Influenza’s identity crisis
I’ve talked to quite a few people lately who have "had the flu." But when a few of the details are pried loose, it turns out they’ve probably had something other than influenza. In some cases, the...
View ArticleA virus by any other name
Some people call it H1N1. Others refer to it as swine flu. Still others call it novel influenza. You’d think it would be a straightforward matter for scientists, public health experts and the general...
View ArticleLinkworthy 1.3
A roundup of some interesting/thoughtful/informative reading I’ve encountered online lately: If you haven’t already checked out the Kaiser Health News series "Are You Covered?", take the opportunity to...
View ArticleThe responsibility thing
I made a trip to Rice Memorial Hospital this morning to talk to someone for a story I’m working on. The minute I entered the lobby, a volunteer stopped me and asked if I was there to visit a patient. …...
View ArticleUntangling the flu vaccine messages
Every year there’s some new angle on the influenza vaccine. One year, I remember, it was discovered that the vaccine produced by one of the manufacturers wasn’t strong enough to offer full protection...
View ArticleH1N1: Much ado about nothing?
It has been eight months since the news broke of a new influenza virus sickening hundreds of people in Mexico. For several weeks this past spring, Americans were mesmerized, and a little fearful. The...
View ArticleIn defense of flu shots
The assumption has long been that the influenza vaccine works well to prevent flu and that everyone who’s eligible to get vaccinated should do so. Thus it was rather a shock when a new study, published...
View ArticleGeneration X meets the flu
How do you get a generation of healthy young adults to start paying attention to infectious diseases like influenza? Perhaps they’re paying a little more attention than we realize. Researchers at the...
View ArticleBlog break
This blog is taking an extended break while I concentrate on other priorities. Blogging will resume (hopefully) at some yet-to-be-determined time in the future. In the meantime, since influenza is in...
View ArticleFlu shot options: a test of patient engagement?
Talking about the flu vaccine used to be straightforward. But with the proliferation of vaccine options, it has become much more complicated. It isn’t even accurate anymore to call it a flu “shot”. The...
View Article
