Brit Nursery Schools Ban Cuddlies on Swine Flu Fears

Concern high and building, but 60+% don't plan to get a shot

(NEWSER) - Americans are spooked by the growing threat of swine flu but even warier of the vaccine. Half of respondents in a recent Washington Post poll are a “great deal” or “somewhat” worried they or a family member will catch H1N1, up from 39% in August. But more than 60% say they won't get a shot, and just 52% of parents plan to inoculate their kids, even though children are particularly vulnerable to the virus. More»

(NEWSER) - Diagnosed cases of swine flu have jumped sixfold in some parts of England over the last week, the Guardian reports. Suspected cases have risen almost 50% across the country. The pandemic has killed 16 people in the UK so far. British doctors say they are being overwhelmed by patients demanding the antiviral drug Tamiflu, and they complain that conflicting advice from the government is creating hysteria. More»

Watchdogs accuse WHO of colluding with drugmakers

(NEWSER) - Was the H1N1 pandemic exaggerated? European officials are putting heat on the WHO over its handling of the pandemic, alleging the organization caused unnecessary panic and wasted millions of dollars. Reports released by an EU watchdog and the British Medical Journal go even further: they accuse the WHO of being influenced by drugmakers who stood to profit from unnecessary influenza preparation, the Washington Post reports. More»

Unused shots are near expiration date

(NEWSER) - More than 71 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine purchased by the federal government to combat an expected flu pandemic will have to be discarded if they go unused, which seems increasingly likely. Those doses were packaged for individual use, which dramatically decreases their shelf life. Of the 229 million doses bought for $1.6 billion, about 91 million were administered. The US will donate some of the rest to poor nations and keep about 35 million doses in bulk form. More»

History, and this past spring, show novel strains 'crowd out' normal ones

(NEWSER) - A perfect storm of factors related to the swine flu pandemic have many experts predicting the usual seasonal flu viruses will be no-shows this season. First off, the rush for H1N1 vaccinations saw many patients being vaccinated for the seasonal varieties as well. And then there’s “crowding out,” a little-understand phenomenon that means novel flu strains essentially monopolize patients' lungs. More»