Baptist nurse clears the air on swine flu Columbus Kiwanis Club member Floyd McIntire, left, talks with Johnnie Judson, an employee health nurse at Baptist Memorial Hospital–Golden Triangle, about health issues following Wednesday’s Kiwanis Club meeting at the Columbus Country Club. Photo by: Allen Baswell
Johnnie Judson, an employee health nurse at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, spoke about H1N1 flu, also known as swine flu, and other health issues at Wednesday's Columbus Kiwanis Club meeting.
There is a difference between the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu, Judson said, noting symptoms of seasonal flu include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat and chest congestion and some nausea.
"The symptoms for H1N1 are similar to seasonal flu," he said.
The H1N1 flu has garnered so much media attention because there is no primary immunity against it, Judson said.
"It is a fairly new strain. It was first detected in people in this country in April," he said.
Had this type of flu been identified earlier, a vaccine could have been incorporated with the seasonal flu vaccine. And while H1N1 flu cases in Mississippi are decreasing, Judson said people still need to be vigilant about it and seasonal flu.
"People need to be just as vigilant about seasonal flu as they are H1N1 flu. According to the Center for Disease Control, at least 36,000 people in this country die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from flu-related causes," he said.
Judson said he believes the vaccines for both seasonal flu and H1N1 flu are safe.
During a question-and-answer session, Judson was asked about students from Caledonia High School who had reactions to H1N1 vaccinations, resulting in trips to the hospital.
"I do not know the answer to that," he said in response to a question about why so many students at the school were treated for reactions to the vaccine. Other area schools reported no incidents when state health department partners administered vaccines to students.
Nine Caledonia students were transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle last Wednesday, with symptoms ranging from hives, fever, shortness of breath and other reactions after being administered the swine flu vaccine at school. One of the students had a seizure, Lowndes County School District Superintendent Mike Halford confirmed.
All nine students had returned to school by Monday.
Judson encouraged Kiwanis members to check out the Center for Disease Control Web site as well as the Mississippi State Department of Health to find out additional information about H1N1 flu.
Allen Baswell is a staff reporter for The Dispatch
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JC | 11/12/2009 12:38:00 PMmark as inappropriate They're all just part of the big conspiracy.
SWilliams | 11/12/2009 3:54:00 PMmark as inappropriate I would suggest the Kiwanis also read about the fourteen year old boy with Guillian Barre snyndrome after the H1N1 vaccine. Also about the eight year old and six year old that died within a few days of receiving the vaccine. What is not being reported is the number of miscarriages within 3 days of the vaccine. The CDC is not reporting this. Nurse Judson you can not really say the vaccine is safe when the students were rushed to Baptist with actual allergic reactions. No one knows of the long term effects of the vaccine. As a nurse I promote wellness and a healthy lifestyle.People that lead unhealthy life are more prone to become ill. Some people become sick even if they lead a healthy lifestyle. But having a strong immune system definitely helps. The flu vaccine does not give 100% immunity against developing the flu. Smoking, eating junk food or fast food,lack of exercise all contribute to developing not only the flu but other illness. Supplementing with Vitamin D and Vitamin C has been proven to decrease chances of the flu and Vitamin C assist in preventing fluid development in the lungs causing pnuemonia. Everyone has to make their own decision to take or not take the vaccine. But there are many unreported reactions and deaths caused by the vaccine. The government has invested 20 billion in buying the vaccine and 7 billion in advertisment encouraging Americans to get vaccinated. Sometimes I think the government wants to test how many puppets are in the United States. The best way to pull our strings is with fear and panic!
Matt | 11/12/2009 4:08:00 PMmark as inappropriate Should I change my 1 yr olds diet or should he have the vaccine? Why scare everyone over nothing sir? You have a better chance of being struck by lightning or winning the lotto then being killed or permanently harmed by this vaccine. If you work at Baptist I would say being admitted to your hospital is by far more dangerous. We have such idiots in mississippi I can't understand it for the life of me. Are you skeptical about the seasonal flu vaccine also? Or polio or DTP or MMR? Should my children skip them also? If you give out 40 million vaccines someone will die within a few days of taking it even if it was a shot of saline.
