RiverGirl]

We got our H1N1 vaccines today from the ISSSTE. Last week they told us to come in Monday (yesterday). Today they said they didn't have vaccine for the general public yet (they didn't say when they would, but soon). But they told us they were giving it to people who are high risk. So we convinced them that we are both high risk. We walked in expecting bureaucratic b.s. and we walked out 5 minutes later vaccinated. You do have to be enrolled in the ISSSTE to get it from them.

Airport workers were supposed to get the H1N1 vaccine last week. But apparently the whole thing was so badly organized that very few workers actually got it. Hopefully the public health officials will get it together and get more ppl there vaccinated.

[Jim in Cancun]

Interesting article:
Swine flu: one foot in the grave-09 February, 2010

"09 February, 2010 Adjust font size:
Swine flu: one foot in the grave
Health officials are not ready yet to dismiss the worldwide threat of swine flu but the worst of it is over in the US, Canada and many other countries in the northern hemisphere, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

But there is still intensive flu activity in Egypt, India and elsewhere, says Dr. Margaret Chan of WHO, which is a UN organization.

"It is too premature and too early for us to say we have come to an end of the pandemic influenza worldwide," the Director-General of WHO told reporters.

Health experts should monitor the disease for another six to 12 months, she said.

Her comments came after four weeks where no US states reported any flu cases.

There’s nothing new about warnings over swine flu. Back in 1976, there were estimates over one million Americans would die of the disease without vaccinations.

The swine flu pandemic could kill millions and cause anarchy in the world’s poorest nations, warned a United Nations report last year that asked for multi-million dollars in vaccinations. WHO predicted up to 50 million people could die from swine flu last year.

However, while 11,500 people are known to have died from the disease since the outbreak began in April, up to half a million people die each year from regular flu, according to government health statistics.

An estimated 70 million Americans were vaccinated against the flu strain with 50 million or more getting sick, says the AP. The vast majority recovered -- apparently from natural immunity.

Critics say warnings over swine flu were instrumental in promoting pharmaceutical sales.

Chan warned that the H1N1 swine flu virus can mutate into even more dangerous diseases.
Health officials are now warning about a new strain called H5N1, which is more virulent swine flu under another name: “bird flu.”

A footnote: Chan acknowledged she had yet to get her own swine flu shot.

By David Wilkening"

[RiverGirl]

My understanding is that flu epidemics come through in waves. According to the data I've seen it looks like this flu has come through in two waves so far.

Here's the latest data from Mexico's Secretary of Health [PDF]
http://portal.salud.gob.mx/sites/sal...mia_080210.pdf

[RiverGirl]

Jim - The article you posted is from a travel news site. That source would appear to be biased toward early dismissal of the threat from H1N1.

[V]

Rivergirl wrote:

...they told us they were giving it to people who are high risk.

So the papers continue to say. The latest reported in the press was that they considered from 6-24 months, those who were pregnant, those with chronic diseases, and those 60 and above, to be at elevated risk. (Don't know how tightly this holds to the data, but that's what they're doing: the data shows those from about 25 to 50 to be at greatest risk, when all else is equal.)

Given the large numbers of people who die, every year, from the flu, world-wide, it still has to be considered prudent to have the shots, if they're available.

Rivergirl, have you gotten your "seasonal flu" shots, as well?

[RiverGirl]

I do not have my seasonal flu shot, not yet anyway. I'm much more worried about being vaccinated against h1n1 as it seemed to hit people my age right in the lungs. But I should get the regular flu shot too. Hubby got the seasonal flu shot last Sept or so, at work.

[V]

I went by Hospital General, yesterday, to see if the situation regarding availability of the H1N1 vaccine had changed. Unfortunately, it has not: the hospital had signs everywhere announcing the availability of the vaccine, for free, but only to those in high risk categories, mainly very young children (6-24 months of age), pregnant women, and any with chronic diseases including asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc., up to age 64.

