Please make sure that you and your children have the seasonal Flu Mist or the Flu Immunization. The research is showing that most people who have become very ill with the H1N1 virus are also positive for Influenza A. All Flu viruses are most likely spread by school children, who bring the virus home and then infect other members of the family.
The serious form of H1N1 seems to be attacking young women at a higher rate than men. Womens mortality rate seems to be higher also. This virus is attacking infants, children and teens. Men certainly are not immune to this virus, but the attack rate in men seems to be lower.
This virus is so new. The CDC and WHO simply do not know everything there is to know about this virus. So much is still misunderstood or unknown. This virus reminds me very much of the Polio virus of the 1950's. Polio struck randomly just like H1N1. Some people who were infected with polio didn't even get sick, or had a very mild form of the illness. When polio attacked severely, the results were devastating. The attack rate was relatively small about 2 in 100,000, somewhat like severe H1N1.
I don't consider myself that old, but I have lived through some terrible viral epidemics, some of which are ongoing killers. Influenza, Polio, Rubella, Sars, Varicella, HIV, HEP B and C, have each left nothing but a trail of tears. I am fearful that H1N1 is leaving its own trail and will continue to do so.
