Canada

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Experts answer questions about flu, vaccine

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 10/28/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

MONTREAL -- What is fact and what is fiction when it comes to the H1N1 or swine flu and the vaccine?

Here are some questions and answers with Dr. Dalius Briedis, director of the clinical infectious diseases unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal and Ariel Fenster, a chemistry professor at McGill University who works with the school's Office of Science and Society.

Related Items

Can vaccine cause flu?

No, said Briedis and Fenster. And the H1N1 vaccine is 80 to 95 per cent effective.

Is H1N1 worse than the regular flu?

Not for most people. "Stay home if you have a cough and a temperature over 38C," Briedis said.

Without seeing a doctor how can I tell what I have?

A flu includes a fever (temperature of 38C or higher), shaking and chills, severe muscle aches and headaches, coughing and the incapacity to go to work, Briedis said.

H1N1 can also be marked by a shortness of breath "like someone is strangling you," said Briedis. If that is the case, seek medical attention.

Don't go to the hospital unless the symptoms, especially shortness of breath, persist.

How effective is handwashing against H1N1?

Ninety-five per cent of those who get H1N1 will get it from airborne droplets spread by infected people (likely through coughs), Briedis said.

"But handwashing is great at preventing so many other things that get you sick, like cold viruses."

What's the point of getting vaccinated if most people will be fine after a few days sick in bed?

"Good question," said Fenster. "The fear is that many people will get sick around the same time... Imagine if all at once there weren't enough nurses or bus drivers, for example."

When will people get it?

The flu generally has a six-week time frame to do its worst. Briedis said the H1N1 season is here, and it could last weeks or months longer than the regular flu season.

In the last 36 hours, Briedis saw five patients with H1N1 at the Royal Vic's ER. They were between the ages of 20 and 35.

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 28, 2009 A6

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Canada

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.