This is a must read!

[Rita]

I received this email from a friend. It is a copy of an email sent out by a doctor who has had meetings with the CDC.

 

"This is from a doctor in the San Marcos area:

 

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."

 

 

[Cat]

I have seen this same email posted around on the 'net. Be *VERY CAREFUL* about believing it.

 

It popped up awfully fast after the very first outbreaks, and while the doctor's name has been identified as an actual doctor, nobody that I have seen or heard of has been able to verify it as coming from him.

 

It very well may be somebody trying to sell those particular products... N-Acetyl-Cysteine and Oscillococinum. It's just a bit TOO CONVENIENT.

 

There are others trying to verify it... I'll keep watching.

 

But I sure wouldn't buy that stuff unless I KNOW it's real!!!

 

 

 

 

[sassenach]

Please follow this link and read about the policy about closing schools and childcare due to swine flu.

It is dated May 1, 2009

http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergenc...p?a=368&z=1

[Rita]

Dr. Gitterle states in his blog that this was based on an email that he had sent to his family and friends. He stated that it was somewhat modified and that he has been getting calls and emails in huge numbers. When I read his statement, the thing that concerned me was that he is not saying exactly what it was that he DID say in the original email, nor did he state which portions of the email being circulated were incorrect. If it were me, I would have certainly have stated what things were changed. I just thought this was very odd. Anyway, of course, anyone can write anything on the internet, true or not and yes, it is up to us to determine what is factual and what is not. I do think that it is worth considering because even though some of it may be exaggerated, none of it would suprise me....

[Mother]

Oscillococinum is a tried and true homeopathic remedy for the flu. It works best taken at the first signs. I haven't read anything on it's use in this particular flu however. I have not done any research on N-Acetyl-Cysteine yet but have heard it mentioned in a few places in connection with the flu, again, not this particular strain.

 

Here is a link that might shed some light on this email.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/medical/a/dr_gitterle.htm

 

He says he wrote it to family and friends. I wonder if he is not that far off but has had to back pedal because of his position.

 

[Rita]

That is what I am thinking, Mother, because he never said what he actually did write, kwim? If someone misquoted me my response would have been.... " I did not say that! This is what I said: etc." He did not do that and that concerns me. Also, some of the things he said like when he said there was a 23 month old sick with it turned out to be factual..... I don't know, but I will be watching.

[CoM]

and then there is what Vice President Bidden said.... I believe he meant what he said.