Why do people avoid the flu shot?
THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT
POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS.
THEY RECOMMEND EVERYONE OLDER 6
MONTHS, GET THE VACCINE.
WHY ARE PEOPLE AVOIDING THE
VACCINE.
>> SOME HAVE A LOT OF FEARS,
AND SOME HAVE A PARANOIA ABOUT
GETTING THE VACCINE, WE HAVE
PROVED IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
THAT YOU WON'T GET THE FLU, WE
WANT TO REALLY PREACH TO FOLK,
THAT YOU KNOW, DENIAL IS NOT
THE ANSWER.
WE KNOW THAT ONE THIRD OF THE
PEOPLE WHO DIE FROM THE FLU
HAVE POOR HEALTH.
YOU NEED TO GET THE FLU SHOT,
IT'S NOT TRUE, IF YOU'RE FINE.
>> WHAT'S THE ACTIVITY OF THE
FLU RIGHT NOW?
>> IT'S LOW, THE CASES WE'RE
SEEING ARE EXTREMELY SEVERE.
I HAD ONE GUY IN THE OFFICE
CAME IN WITH THE CLASSIC,
FEVER, CHILLS AND HE WAS
DEHYDRATED, HE'S FROM OUT OF
TOWN, HE GOT IV ANTIVIRAL
MEDICATIONS AND HE CAN'T TRAVEL
FOR THREE OR FOUR MORE DAYS
BECAUSE OF THE FLU, WE'RE NOT
SEEING A LOT OF CASES RIGHT
NOW.
THE CASES WE HAVE SEEN HAVE
BEEN PRETTY SEVERE.
>> IT CAN KNOCK YOU DOWN.
>> WE HEARD ABOUT A SINGLE DOSE
FLU TREATMENT, YOU CAN EXPLAIN
THAT?
>> THIS WAS JUST APPROVED BY
THE F.D.A. IN OCTOBER THIS
YEAR.
IT'S A SINGLE DOSE MEDICATION,
INSTEAD OF TAKING IT FOR FIVE
DAYS, LIKE YOU TAKE TAMIFLU AS
A SINGLE DOSE, IT CUTS THE
DURATION OF THE ILLNESS ONE
DAY.
IT'S EFFECTIVE AND IT WILL BE
EFFECTIVE WHEN WE SEE
RESISTANCE TO THE TAMIFLU, THE
COST IS $140, IT'S BEEN
APPROVED BY THE F.D.A. AND
SHOULD BE ON THE MARKET SOON.
>> WOULD THAT ALLEVIATE THE
ANGST OVER THE TAMIFLU
SHORTAGES.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT WORKS BY A MECHANISM, IT'S
GOOD TO HAVE IN RESERVE.
IF WE RUN OUT OF THE DOSES WE
HAVE ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE.