Just got a fax from NYC Health Department: it made a very sensible recommendation — to consider every child with unexplained fever to have swine flu and treat accordingly.  This means Tamiuflu for the young (2 and under), the old, the chronically ill, and anyone else who appears to be significantly sick.  School closings are not specifically recommended; panic is definitely not recommended, for individuals or for public officials (nudge nudge, wink wink, hint hint).  As of now, approximately 1% of our entire patient population has confirmed Flu A, and another 2 or 3% are suspected — if this holds true for the rest of the city, the cases must be in the tens of thousands, heading into millions by the end of next month.  Two fatalities so far: sad, but lower than what would be expected from a “regular” flu epidemic.

Several of the parents seen today were in acute danger of heart attacks from anxiety caused by the media’s shrill hysterics over the flu — a danger far greater than that to their children from the flu itself.  Enough, already, with hyperbole, before we run out of Xanax like we are running out of Tamiflu!

PS: 19 positive for Flu A today. Thus ends another day, as for tomorrow –

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day…

And, while Tamiflu is quite effective, and Vitamin D does support the immune response and is also recommended, this homeopathic preparation, in particular, is not:

Eye of newt, and toe of frog, 

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, 

Adder's fork, and blind-worm's  sting, 

Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing, 

For a charm of powerful trouble, 

Like a hell-broth boil and  bubble.         

With this, I bid adieu…