Tammy Flu vs. Tamiflu
I remember the Asian flu of 1957. We didn’t have a hundred channels on the TV then, and I listened to the radio a lot. I remember that the song “Tammy” by Debbie Reynolds was popular then. I listened to it a lot that summer. I loved “Tammy” and I loved Debbie Reynolds. I don’t think I actually caught the Asian flu. I guess I had “Tammy” and Debbie to protect me.
Today we are facing the possibility of another flu pandemic, this one from birds. The product Tamiflu may or may not prove effective in dealing with bird flu. Additionally, Tamiflu is fraught with controversy. Tamiflu, as one article notes, is not a panacea. Nor is it the only answer for a possible flu pandemic. One interesting idea that was touched on in this last article is this: since we are afraid that bird flu is going to be transmitted to a person who already has the regular flu, thereby allowing an exchange of genetic material that might then make the deadly H5N1 transmissible human to human, why not vaccinate everyone against the regular flu so they don’t get sick to begin with? Then if someone contracted bird flu, at least it would “minimize the risk of the avian flu virus mutating and causing a pandemic.” Therefore, you don’t necessarily have to find a vaccine for H5N1 since you have vaccines for other strains of flu. Stop one strain and you may stop others. As the article notes, however, “there has been relatively weak demand for vaccines” up until now.
So, will Tamiflu protect today’s generation like “Tammy” protected me in 1957? That remains to be seen. The year 1957 was an innocent time compared to 2005, and of course I was so young then. I didn’t realize how dangerous the world was when I was ten years old. I think it’s more dangerous today.
Tags: bird flu, avian flu, pandemic, H5N1, flu, tamiflu, influenza
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I remember the Asian flu of 1957. We didn’t have a hundred channels on the TV then, and I listened to the radio a lot. I remember that the song “Tammy” by Debbie Reynolds was popular then. I listened to it a lot that summer. I loved “Tammy” and I loved Debbie Reynolds. I don’t think I actually caught the Asian flu. I guess I had “Tammy” and Debbie to protect me.
Today we are facing the possibility of another flu pandemic, this one from birds. The product Tamiflu may or may not prove effective in dealing with bird flu. Additionally, Tamiflu is fraught with controversy. Tamiflu, as one article notes, is not a panacea. Nor is it the only answer for a possible flu pandemic. One interesting idea that was touched on in this last article is this: since we are afraid that bird flu is going to be transmitted to a person who already has the regular flu, thereby allowing an exchange of genetic material that might then make the deadly H5N1 transmissible human to human, why not vaccinate everyone against the regular flu so they don’t get sick to begin with? Then if someone contracted bird flu, at least it would “minimize the risk of the avian flu virus mutating and causing a pandemic.” Therefore, you don’t necessarily have to find a vaccine for H5N1 since you have vaccines for other strains of flu. Stop one strain and you may stop others. As the article notes, however, “there has been relatively weak demand for vaccines” up until now.
So, will Tamiflu protect today’s generation like “Tammy” protected me in 1957? That remains to be seen. The year 1957 was an innocent time compared to 2005, and of course I was so young then. I didn’t realize how dangerous the world was when I was ten years old. I think it’s more dangerous today.
Tags: bird flu, avian flu, pandemic, H5N1, flu, tamiflu, influenza
Still available
The Tao of George W. Bush A perfect Christmas Gift
Also check out my other books: The Tao of Politics, The Tao of Red States and Blue States, The Tao of Love
posted by Ed Bremson, MFA @ 10:23 AM
2 Comments:
At 12:18 PM,
The Rambling Taoist said…
You wrote, "I didn’t realize how dangerous the world was when I was ten years old. I think it’s more dangerous today."
I believe that each generation believes the world they encounter is more dangerous than the last. Each of us is so fixated on the world as we know it, that such a perception is natural.
That said, the longer homo sapiens exist on planet earth, the more dangerous planet earth becomes. The choices made by an ever-growing number of self-absorbed people necessarily impacts the planet and those who call it home.
At 4:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
My name is Mike Conlin and i would like to show you my personal experience with Tamiflu.
I am 26 years old. Have been on Tamiflu for 5 days now. This stuff ROCKS. I was running a 104 Fever ... felt like I was doing to die, was snapping at everyone, etc. I got home and took my first dose along with a dose of Robotussin for my cough. I woke up 3 hours later and my fever dropped from 103.7 to 99.3. It fluctuated a little after that but remained under 100. Body Aches were gone. I was sweating like a mad man but that was probably the fever breaking.
I have experienced some of these side effects-
Mild nausea .. almost puked on first dose. Also had mental fog going on. Concentration was difficult but my doctor forwarned me it makes you 'loopy'.
I hope this information will be useful to others,
Mike Conlin
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