Hospital General is a large charity hospital operated by the state, and open to all who are resident, here (as contrasted with IMSS and ISSTE, for example, which have limited subscription). If you go to get the vaccine, be sure to bring proof of your residency in Mexico, and proof of your home address, as you will have to register in the public health system.

Hospital General, Cancun, is located at SM 65, Andador 5, between 12 y 13; just east of Av. Tulum, and just north of Lopez Portillo.

[Jim in Cancun]

Here is an update on whether Swine Flu is Still a Threat...from a travel related site so it also may be suspect Is Swine Flu Still a Threat To Travelers? || Jaunted

[RiverGirl]

So WHY would you rely on a travel site for information about a disease? I don't get that. It's not logical.

[V]

Looks like the supply situation is continuing to improve. The immunization program, first mentioned on this thread by Cancuncanuck, in which she reported shots were being given the school children of Cancun, by IMSS employees, has apparently been expanded to older students up to the university level.

IMSS personel were at University del Caribe (a State of Quintana Roo institution, and the largest university in Cancun, by enrollment), giving H1N1 injections, for free, to all who could present evidence of being enrolled there. The offer was also extended to the teachers and others on the staff.

[CancunCanuck]

Just a note that this is a two shot deal, IMSS came back to son's school this week to jab the kids a second time. Max complained about pain in his arm for two days with this one, he wasn't a happy camper. They told us that we could not give him any medicine (ie, Motrin), he just had to suffer. :S

[V]

Poor baby. I wasn't impressed with the girl giving the injections at the university, either, CC.

About the "no painkillers," I don't know what that could be about: are they worried about Reyes Syndrome, or something? Who knows....

[Grace Amazing]

Awww.... thats to bad. I am fom Alberta Canada and my family got the vaccine. We all had very sore arms too, but we were told to take motrin or advil.

[Jim in Cancun]

Originally Posted by RiverGirl

So WHY would you rely on a travel site for information about a disease? I don't get that. It's not logical.

Some travel sights might even do fact checking! They might even get their information from reliable sources. Information is information and truth is truth (although "truth" is usually filtered through the minds and pens of both the sender and the receiver). And "sites" are NEVER only about one topic to the exclusion of others. Sometimes you do have to go through a lot of "stuff" to find the pony though! And some truth is never found because it is never looked for.

Lots of people doubt the truth of what is posted on the WHO site and other "Authority sites." Truth is found in a lot of places. Why would you NOT look everywhere for it?

"Full many a gem of purest ray serene the dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear. Full many a flower is born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on the desert air." Thomas Gray

[RiverGirl]

Some travel sights might even do fact checking!

I've been paid to write for both travel sites and for real estate sites...in all cases there's been emphasis on not scaring away the possible clients, even if that means not divulging the full truth. The emphasis is on marketing paradise and on making money, as you would expect.

Lots of people doubt the truth of what is posted on the WHO site and other "Authority sites."

Are these the same people who don't "believe" in global warming and get all their information from Fox News?

Read a couple of issues of SciAm and call me in the morning...

[V]

Just a note that this is a two shot deal, IMSS came back to son's school this week to jab the kids a second time.

Odd that they're doing this, when there is insufficient vaccine in the country to give everyone the first jab.

France ended up with a huge surplus of vaccine when their health authorities concluded, after testing, that one shot was enough to confer immunity in nearly everyone who had had them.

[rawkus]

Is this stuff still going on...? :O

Feels like it was ages ago.

Dont even know of anyone personally(not here, in US, Canada, Australia nor Sweden) that has taken the shots.

The Swedish government played down the necessity of the vaccine since it was yet to be proven to be as "good" as the makers claimed...

[V]

It now appears that the H1N1 vaccine has reached the state of general availability. In Farmacias Especialidades they have it for sale in lots of ten for 1,800 pesos. Private hospitals and private practitioners will now be able to provide it, if desired.