What do doctors think about Swine Flu?

Answer 1

I am not able to speak to what all doctors think, but research I've done indicates that the majority in the US medical community (and most if not all parts of the world) think that the Swine Flu (H1N1/09) during the 2009 pandemic was a mild disease for the majority infected. It was fast-spreading. It affected some populations (such as the young and healthy, pregnant women, etc.) with more complications than those groups usually experience with the typical seasonal flu. It did not infect or kill as many in the over 65 age group, which usually is harder hit with deaths from the seasonal flu. It is unknown why they had less risk with this disease, but some think they may have acquired some aspect of protection from exposure to other similar types of flu sometime in their lifetimes.

The microbiologists, epidemiologists, and medical practitioners understand the science of the disease and research that indicates that it was caused by a reassortant (mutation/combination) of common strains of flu in swine, humans, and birds that resulted in the new strain. Although this was a new mutation and could have been devastating to the population of the world if it had caused a higher mortality rate, especially since it spread so easily and since there was no inherited or acquired immunity available in the population from prior exposure to the specific strain, they realize that good public education, fast responses by the medical and public health communities and quick development of vaccines all contributed to the control of the new disease and the actual results compared to the potential results that existed and were creating all the concern among world scientists.

I personally, as a member of the medical community, believe that the entire experience was valuable for the world community as preparation for what will likely happen in future epidemics, and it will have provided a good trial of our preparedness and responses to pandemics and threatened pandemics in the future. If we continue to practice good hygiene and avoid the spread of our germs with these improved practices and cough and sneeze etiquette, we will all be better prepared and safer in future situations of new forms of infectious disease.

This situation proved the value and safety of flu vaccinations as well. Millions were vaccinated and protected from disease with a significantly low number of adverse effects reported.

Be safe and protected by getting and having your children treated with routine vaccinations for diseases.