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SeoulESLteacher09
Joined: 29 Mar 2009 Location: South Carolina
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:49 am Post subject: H1N1 vaccine |
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Does anyone know when and where we can get the H1N1 vaccine in Seoul?? |
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Jane

Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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Call 1339. They can direct you to one of Korea's designated clinics and hospitals that have a stock of the pig juice. |
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orosee

Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 2:55 am Post subject: |
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Am I the only one who's thinking that H1N1 is a big no-show? |
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Beeyee

Joined: 29 May 2007
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 4:25 am Post subject: |
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Why the hell would you want it? |
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rmo1127
Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Location: Busan
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:30 am Post subject: |
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If you can find it, get it. While the symptoms of H1N1 are pretty much the same as seasonal flu, the affected demographics are different. Young adults and children are more likely to catch H1N1 than seniors (who are generally the group most affected by seasonal flu), because seniors were likely exposed to a similar strain as children.
As long as you don't have a history of bad reactions to vaccines, and you're not allergic to eggs, then there is no danger for you other than a temporary dull ache at the site of injection (your upper arm). Getting the flu is usually just a pain in the ass, but it can be fatal. Why risk it?
Edit: The first wave of H1N1 vaccine in the US is in FluMist, which is a nasal spray. If you have asthma, a weakened immune system, or any other medical condition, it might be better to wait for the actual shot. The FluMist version contains live, weakened virus, while the shot contains killed virus. I don't know if this will even be an issue in Korea, but you might as well ask what kind of vaccine they have if you fall into any of the above categories.... |
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benji1422
Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Location: Los Angeles & Seoul
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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This is all hype. The death rate so far in the U.S. has been miniscule.
Even Dr. Andrew Weil went on CNN and said the virus/flu only lasts 3 days and it is not a big deal (he believes). |
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karmarooster
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:39 am Post subject: |
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It looks like Swine Flu is not hype. However, we may be fortunate to be in Korea and not in the US. I just listened to 60 minutes and here are some facts from the CDC:
*In early October, the virus was widespread in 27 states. Within two weeks, it spread to virtually everywhere in the country.
*This is the very beginning of the flu season, but numbers are similar to peak season (February).
*2008 2nd week of October: 7 cases of flu reported
*2009 2nd week of October: "nearly" 5,000
*Children and young adults, and people with asthma and diabetes are most at risk
*Those that are critically ill get bacterial pneumonia in the lungs in addition to the flu. the other 99% of people who get H1N1 experience a typical cold.
*Mortality rate is less than 1%, but the typical flu kills mostly elderly.
*Virologists from Mt. Sinai Hospital found the virus can transmit 10 feet between animals.
Yes I know part of this is 'scare tactics' by the media typically associated with CNN and Fox News, but it's convincing.
Having considered all of this, I am somewhat concerned because I will be traveling to Thailand in late November, and then on to the US in December. Over 3 days I will spend time on airplanes from Surat Thani to Bangkok, Bangkok to Seoul, Seoul to Tokyo, Tokyo to Chicago, and Chicago to New York.
I don't have complicating health conditions, but I just don't want to be sick as a dog for a few days. I have had regular flu vaccines in the past and never suffered an adverse reaction. As such I have decided to try to get the H1N1 vaccine.
From the Korean Herald: Flu Vaccines to begin October 27th
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/10/22/200910220032.asp
2 important things I found in this article:
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The nation's first round of vaccination against the H1N1 flu virus is expected to start as early as next Tuesday, with the domestically-produced vaccine Greenflu-S yesterday receiving the final approval from the Korean drug agency. |
This is not the same vaccine in the US. I don't know anything about it, other than it is made by a company called "Green Cross Corp."
There is a priority list for who is eligible to get the vaccine first. At the top of the list is health care workers, but after that I'm not clear on on the priorities.
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The vaccination for 750,000 students at elementary, middle and high schools nationwide is expected to start mid-November. |
Surely at the same time they allow students to be vaccinated they will allow teachers?
Does anyone know if/when foreign teachers will be eligible to be vaccinated? |
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seoulsucker

Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:47 am Post subject: |
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orosee wrote: |
Am I the only one who's thinking that H1N1 is a big no-show? |
7 out of 23 of my students would disagree. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:31 am Post subject: |
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orosee wrote: |
Am I the only one who's thinking that H1N1 is a big no-show? |
Perhaps you think this but failed to consider that flu season has not started yet....? |
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Jane

Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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steveinincheon
Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: in The Shadows of Gyeyangsan
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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Ok,
so this will be an above average flu season because of the new evil, scary swine flu. However, how many flu cases go reported in a normal (non-epidemic) year? I know that personally I have had the flu probably 7 or 8 of the last 10 winters, and certainly have never gone to the doctors because of it. I think that while the numbers are a bit higher, and while Swine Flu is slightly worse for young people, a lot of the increases are being exaggerated because people are actually going to the doctor's when they get the flu now, rather than just staying home and taking a rest. |
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orosee

Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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steveinincheon wrote: |
Ok,
so this will be an above average flu season because of the new evil, scary swine flu. However, how many flu cases go reported in a normal (non-epidemic) year? I know that personally I have had the flu probably 7 or 8 of the last 10 winters, and certainly have never gone to the doctors because of it. I think that while the numbers are a bit higher, and while Swine Flu is slightly worse for young people, a lot of the increases are being exaggerated because people are actually going to the doctor's when they get the flu now, rather than just staying home and taking a rest. |
Thanks Steve, you just saved me a few minutes of writing. |
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orosee

Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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seoulsucker wrote: |
orosee wrote: |
Am I the only one who's thinking that H1N1 is a big no-show? |
7 out of 23 of my students would disagree. |
Well, they are in the same class so whether they are 7, 3 or 14 isn't really saying much unless they all got themselves infected independently. 7/23 students in every teacher's class, that would be of some importance. Also, right now they have the flu (H1N1 or another, doesn't matter) but is any of them dying or dead yet? Or just in bed with a cold and a fever?
The question I would be asking my students is how it is possible that nearly 1/3 of them got sick at this time - is it exam season? |
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orosee

Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
orosee wrote: |
Am I the only one who's thinking that H1N1 is a big no-show? |
Perhaps you think this but failed to consider that flu season has not started yet....? |
And so, like every year, many people will get the flu, only this time they will be so scared that more of them will report to their doctor and the statistics will show a dramatic increase in flu cases
SARS hard a much higher mortality rate and profound effects on travel in Asia which I fail to notice for H1N1, and after the dust of panic had settled, most people found themselves alive and not dead. Without any immunization.
There are diseases that actually kill people in huge numbers on which the H1N1 research money could be spent. |
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Drew345

Joined: 24 May 2005
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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I just got back to Korea from a 10 day trip to America. My sister is a junior high teacher. 30 % of her students are out right now with the flu and 10% were out but have returned. It is the same in every class in her school.
Two of my nieces had it (in different households). Both recovered except for lingering hacking coughs (hardly noticeable in Korea).
I got the flu-mist H1N1 vaccine while I was back in America. No ill side effects so far.
I'm glad Korea is taking it more seriously than America did, and I hope they can get the vaccine out before the 40% infection (presently in my sisters school). |
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