Pandemic Prep…Are There Still People Who Believe This is No Big Deal?..Pneumonia
I had intended to post a guide to recognizing signs of dehydration today but after reading and researching a little I decided it was more important to focus on pneumonia right now. There is a guide to dehydration in your Prep Not Panic ebook so make sure you have run off that information and have it close at hand. We had a call from a man this morning who was supposed to run a HAM Radio activity tomorrow in connection with the National Boy Scout Jamboree. He called to say he had the flu, which is happening more and more, but then went on to say he would go to his daughter’s soccer game if he felt up to it but would not make the jamboree. YIKES! Are there still people who don’t get it? STAY HOME!!! Especially if you would come into contact with children. This is a serious problem. If you have not already told all your friends, neighbors, family, church group, etc. about this blog, Prep Not Panic, or other places to get information about just how serious this is PLEASE do that today.
From CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/whatsnew.htm
“During the week of October 4-10, 2009, influenza activity continued to increase in the United States. Flu activity is now widespread. Nationwide, visits to doctors for influenza-like-illness increased over last week and are higher than expected for this time of year. In addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths are increasing as well, and are higher than expected.”
To date there have been 15,696 patients hospitalized with flu related pneumonia with 2,029 deaths. There have been 4,958 H1N1 hospitalizations with 292 deaths.
Numbers for deaths among children is now at 147. The CDC report as of last Friday contained the following information, which is frightening.
Nineteen more pediatric deaths for influenza were reported to us this week. We’re now up to 76 children having died from the 2009 H1N1 virus,” Anne Schuchat, a senior official at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said on Friday.
“To put that in context, in the past three years, the total pediatric influenza deaths ranged from 46 – 88. We’ve already had 76 children dying from the H1N1 virus and it’s only the beginning of October,” Schuchat said. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/health/873956/us-child-deaths-from-h1n1-shoot-up
That is really disturbing…46-88 deaths among children in a normal flu season, the entire season.. 6 months…and we have already seen almost twice that many in less than two months. Please share what you know and encourage people with the flu in their home to stay home, especially if you have children in your home.
Check out this graph and pay particular attention to the yellow line which tracks deaths in the current week. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/weeklyarchives2008-2009/IPD39.htm
How do people “catch pneumonia”?
Some cases of pneumonia are contracted by breathing in small droplets that contain the organisms that can cause pneumonia. These droplets get into the air when a person infected with these germs coughs or sneezes. In other cases, pneumonia is caused when bacteria or viruses that are normally present in the mouth, throat, or nose inadvertently enter the lung. During sleep it is quite common for people to aspirate secretions from the mouth, throat, or nose. Normally, the body’s reflex response (coughing back up the secretions) and immune system will prevent the aspirated organisms from causing pneumonia. However, if a person is in a weakened condition from another illness, a severe pneumonia can develop. People with recent viral infections, lung disease, heart disease and swallowing problems, as well as alcoholics and drug users, and those who have suffered a stroke or seizure, are at higher risk for developing pneumonia than the general population.
Once organisms enter the lungs, they usually settle in the air sacs of the lung where they rapidly grow in number. This area of the lung then becomes filled with fluid and pus as the body attempts to fight off the infection.
What are pneumonia symptoms and signs?
Most people who develop pneumonia initially have symptoms of a cold which are then followed by a high fever (sometimes as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit), shaking chills, and a cough with sputum production. The sputum is usually discolored and sometimes bloody. People with pneumonia may become short of breath. The only pain fibers in the lung are on the surface of the lung, in the area known as the pleura. Chest pain may develop if the outer pleural aspects of the lung are involved. This pain is usually sharp and worsens when taking a deep breath, known as pleuritic pain.
In other cases of pneumonia, there can be a slow onset of symptoms. A worsening cough, headaches, and muscle aches may be the only symptoms. In some people with pneumonia, coughing is not a major symptom because the infection is located in areas of the lung away from the larger airways. At times, the individual’s skin color may change and become dusky or purplish (a condition known as “cyanosis”) due to their blood being poorly oxygenated.
Children and babies who develop pneumonia often do not have any specific signs of a chest infection but develop a fever, appear quite ill, and can become lethargic. Elderly people may also have few symptoms with pneumonia. http://www.medicinenet.com/pneumonia/article.htm#3whatare
Please email this post to everyone you know. Run off a copy and give it to neighbors or friends as you pick up the kids from school. Encourage others to call into my blog talk radio show tomorrow, tune in yourself, and ask the questions you may have.
I will be speaking with James this Saturday, October 17th 11:00 AM Pacific time (12:00 noon mountain time, 1:00pm central, 2:00pm Eastern). Please join us and ask questions about the Pandemic or any other preparedness concern you may have. Call in (347) 326-9604 or just listen at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/James-Talmage-Steven/2009/10/17/Family-Preparedness-Guide
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Blog Talk Radio Show with Kathy Hamilton..listen to our conversation at:
Thank you for continuing to address this. We are on a waiting list at our pediatricians office to get the H1N1 vaccine and a friend back East told me they were giving it to kids at school as long as they had a consent form filled out. My boys had surgery this week and they were signs at the children’s hospital everywhere to wash hands as people entered to try to prevent the spread of the flu.