anyone afraid of the swine flu?

[scorpiogirl32]

i was watching the news this morning and it said that 6% of all the deaths from the swine flu were pregnante the first american who died was a mother in the late stage of pregnancy(she went into a coma and thay deliverd her baby girl c section) im totaly freaking out i know 6% is small but segnifigant. some countrys are saying to hold off getting pregnante tell after the pandemic. well its to late for me. is anyone else scared?will you take the vaccine if its offerd to you? back in 1976 500 people got sick from the vaccine and 26 died. im not tring to scare no one just wondering what my peers will do in this situation and if anyone is scared like me? in my city the peek of the normal flu season is not tell about feb to april im due january so im hopeing to be deliverd befor this all hits home. what are your thought on all this or am i just going crazy lol

[Hoping4_2]

I',m not going to stress over it too much. I'm going to be careful and go to my Dr imediatly if I feel like I'm coming down w/ anything. I think we just need to be more careful in crowds and if the vaccine does come out then I will probly take it.

[macleiory]

Here in Australia we are in our peak flu season and I know a few ladies that have come down with it (one has an 8 month old who she shipped out with her husband to her in'laws).  We also have our seasonal town shows/fairs/expos/festivals this time of year so I'm not going to any of those much to my 11 year old's dissapointment.  I'm lucky I guess that I mostly work from home (so does my husband) and I don't go out socialising much although one aspect of my work does involve going to people's homes for product demonstrations and so on.  I'm relying on them to be up front with me if they are unwell as they all know that I'm pregnant.  It's on my mind, but I'm not scared as such.  Just conscious of taking care in crowds/avoiding peak shopping times in centres/eating and resting well/good personal hygiene and so on.  

This might sound weird, but I absolutely 100% avoid public washrooms at all costs if I can.  If I can't hang on and have to use one, I use paper on my fingers to latch and unlatch the door/press the button and use my elbow to push open the door and absolutely NEVER use the hand basin.  That might sound gross, but what's the first thing a person touches after they've toiletted?  The tap.  What's the last thing they touch before they leave?  The tap.  I never touch them.  I keep wet wipes in my purse for that - I'm not touching other people's tap germs.  YUKKO!!

[macleiory]

Oh, I forget to answer the vaccine bit.  I probably wouldn't bother getting vaccinated this year as the virus is going to mutate to another form by next season (in which case I won't be pregnant) as all flu virus strains tend to do.  The media here is warning people who already have respiritoty issues and immuno-suppressed issues to be extra careful and get the vaccine when it becomes available.  I've had pneumonia a couple of times so I might be more susseptible to it (I don't know), but I probably still wouldn't - not while pregnant.  My soon had a flu vaccine last year and spent 4 days in hospital and 3 weeks off school with flu anyway - I'm a sceptic, but that's just me.  I figure that getting vaccinated after you've potentially been exposed is pretty pointless.

I'd be watching there whereabouts of the kids and their social contacts - kids seem to pick up everything!!

[Melissa0116]

Personally, I am not too concerned over the H1N1 virus.  I will not get vaccinated since the last time they offered a vaccination for this kind of flu 50,000 people died from just the vaccine.  I do not get the flu vaccine since the first time I had the vaccine I go deathly ill from it and ended up in the hospital.  I acree with Macleiory, and will not get a vaccine during pregnancy.  I am a skeptic as well.

[VaniDavila]

Well I'm not concerned about it since I live in a very small town far from the city. I have not heard of it being around here so I don't think about that right now. I'm concerned because I will be going to Los Angeles tomorrow and come back Friday (for the reduction) and I have heard of it being there!! Other than that I don't think it's much of an issue here right now!!

[bellie1975]

I'm glad you opened up this discussion..I was wondering how everyone was feeling about it. I work a sa nurse assistant in a grade school, so I am in contact with the kids all of the time. I am a little worried, but I really don't want to risk getting the vaccine either. I am planning on being very dilligent about washing my hands and making all of the sickies in my office keep their coughs covered! Oh..and I will be a freak about keeping things disinfected! :)

[angelausp]

Great advice, good hygiene is crucial in preventing the flu.  Keeping your hands clean and away from your face is the way to go.