Here are some resources to inform/panic you about the H1N1 Swine Flu that was just declared a national emergency.
Washington D.C. area residents should visit:
- Swine Flu Vaccinations: When and Where to Get Them by the Washington Post. It has links to all the D.C., Northern Virginia, and suburban Maryland Flu resources. Local residents should go here to find out where to get a shot for H1N1.
The CDC’s H1N1 Resource Page is the one stop for all H1N1 information and latest news. It has recommendations on how to prevent getting the flu.
The CDC’s list of high risk groups include:
- Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
- Adults 65 years of age and older
- Pregnant women
- People who have:
- Cancer
- Blood disorders (including sickle cell disease)
- Chronic lung disease [such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Kidney disorders
- Liver disorders
- Neurological disorders (such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain or spinal cord injuries, moderate to profound intellectual disability [mental retardation] or developmental delay)
- Neuromuscular disorders (such as muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis)
- Weakened immune systems (such as people with HIV or AIDS or who are on medications that weaken the immune system )
The ECDC’s (for Europe) site covers the Swine Flu in Europe and worldwide.
Google Flu Trends is an innovative project to track flu activity based on their user’s search queries. It now also has a Worldwide Map. See how it works in this video: