Flu
Deeming research on a man-made strain of H5N1 a potential bioterror threat, a federal advisory group defends its recommendation to keep details of the work secret.
China on Sunday reported its second bird flu fatality in a month following deaths last week in Vietnam and Cambodia.
H5N1 scientists announce a moratorium on research in order to allow government, scientific and ethics groups to figure out the safest way to proceed.
How bad is the flu season? Doctors are Googling the answer
In an unprecedented move, the U.S. government asked scientific journals not to publish the details of experiments on the deadly H5N1, for fear that the information could be used with malice. Is such censorship smart?
Millions of people take statins to lower their cholesterol and reduce their risk of heart disease and death from heart-related events. Now there’s evidence that their medication regimen may also help protect them from dying from another common condition that circulates this time of year — the flu.
Flu prevention is important for everyone, but here’s another reason to make sure to get vaccinated: in a study of childhood flu deaths from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, researchers found that otherwise healthy kids can succumb to the virus, particularly if they’ve already got an increasingly common bacterial infection.
As vaccines go, the flu shot is no exemplar. A comprehensive new review of the research, published online by The Lancet Infectious Diseases, finds that the vaccine prevented illness in 59% of adults aged 18 to 64, and in eight of 12 flu seasons studied.
We got our flu shots at TIME Healthland HQ this week, which reminds us to remind you to do the same. A few flu shot basics to follow.
Flu vaccine makers began shipping on Monday a new form of the annual flu shot, with a significantly shorter needle. The new vaccine should make it easier for people with a fear of needles to get immunized, and in the event of a shortage, may even allow doctors to vaccinate more people.