Matt | 11/12/2009 4:16:00 PMmark as inappropriate Nearly 3,900 people, including about 540 children, are believed to have died from the H1N1 flu in the first six months of the epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
The figure is a sharp increase from previous counts of laboratory-confirmed cases. But Dr. Anne Schuchat, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said the estimate gives a "more accurate picture" of the scale of the pandemic.
The figure was based on a detailed analysis of data from several dozen districts around the country, she said. The method used to calculate the mortality figures is similar to that used to produce estimates of ordinary seasonal flu deaths, which are believed to number about 36,000 a year.
An estimated 22 million people in the United States have contracted the virus, commonly known as swine flu, resulting in about 98,000 hospitalizations through October 17, Schuchat said.
Among children under 18, about 8 million are believed to have been sickened, 36,000 have been hospitalized and 540 have died, a much higher number than the 129 laboratory-confirmed child deaths the CDC reported November 6.
SWilliams | 11/12/2009 5:04:00 PMmark as inappropriate Matt. One question do you believe the vaccine has been tested for its absolute safety and completely prevents people from getting the swine flu? Over 200,000 thousand people die in the hospitals each year from medical mistakes.I am not against vaccines ,just ones that have not been tested for safety and usefulness. This vaccine was rushed to market and pushed on the American people out by fear from the government.Every year the seasonal flu kills an average of 36,000 people. We do not know if these people had the seasonal flu vaccine or not. You have to make your own decision on getting the vaccine. If you want more information about safety of the H1N1 vaccine go to Mercola.com. Oh, I am not a sir and I do not live in Mississippi. Left there years ago.
mom | 11/12/2009 6:30:00 PMmark as inappropriate Matt, if there are idiots in Mississippi why are you still there???? Leave move to a better place with better hospitals.
Matt | 11/13/2009 9:06:00 AMmark as inappropriate There are idiots everywhere. If I were very ill I would not be treated in columbus no chance. I would just like the wonderfull scare everybody nurse to tell me how the vaccine is different then the seasonal flu vaccine. If the H1N1 was included in the seasonal flu vaccine, which it most definitely will be next year, would you suggest no one have it either?
HH | 11/13/2009 11:42:00 AMmark as inappropriate Matt, there are numerous doctors and other health professionals that DO have concerns about the vaccines you mentioned, our current vaccine schedule, and the ingredients in many of the vaccines. Many of these doctors have backgrounds in environmental medicine, immunology, and neurology. Dr Bernadine Healy, the former director for the NIH has broken from her peers by stating more research needs to be done with regards to our current vaccine program. She doesn't believe, along with many other doctors, the autism/vaccine link has been studied and researched fully. There are other medical issues that have some doctors concerned and many DO see a link between our current vaccine program and these medical issues (i.e. auto-immune disorders, diabetes, asthma, etc.). People often do a wealth of research when it comes to purchasing a vehicle, and you would think people would do the same with their health. I understand many healthcare professionals do believe our current vaccine program is safe and effective, but to "close the door" on theories already ground in science because we are afraid of what me might find, is just bad science and unethical - especially when it comes to the health of individuals.
