H1N1 Article/July at USAFA

I've never had a problem with the military "experimenting" on me or other members. I consider it part of "Serving my country". When I look at technological advances in the world, and how much of those advances came from the military. There's so many hoops to go through in the civilian world. The fact that the military has probably contributed as much if not more to science and technology that the civilian market, because of less red-tape, I am actually thankful. I know this is hard for some to swallow; believing that they could be used for experimentation. But I went through my share, and again, I consider it another form of "Serving my country". mike....
 
There was actually more then just that done. I had 'several' rounds of samples taken from me many strictly for a virology study. But I was also one of the first basics to get H1N1, so they were still trying to figure out what was going on.

My thoughts: Do as much testing on me so someone else doesn't have to go through that hell.
 
Thanks for posting that jscam! I had just read that.
This was not just experimenting . This was public health. Much was learned from this and it will be used to formulate effective protocol.
Last May an elemetary school in our county had an outbreak and the CDC came in and did studies there too.
The AFA was perfect for this since it is a closed community and all affected were previously healthy with (presumably) no underlying health conditions.
Interesting that Tamiflu did not help much.
 
Unfortunately, it wasn't as "closed" of a community as they may have wanted.

A few Summer Seminar participants who may have been carrying H1N1 left Colorado Springs and headed to New London for AIM, bringing the virus across the country with them and spreading it to their AIM cadre and ultimately to members of the USCGA class of 2013.
 
The isolation and cases :)eek:) of purel probably helped.

I'm also guessing it spread unusually fast due to the close living conditions during basic.

I don't really qualify repeated testing of sick patients as "experimentation" (since that usually implies introducing the test variable).
 
Luigi - for the study it was a closed or isolated environment in that the population was isolated from the general population. They could not have gleaned as much valid information if they had closely studied the outbreak that occured in NYC last spring, for instance. I did not mean to imply the entiire community was under quarantine.

Isolation probably helped the most to stop the spread of infection. while hand washing is always important this virus is rapdily spread by areosol droplets in the air. they have found that you can infect people who are 10 feet away from you.
 
I just liked and linked the story because...

1) The kids are all right.
2) The quick action of the USAFA officials shows high standards and good judgement.
3) The fastidious documention and inherent isolation allows a great medical standard and the data it provides can be used worldwide.

So basically, according to me, the USAFA helped the world fight H1N1. Not because it is a medical place mind you, but because when they say, "they were isolated and had excellent health" it actually MEANS something. Honor. Standards. Sacrifice. Any question that these principles can help outside of narrow confines of a Service Academy?
This honesty is very rare today and makes the information provided even more important. I wouldn't normally say this but, Go USAFA!
(the Navy game is over, so this cheering is completely acceptable)
 
I agree but honestly - the CDC would/could have gone in if they had been students at U of Any State at a summer program. Neither the Cadets or the USAFA administration had any control over that. The Military is very cognizant of the potential effects of an outbreak at a military installation. They have the history of the 1918-1919 epidemic to thank for that. Troop protection is very important.

The fact that the USAFA is a healthy population also was important since many nasty effects from influenza are the result of underlying conditions - this population took that factor out of the picture. Unfortunately as this virus has continued to spread there have been many reports of teens and young adults who were previously healthy becoming very very sick and even dying.
Fortunately this outbreak was "mild" and no one reportedly suffered long lasting ill effects. As the virus continues to spread - our military and the academies will not become complacent and will continue to immunize, isolate and treat using the most current scientific recommendations.
 
They didn't factor in the fact that we were in mass briefings with all of us in close contact. No one got much sleep, either. Interesting, in my opinion.
 
This discussion brought to mind the fact that the great pandemic of 1918/19 started in those close-quarters army camps.

I am so glad that the viral outbreak was so short-lived there and that no cadets were forced to leave (correct?), and that it didn't just blow through the entire cadet wing.

So strange about that tamiflu not being effective. I wonder if the docs will find that it really has no effect on the duration/complications of this illness?
 
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