Flu


RAPID REACTION: Bird flu rears its head again - experts respond

Tue Aug 30, 2011

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has today urged heightened readiness and surveillance against a possible major resurgence of the H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza amid signs that a mutant strain of the deadly Bird Flu virus is spreading in Asia and beyond.

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REACTION: Management of flu vaccine adverse events report released

Wed May 25, 2011

On April 23 2010, the Federal Government ceased the vaccination of children under five years old for seasonal flu, following reports of febrile convulsions. In October 2010 the Federal Government asked Professor John Horvath, former Chief Medical Officer, to conduct a review into the national response to the reporting of adverse events caused by the [...]

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RAPID ROUNDUP: Outbreak of bird flu in Japan – experts respond

Tue Feb 1, 2011

On January 22 2011, a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak was confirmed from a bird farm in Miyazaki prefecture, southern Japan.  Currently, outbreaks have been reported in neighbouring Kagoshima prefecture as well. The outbreak has led to the culling of thousands of chickens in southern Japan.
These comments on the bird flu epidemic in Japan come [...]

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SCIENCE BLOG: The pandemic that never was…..because it was dealt with

Mon Aug 16, 2010

Prof Robert Booy, a Paediatrician and infectious diseases expert at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, responds to reports that the swine flu pandemic is over and that the threat was overplayed.

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MEDIA BRIEFING: Swine flu – One year on

Wed Apr 21, 2010

On April 24 2009 the World Health Organisation issued its first Disease Outbreak Notice on swine flu, confirming the infection of a number of people in Mexico and the United States. Since then there have been 191 swine flu related deaths reported in Australia and 17,798 deaths globally.

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SCIENCE BLOG: H1N109 vaccination - what the public should really know

Thu Jan 28, 2010

As the public clamour has risen for recouping funds spent on treating or preventing the new pandemic swine flu and interested parties have said “I told you so” in relation to the relative mildness of disease, I have become more and more concerned that the imperative of public health is being overshadowed.

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RAPID ROUNDUP: First results of Australian swine flu vaccine trial (NEJM) - Experts respond

Fri Sep 11, 2009

Preliminary results from the first study of CSL’s pandemic H1N1 vaccine show an immune response in adults that correlates with the prevention of influenza infection following a single 15mcg dose.

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SCIENCE BLOG: Swine flu vaccine safety

Wed Sep 2, 2009

Professor Robert Booy and Dr Leon Herron, University of Sydney

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