HH | 11/13/2009 12:22:00 PMmark as inappropriate Yes, Matt, I am thankful for some vaccines. However, vaccines should not be a "one-size-fits-all" program - it currently is. I am not anti-vaccine, but I, along with other health professionals, believe we over-vaccinate, and our current vaccine schedule should be changed. I have a problem when there are no, and I repeat, NO long-term studies regarding vaccines. Search for them - you will not find them. I am not for ridding our healthcare system of vaccines, but we should be willing to look for those answers, even if we are scared to find out the results. For me, the problem with the H1N1 vaccine is that it has not been tested - it has not been out long enough. It is also being recommended for ALL pregnant women - it is a CLASS C drug - which means either studies in animals revealed adverse effects on the fetus and there are no controlled studies in women, or studies in women and animals are not available. Is this information being made public? NO! Just the recommendation that if you are pregnant - get the vaccine. Matt, it may be generally safe, we just do not know. And who is going to have adverse effects - we do not know. Almost everyone will agree smoking is highly correlated with lung cancer. Does that mean everyone that smokes will get lung cancer? No. Same principle - we just do not know who might be susceptible to vaccine ingredients/over-vaccinating, etc. Some individuals can detox the heavy metals in vaccines better than others......do you see my point?
There has been a recent study (Canadian) that looks at those that have taken the seasonal flu vaccine, and those individuals were shown to be more susceptible to H1N1.
Matt | 11/13/2009 1:33:00 PMmark as inappropriate We have no immunity to the virus and it disproportionally is damaging to small children and pregnant women. Would you advise people not to take the seasonal flu vaccine? I am trying to understand what you are saying is the difference between the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1? What is your job title?
JC | 11/13/2009 2:10:00 PMmark as inappropriate For me, the problem with the H1N1 vaccine is that it has not been tested - it has not been out long enough.
So do you have a problem with each year's seasonal flu vaccine? Because they are not individually tested either. As I'm sure you're aware, every year is different.
JC | 11/13/2009 2:30:00 PMmark as inappropriate I have a problem when there are no, and I repeat, NO long-term studies regarding vaccines.
That is simply untrue. Using the search terms "long term vaccine study" in Google Scholar turns up pages of them. MMR, hep B, varicella, and yes, influenza. And on and on.
What kind of health care professional are you, exactly?
HH | 11/13/2009 4:36:00 PMmark as inappropriate There are long-term studies regarding efficacy of the vaccines (i.e. titer levels 10 yrs post vaccine) not safety. The H1N1 vaccine was fast-tracked - the seasonal flu vaccine is not.
JC | 11/13/2009 4:53:00 PMmark as inappropriate HH, people have been getting vaccinated for hundreds of years. What kind of "long term study" is missing from the literature? What long-term effects do you imagine exist? In other words, what data analysis would you suggest to acquire the information you want?
Also, since your assertions indicate you know the answer to these questions, how much time is spent approving seasonal flu vaccine every year? How much time was spent approving the H1N1 vaccine? How long SHOULD it take, and why?
SWilliams | 11/13/2009 8:15:00 PMmark as inappropriate Matt,the bottom line is how quickly this vaccine was released. There was no time for testing. The CDC first reported children would need one or two injections of the H1N1 vaccine to ensure immunity. There have been many people develop the flu after receiving the nasal mist which is a weakened live flu virus. They basically give you the flu to provide immunity. Years ago children had the chicken pox which provided them with life long immunity,but can develop shingles in their later years.If someone has the H1N1 they have immunity to that strain of flu unless the virus mutates into a different strain. Each year people take a flu vaccine for the yearly strain the CDC assumes to be the stain for that year. Dr. Mercola.com has researched effects of flu vaccines on a person's immune system. Flu vaccines over time weakened the immune system according to Dr. Mercola's research. You have to decide if you want to take your chance with the vaccine or not. It is concerning when children have died from H1N1.But the media is not reporting if these children had been vaccinated or not. Tamiflu has also been determined to have caused deaths. So the children that died,did they receive Tamiflu. No one is attempting to scare anyone just giving the facts from both points of view.
Mr. Jordan | 11/15/2009 5:46:00 PMmark as inappropriate The nurse "cleared the air" on the vaccination but didn't know why there were reactions at Caledonia?
Sounds like more people trying to close the book on this issue. The air is not clear and the book is not closed.
We'll know more if Dr. James answers the questions Mr. Halford sent on Friday.
We need to know who manufactured the vaccine given to the Virginia student who contracted Guillain-Barre syndrome.
