lynn Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 People are buzzing on facebook about wanting schools and activities to just finish up for the year before more children get sick. If my fil had been planning to come for Christmas I think I would be telling him to please stay home and we'd see him in the spring. A friend of mine had the flu and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, she is home now but can barely get out of bed. some friends and I were going to visit a friend in the hospital before she has surgery but I think I'll stay away and call her instead. Praying everyone stays health and well through the Holiday Season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Well, as I was waiting to drop off two prescriptions for ds (neither flu-related) I heard the tech on the phone telling someone the wait would be over an hour since "We are getting slammed with requests for Tamiflu". So I think it is here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 It's here in northwest Illinois. And I'm hearing that this year's flu shot is not helping- I know several older people who have the flu. People who have had their flu shots every year forever and never get it are ill. They're prescribing Tamiflu for family members of people who get sick- is this typical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Dh and I have just gone through it and are still recovering. Thankfully our dc have stayed healthy because it's been a real doozy this year. I haven't had the flu in about 20 years and forgot how horrible it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Only me Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 It is widespread here in the western suburbs of Chicago. My son's school had 18% of the kids sick last week. If it reaches 20% they cancel school. My 19 year old dd had it in early October. She was the first case for her doctor. My son and I got flu shots but I've heard that they might be for the wrong strain. We are looking forward to Friday when everyone will be done with school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleowl Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 It hit our family in mid-October, a week before my kids were scheduled to get their vaccines. I got it, then DH, then DD#2. The pediatrician did go ahead and put DD#1 and DS (who was 6 months then) on Tamiflu, and they did not get sick. I was absolutely amazed - I mean, both of the people who hold the baby had the flu! We use formula, so it wasn't a breast milk antibodies thing, either. DH & DD#2 also got Tamiflu, and it cut a couple of days off of their symptoms. It was too late for me to get Tamiflu by the time we realized what we were dealing with. The pediatrician told us at that point that she'd already seen cases in some kids who had received the flu shot, but that their symptoms were less severe. So even though it's not the right strain, it may still be helpful if you get the flu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 The Walmart in our area has sold out of Tamiflu. It's already bad. I'm hoping that Christmas break and people staying home for Christmas will help with the spread of the illness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I haven't heard anything official, but we know 4 families and a total of 11 people who have had Influenza B confirmed since late October. We all had our vaccine in October. This is the first year we've had such close contact with people who came down with the flu, so I'm glad we didn't procrastinate on the shot (we sometimes put it off until Nov. or Dec.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 We seem to have three different illnesses going around our area. One is the flu; the second is a stomach bug; and the third is something that causes fatigue, headaches, and sometimes fever. Several schools have closed to sanitize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 My sister and her family have the flu. They called 12 different pharmacies a few days ago and they were all sold out of Tamiflu. I think they eventually found it somewhere else, but it took a lot of searching to find somewhere that could fill their prescriptions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I think because I pasted a quote first, I'm going to get everything bullet-pointed whether it makes sense or not! Anyway, I like to read the CDC's fluview site to understand the statistical big picture a little better. Flu activity is definitely increasing. The portion of the flu vaccine for the A(H3N2) strain is the one that is not so effective because the virus has mutated. To put some numbers on the whole thing, nation-wide 21% of blood samples tested from sick people who go to the doctor because they have flu-like symptoms are testing positive for flu. Of those, the vast majority are the A H3 type. The part I'm quoting below says that of those A H3's, about a third are a good match for the strain in the vaccine, and 2/3 are the mutated strain that the vaccine doesn't cover. Note that the vaccine doesn't do anything for the almost 80% of sick people with flu-like illnesses who test negative for flu--lots of viruses can make you sick and they are sick with something else. On the west coast, our flu activity usually increases AFTER Christmas break--all of those holiday travelers, college students, etc who travel to parts of the country where flu is more rampant bring it back here. