[JimSEA]

Concerns that a pandemic flu virus might develop resistance to Tamiflu emerged last year, after reports from Vietnam that H5N1 virus was showing signs of decreased sensitivity to the drug.

I was in Southeast Asia and recall reading that Tamiflu had little impact on the disease -- perhaps the resistance develops extremely quickly. Thus far, it doesn't seem all that easy to catch. Hope it stays that way. The actual disease is a very nasty way to go.

[BenLurkin]

And in the meantime my neighbors who are 'recent arrivals' to America think it is OK to put chicken coops in their back yards -- even though this is tract housing and keeping farm animals are against ordinance.

When I try to explain the problem they just smile and say 'no comprendo'.

[OldFriend]

Even here in the US the docs were admitting that Tamiflu ws of little help in fighting off the flu.

That didn't stop the media from their usual hyperbole. Old folks standing out in the miserable rainy weather waiting for free flu shots.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH IDIOTS ABOUND.

[blam]

Possible Defense Against Bird Flu?

Sabin Russell, Chronicle Medical Writer
Saturday, September 30, 2006

As millions of Americans prepare to line up for their annual flu shots, a leading expert on the feared strain of avian influenza told researchers in San Francisco that the ordinary vaccine might save lives if the bird disease ever starts spreading among humans.

Robert Webster of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis told delegates at a science conference that 50 percent of a small group of laboratory mice injected with a component of the annual flu vaccines survived exposure to a bird flu strain that ordinarily would have killed all of them.

"When the vaccine becomes available,'' said Webster, "if you are concerned about H5N1, take it.''

(click on the title for the rest of the article)