October 12, 2009
A report today on MSNBC.com notes that a new government analysis reported by Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of immunization and respiratory diseases at the CDC, on H1N1 cases during the first wave this spring reveals that one in four of those sick enough to be hospitalized ended up in the ICU and 7% of them died. Half of those treated in the hospital were children or teens, decidedly different from the picture with seasonal flu.
While a normal season has 46-88 pediatric deaths/season, there have already been 76 deaths in children below 18 and the pandemic has much more life to it, even with the start of immunizations. All of this serves as a reminder of the need for children and young adults to be vaccinated as soon as the vaccines are available in the local community.
Mark M. Blatter, M.D.
Medical Director
Primary Physicians Research