Vaccinations Archive for The Checkup - Health and Wellness Blog

H1N1 vaccine: One big confusing mess

There are plenty of reasons to get upset about the H1N1 influenza situation. Over-optimistic projections of vaccine supply have given way to acknowledgements that by the time the vaccine is widely available, this wave of H1N1 infection may well be over. There have been scary reports about otherwise-healthy kids and...

Sneezes spread paranoia

During these days of swine flu fears, common sneezes and coughs are spreading more than just colds and the flu. They're spreading paranoia, according to new research. University of Michigan psychologist Spike Lee and colleagues decided to test whether people's fears of sneezes and coughs spilled over into other areas....

Added Bonus from Seasonal Flu Shots?

If you've gotten or plan to get the regular seasonal flu shot this year, there may be an added bonus: It may also provide some protection against the new H1N1 virus that is causing the swine flu pandemic. Jose Luis Valdespino-Gomez of the Biological Laboratories Reagents of Mexico and other...

Will Men Get Gardasil?

The Food and Drug Administration is considering whether to approve Gardasil for men. But the question is: Will men be willing to get a vaccine for mostly altruistic reasons? A new study raises questions about that. The vaccine protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection....

What Not to Do with a Dead Bat

(AP Photo/Mike Groll) One thing you definitely should not do if you find a dead bat is to put it in a jar and take it to your kids' school. Yet that's exactly what one Montana parent decided to do last fall when the family cat brought home a...

Young People Felled by Flu