As a physician I have often been asked about the best resources on the internet to learn more about the H1N1 flu and the treatments for it. The H1N1 pandemic has been covered extensively in the news and I created this guide to help consumers find more information about the various forms of treatment and prevention. The sites below are sites that I trust as a physician and all have valuable information. Consumers should be aware that there are many websites that claim to have H1N1 information and then try to "sell" consumers on possibly fake treatments of the H1N1 flu. Always consult with your family doctor for questions regarding the H1N1 swine flu.
The CDC website is the main site I have always used as a physician to get the latest news on outbreaks of diseases. In particular with the spread of the H1N1 flu, this site has a wealth of information. They have a page dedicated to the H1N1 status here;
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/
and they also have release dates of the vaccine to various states so you can see when your state is going to get the next shipment of the vaccine.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccinesupply.htm
and here is a link to common safety questions about the vaccine.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm
Often times people want to find information online to determine whether or not they really have a flu virus. The main issue is determining whether or not it is appropriate to make an appointment with your physician. This website has a very good self evaluation program where you answer health questions and the site directs you to seek further evaluation, seek immediate treatment, etc... If you are unsure whether or not to see a doctor and you are looking for information online about the flu virus, this is very good self assessment tool.
http://www.flu.gov/evaluation/
Immunize.org is a resource of vaccine information for healthcare professionals. It covers everything from H1N1 vaccines to chickenpox. It is a valuable tool for healthcare providers or consumers with advanced healthcare knowledge to research topics such as " should pregnant women get H1N1". What I really like about this site are the videos. They have an extensive collection of videos on all sorts of vaccine topics.
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/video/
VAERS is the Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting System and is a very important part of evaluating new vaccines. In particular the new H1N1 vaccine. Many people do not report to their physician all of the adverse effects of a vaccine, and many doctors are not staffed properly to report all adverse effects. If you get the H1N1 vaccine or any vaccine and you experience an adverse effect, it is important to go to this website and report it. It does not take very long and you would be doing your part in helping to both develop effective vaccines and stop the spread of disease.
Based upon the research conducted at Emory University, this website provides an evaluation for users to self test themselves to see if they possibly have the H1N1 flu. Great resource and people may want to take this evaluation if they are sick and concerned about the flu.
Medscape is a resource for healthcare professionals but is also often used by consumers as well. It was sold to WebMD in Dec 2001. Medscape was founded to help physicians sort through the vast amount of healthcare information to improve patient care. They do a great job of sorting through the articles and data and bringing relevant information to the public. I am writing this review as part of my H1N1 guide and one of the best places I found that compares the LAIV (nasal vaccine) vs the injectable vaccine was on medscape. I will give you the link below so you can read it, but the catch is medscape requires you to register first with your email before you can access their content
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/709468
Relenza (zanamivir) in an inhalation powder that is effective in both treating and possibly preventing the flu virus. Just like with Tamiflu, it can only be prescribed by a physician and you have to take it early on in the course of the disease for it to be effective. I would recommend reading through both of the websites of relenza and tamiflu to familiarize yourself with the possible treatments of the flu virus and then discussing them with your physician should you or a family member get the flu.
One of the main differences of Relenza is the delivery method and I would encourage readers to watch these videos.
http://www.relenza.com/using-relenza-videos.html
Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) is one of the anti-viral medications that has been around for awhile. It has gained more public awareness since the outbreak of the swine flu. Tamiflu is used both to prevent and treat flu viruses. What some people do not realize is that if they have a family member that has been diagnosed with the flu, it is possible to take Tamiflu and possibly prevent yourself from getting sick. Read through this website if you think you have the flu or someone close to you has the flu. Remember only a physician can prescribe Tamiflu and you need to take it very early on in the course of the illness for it to be effective.