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/ A (H3N2) [197]: Sixty-four (32.5%) of the 197 H3N2 viruses tested have been characterized as A/Texas/50/2012-like, the influenza A (H3N2) component of the 2014-2015 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine. One hundred thirty-three (67.5%) of the 197 viruses tested showed either reduced titers with antiserum produced against A/Texas/50/2012 or belonged to a genetic group that typically shows reduced titers to A/Texas/50/2012. Among viruses that showed reduced titers with antiserum raised against A/Texas/50/2012, most were antigenically similar to A/Switzerland/9715293/2013, the H3N2 virus selected for the 2015 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine. A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 is related to, but antigenically and genetically distinguishable, from the A/Texas/50/2012 vaccine virus. A/Switzerland-like H3N2 viruses were first detected in the United States in small numbers in March of 2014 and began to increase through the spring and summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleowl Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I haven't heard anything official, but we know 4 families and a total of 11 people who have had Influenza B confirmed since late October. We all had our vaccine in October. This is the first year we've had such close contact with people who came down with the flu, so I'm glad we didn't procrastinate on the shot (we sometimes put it off until Nov. or Dec.). Ours was influenza A, so a different strain. I'm in Tallahassee, for the record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 They are closing schools left and right here because of it. There are currently 3 of us here sick, and I'm praying it isn't the flu. (I say as every joint in my body feels like someone took a hammer to it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I live in south Alabama and there are already several reported cases of the flu. We had shots, but I heard on the news that they are not as effective this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I haven't hear of a lot of flu yet for our area. However, DS got para-influenza that was a bad strain and gave it to all of us. It has been weeks and we are just starting to see the end in sight. My throat is still sore and DS and I both still have a cough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Starting? It's like the fast and furious here! And it's not just the flu here, either. There is the influenza strain that the flu shot isn't effective on. Then there is a 24 hour tummy bug with aggressive vomiting. And on top of that strep is pretty rampant right now. I know way too many people right now with one or a combination of all three. I'm holding my breath as we've been staying healthy. We have dance every day this week, but once we get home Saturday evening we're done for two weeks. Hoping we can avoid all of the ick this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Ours was influenza A, so a different strain. I'm in Tallahassee, for the record. Interesting. I'm in Central Florida. I wonder if both strains have been a problem in the state. This map doesn't show strains, but I'm in Brevard County which shows as having moderate flu activity. http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/influenza/_images/w49-map-large.jpg ETA: Leon County is moderate too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 A family friend that has a transplanted heart has a version that wasn't in the shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Elephant Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Not as of yet, because we've had a few weeks of frigid temps which always helps kill-off the likes of flu bugs and viruses, but now that's it's warmed up again I suspect there will be a spike in flu cases, as always seems to be the case after a cold spell. Here's hoping for a sick-free year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Sad story...it was just confirmed that a 15 year old girl from Ohio has died from the flu. As I understand it, this is the first influenza death of this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I'm in North Dakota - south central. The ps kids next door all had the flu 2 weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Influenza A is pretty rampant here. There's also some enterovirus with extended high fever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Yes, I'm concerned about it because one of mine is having surgery Friday. The doctor really wants this done this month. On the way home this afternoon she told me that one of the kids in the carpool is just getting over the flu and coughed all the way home. Sigh. I dosed her with every preventive I have, but she's staying home from all activities for the remainder of the week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 We seem to have three different illnesses going around our area. One is the flu; the second is a stomach bug; and the third is something that causes fatigue, headaches, and sometimes fever. Several schools have closed to sanitize. This has been happening in my area as well. I have also heard that this year's flu shot is not effective against the strains this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrygal Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I am in the upper Midwest. My dh just tested positive for influenza, I don't know what type. Him and our 2 year old were the last to go down with it, but DH was the worst so we took him in wondering if he something bacterial on top of it (coughing up brown and green junk.) The MD said he just had a cold but I asked if colds cause a 103 degree fever and body aches so bad... He's like "Well I guess we could test him for influenza even though I haven't seen much." Momma was right. Who knows how many he has seen that he told had 'colds' that really weren't. Either way, dh and the toddler got Tamiflu, so hopefully that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I would say so around here. I don't know of any officially diagnosed cases, but there's definitely something going around with symptoms that are classic flu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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