Fight the flu! How, do you ask? By getting the information you need! The last few links posted were either partly or fully owned and maintained by the American government, but this link is all Canadian.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has created a website to provide Canadians with detailed information on the H1N1 influenza virus. There are two specific sections made, one for individuals seeking general information on H1N1, and another for specific groups such as pregnant or breastfeeding women or senior citizens.
The website also offers updates through various resources if getting online is a problem. Users can get updates on their Twitter page, Facebook page, or on their mobile phones. Users can also subscribe to RSS feeds.
This is one of the few websites that is created by Canadians providing information for Canadians. To access the website, point your favourite browser towards http://www.fightflu.ca/
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Flu.gov
Did you ever want to know about the difference between H1N1 and the Avian flu, but couldn't find the information anywhere on the Internet? You're in luck, because the answer you seek has been right under your nose. Flu.gov is a website that is aimed at providing individuals seeking information on the various kinds of influenza viruses.
Two things that make this site more unique and essential than other similar websites is an option to do a self-evaluation to check if you have caught the swine flu, and a "Myths "& Facts" section.
A search bar is provided at the top right hand corner of the website to make searching for information a very simple task. There is a gigantic FAQ section and all the answers provided are answered by experts on the flu - such as doctors and nurses.
So if you're ever looking for frequently updated information on any type of influenza virus, then head over to http://www.flu.gov/ and search away!
Two things that make this site more unique and essential than other similar websites is an option to do a self-evaluation to check if you have caught the swine flu, and a "Myths "& Facts" section.
A search bar is provided at the top right hand corner of the website to make searching for information a very simple task. There is a gigantic FAQ section and all the answers provided are answered by experts on the flu - such as doctors and nurses.
So if you're ever looking for frequently updated information on any type of influenza virus, then head over to http://www.flu.gov/ and search away!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
World Health Organization
"How many people have died from H1N1?" I don't know. But I know where you can find the answer to that question! The website for the World Health Organization has the responsibility to follow various health issues around the world. A specific section of the website has been dedicated to tackle issues and host countless information on the H1N1 Pandemic.
The H1N1 situation is updated often in order to provide information to any who come across the site. At the moment, the website is focusing on how to prevent H1N1 and have released a full document with diagnosis and treatment (http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/swineflu/clinical_management/en/index.html).
The website is not just limited to H1N1, there are various other links and articles on the website pertaining to other diseases and health issues.
To access the website, please copy and paste the following URL into your address bar:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/
The H1N1 situation is updated often in order to provide information to any who come across the site. At the moment, the website is focusing on how to prevent H1N1 and have released a full document with diagnosis and treatment (http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/swineflu/clinical_management/en/index.html).
The website is not just limited to H1N1, there are various other links and articles on the website pertaining to other diseases and health issues.
To access the website, please copy and paste the following URL into your address bar:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/
Center For Disease Control And Prevention
The famous quote, "Knowledge is power" was given to us by Sir Francis Bacon. If there's one site I'm following closely in order to obtain knowledge on H1N1, it would be the website of the Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This website gives a day to day detailed update on the number of deaths from H1N1 and the number of reported cases.
The website also gives fair warnings on how to avoid the disease and tips on how to keep oneself clean in order to prevent catching infection.
The CDC website is maintained by the National Center for Health Marketing, Coordinating Center for Health Information and Service.
The website also lists which countries have had an outbreak of H1N1, and has a link on the left hand side of the website on treatments for the H1N1 flu. If you are unable to visit the site for daily updates, on the right side of the website, there is an option to receive email updates which may be more convenient.
To those who would like to visit the website and also get updates on H1N1, please copy and paste the following URL into your address bar:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm
The website also gives fair warnings on how to avoid the disease and tips on how to keep oneself clean in order to prevent catching infection.
The CDC website is maintained by the National Center for Health Marketing, Coordinating Center for Health Information and Service.
The website also lists which countries have had an outbreak of H1N1, and has a link on the left hand side of the website on treatments for the H1N1 flu. If you are unable to visit the site for daily updates, on the right side of the website, there is an option to receive email updates which may be more convenient.
To those who would like to visit the website and also get updates on H1N1, please copy and paste the following URL into your address bar:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm
Swine Flu - Should We Be Afraid?
The year of 2009 brings a relatively new pandemic into the scene, swine flu a.k.a. H1N1. The first outbreak of swine flu occurred in 1976, during the Presidency of Gerald Ford. A recruit in the United States army at Fort Dix, New Jersey reported that he felt tired and dazed. The next day he died and four men were hospitalized. The virus that caused such illness in the five men was found to be a strain of swine flu. Mass panic took hold of public health officials and they pressured Ford to have everyone in the U.S. to be vaccinated for this epidemic.
The 1976 outbreak of swine flu was expected to infect 50 million Americans, but only 200 cases were reported with one death (there were more deaths caused by the vaccination than the virus itself). The epidemic was called a political farce by the public. Swine flu is back again and we seem to fear it as a pandemic that could kill millions worldwide, but it may not be the case. Consider the following examples. SARS was considered to kill millions but only 774 people died by the time the World Health Organization (WHO) called the outbreak to be over. SARS is not the only example; bird flu was also expected to be a virus that could not be stopped, yet only 170-200 people died of bird flu worldwide. To better put this in perspective, you have a higher chance of killing yourself before SARS, bird flu, or even swine flu kills you.
The only known treatment for swine flu is Tamiflu (Oseltamivir), the same treatment for bird flu. Tamiflu has been licensed by Gilead Sciences Inc. with Hoffman-La Roche manufacturing it until 2016. Now this makes me think... Donald Rumsfeld, the former Secretary of State under the Bush Administration; the same man that led the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq was the former chairman of Gilead Sciences Inc. and held major stocks in the company. That just doesn’t seem right.
George Bush authorized $1.7 billion to fight bird flu, 14% of which went to Gilead Sciences Inc. and 10% of the cost of every vaccine went to Rumsfeld. This leads me to a conclusion; we’re living everyday of our lives trying to stay clean and clamming to rub hand sanitizer every moment we see it, when there could be a possibility that we’re forced to be scared. And by who? Corporate giants no less! This is occurring once again and swine flu is the excuse. We need to look at the bigger picture, more people die from AIDS and malnutrition worldwide than the different kinds of influenza viruses. We can’t be forced to focus on H1N1 just because the corporate pharmaceutical companies don’t make money treating other fatal diseases.
Yes, we should attempt to keep ourselves clear of swine flu’s way, but we should not be forced to lock ourselves in our homes and expect to ride out the epidemic. Rather, we should carry on with our everyday lives and not feed into everything on the news.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