As for you, Matt, the two words that come to mind when I read your posts is truculence and petulence.
Matt | 11/16/2009 9:36:00 AMmark as inappropriate Mr. Jordan are you trying to be bill Oreilly? I was just wondering because like that idiot you to try to use pompous words but end up mispelling them so it makes you seem obtuse. Lets get real here. 9 people were not harmed at caledonia at most I could imagine there may have been one true reaction. Millions of people have recived a vaccine and you want to know how one person contracted a disease in virginia?
I maintain ALL adverse reactions to the H1N1 flu vaccine will be connected to the Novartis vaccine since they are the only manufacturer who uses a substance that could injure.
That means the Virginia student, and the student's at Caledonia, all got Novartis vaccine.
My left hand puffed up like a balloon last night from angioendema that is one of the side effects of the MF59 I got in 2000 or 1990, I don't know which, or maybe both. My swollen hand is a irritant, but if my immune system decides to do this to my tongue or throat it could kill me in a few minutes.
That is the legacy of MF59 and many someones should go to jail if they are really inflicting this on America's schoolkids.
Don't worry, Matt. This thread will soon disappear from the Dispatch's pages and you can start complaining about changing the MUW name, or something more important than the health of local schoolkids.
Matt | 11/16/2009 10:36:00 AMmark as inappropriate You have alot of ambiguity in your answers. The only children in all columbus that had any problems were in caledonia period!!!!! I'm not complaining you are the one thats life has been ruined by the government. You could die any minute now because of them. My whole family has already received the vaccine so I have no worries but if you keep children from receiving the vaccine because of your ill informed speech you could be responsible for the death of a child. You can't even spell the condition you suffer from but you are an expert on vaccines? Who diagnosed your edema as being related to a vaccine and not to an allergen?
I am not saying anyone should avoid this flu shot, I'm warning them to avoid the only Novartis flu shot, for extensively provided evidence it can harm.
I typed this very slowly so you might get it.
Matt | 11/16/2009 12:14:00 PMmark as inappropriate Who diagnosed your edema as being related to a vaccine and not to an allergen? You are terrible at answering questions.
I'll humor you since our posts are keeping this thread alive.
There is no way to identify what caused my problem, except that MF59, that I got at least three times, causes autoimmune disorders, of which this is one. This is why MF59 is so insidious. The shot does not directly cause the problem, it corrupts the immune system and the immune system does the damage.
As for the Caledonia children being the only ones affected, we have to find out who got the Novartis vaccine and who did not. It is possible only Caledonia got Novartis vaccine and everyone else got vaccine from the other three manufacturers.
That is what I hope Dr. James will tell us. However, in the past, I have hit a stone wall trying to get any information out of officials who run these vaccination programs. It always seems there is something they don't want to reveal.
Mr. Jordan | 11/17/2009 7:21:00 AMmark as inappropriate This article is difficult to believe, but here it is:
"Novartis: lower dose of flu vaccine sufficient
The Associated Press
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 6:57 AM
BASEL, Switzerland -- Pharmaceutical maker Novartis AG said Tuesday a U.S. clinical study suggests that half a dose of its swine flu vaccine may be sufficient to protect people from the virus and could allow many more to be immunized with current supplies.
Clinical trials of around 4,000 individuals have shown that half the current dose of its U.S.-approved vaccine Fluvirin gives immunity to adults, the Swiss drug maker said in a statement.
The company's swine flu vaccine for the U.S. contains no adjuvant, a chemical compound that hasn't been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration but which often is used in vaccines sold in other countries to boost the immune system and stretch the vaccine's active ingredient.
Novartis is discussing the findings with the Food and Drug Administration, which is assessing whether the amount of vaccine per dose can be reduced in the United States.
In Europe, Novartis has been using an adjuvant for flu vaccines since 1997. A separate study of more than 33,000 participants showed that the adjuvant is well tolerated, the company said. A single shot containing the adjuvant and half the amount of vaccine used in Fluvirin is enough to protect children between 3 and 8 and adults, according to the study.
Novartis said using the adjuvant in the U.S. could allow the immunization of four times more people with current vaccine supplies."
This means HHS spent almost $1 billion on a vaccine it isn't going to use?
It means President Obama declared a national health emergency for little reason if not to allow the use of Novartis vaccine with an experimental booster?
It means the swine flu itself is causing the precise problems identified with the illegal booster?
Only half the flu vaccine dose is found to be sufficient when the adjuvant was used precisely because the half-dose was NOT sufficient?
When they say the half-dose is sufficient, they are tacitly admitting that they are using the adjuvant, which is legal under the emergency, but has not been explained.
This resembles the military that assured the troops unequivocally and repeatedly that there was no MF59 (squalene) in the anthrax shot...until the FDA found it in 10% of the vaccine lot numbers.
This seems a propaganda statement meant to lay the groundwork for admitting MF59 use in the future.
I tend to believe my "lying eyes" with evidence of autoimmuine disorders in Caledonia, but we shall see.
Matt | 11/17/2009 9:07:00 AMmark as inappropriate Mr. Jordan
You must have not read your own article. And I quote "The company's swine flu vaccine for the U.S. contains no adjuvant, a chemical compound that hasn't been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration but which often is used in vaccines sold in other countries to boost the immune system and stretch the vaccine's active ingredient."
They say no but they really mean yes? Oh and only caledonia received the non existent vaccine?
I only continue to post on this board to get a good laugh everyday at your expense. It's a conspiracy man like the moon landing. Lmao Good luck with your research that everytime you post something contradicts your point good luck with that.
HH | 11/17/2009 5:20:00 PMmark as inappropriate Mr. Jordan, some people really don't want answers or are intersted in finding the truth.
Jill | 11/18/2009 5:30:00 AMmark as inappropriate The thing is, Nurse Williams, this vaccine HAS been tested. For you to be a medical professional and spread such lies is negligent. There is no vaccine that is 100% safe. Invariably, someone will have a reaction. But for you to say that the H1N1 vaccine is causing miscarriages, thus pushing pregnant women to avoid the shot...that's just negligent on your part. Do you know the stats on how many pregnant women are DYING from this particular virus?
I'll be taking the shot as soon as it's available here. And my son will, too. All we need is a bunch of anti-vaccine loonies spreading fear about something that is NO MORE DANGEROUS than the regular seasonal flu shot.
Stephen | 11/24/2009 11:18:00 PMmark as inappropriate Perhaps the "anti virus loonies" are right... then what... Canada is already reporting adverse reaction's and here in New York next week, they start vaccinating kid's in the school systems...
Basically, i'm scared for my kids... They will be sending form's home next week, to either they get the shot or not.... I have a 7 year old, and a 12 year old... For the last few month's i've been tossing this in my mind on what to do... I'm leaning towards the shot but God, what if i'm wrong?
What if i have them get the vaccine and they get ill? Or worse... And if i don't... I guess we live with our decisions but i will not be taunted with lie's or deception... I want the truth from the Government for a change...
Stephen | 11/24/2009 11:27:00 PMmark as inappropriate Perhaps the "anti virus loonies" are right... then what... Canada is already reporting adverse reaction's and here in New York next week, they start vaccinating kid's in the school systems...
Basically, i'm scared for my kids... They will be sending form's home next week, to either they get the shot or not.... I have a 7 year old, and a 12 year old... For the last few month's i've been tossing this in my mind on what to do... I'm leaning towards the shot but God, what if i'm wrong?
What if i have them get the vaccine and they get ill? Or worse... And if i don't... I guess we live with our decisions but i will not be taunted with lie's or deception... I want the truth from the Government for a change...
Stephen | 11/24/2009 11:29:00 PMmark as inappropriate The only humor i find in this thread is that i was stupid enough to post that twice... lol
