Tsunami

[alex-lynne]

The devastation that I've been reading and seeing on tv is...just overwhelming.
I heard tonite on Primetime Live that Phizer matched the US's relief $$...35 million.
Then I've heard several times that the 80,000 death toll will no doubt only be the beginning as disease takes hold. Measles, Chic pox, typhoid and malaria were mentioned....vaccines and medicines were mentioned, too.
Is this a situation...a time when vaccines would be appropriate?
I know it is likely these people will be dealing with unclean water and poor nutrition for...a long time coming. Is vax a quick "control" at this point to deal with extreme circumstances??
any thoughts?

[Gitti]

I do believe they are in danger of disease. That is always the disaster. But vaccines will do nothing.

It's back like the times when we had no clean water, cities were surrounded by walls, dirt was inside, air was putrid, waste everywhere, including death and miasma. That's when disease abounds.

That is the tragedy.

After they clean up and people get food and clean water, they will get strong again to defend themselves against those pathogens.

But in mean time, vaccines will not help. Just like they do not help in starving kids in Africa.


It is so hard to watch and not be able to help those people.

[DesireeH]

How is measles and chickenpox caught from dead bodies? I dont understand. Malaria and cholera is from that and contaminated water right but measles and chicken pox? Do they even make cholera and maleria vaxes? I didnt think so. I thought they had anti malaria meds though. I saw on the news they were mass vaxing people with tetanus.

[Ruthla]

Personally, I think this is the kind of emergency situation in which vaccines are appropriate. The vaccines won't protect all of them from the diseases they're vaccinating against, and it won't protect them from some diseases at all, and in their weakened state, bad reactions to the vaccines are more likely. However, in a situation like this I think the benefits of vaccines do outweigh the risks.

[SagMom]

Originally Posted by DesireeH

How is measles and chickenpox caught from dead bodies?

I think the danger is from a combination of things, but not from dead bodies. Lack of clean water, unsanitary conditions, crowded shelter areas, etc. would make things like measles and cp easier to transmit. Also, the emotional and physical stress that these people are feeling would lower their immune system's ability to fight things off. I don't think that challenging their bodies with a bunch of vaxes is the best plan though.

[jessicaSAR]

Originally Posted by Joan

I think the danger is from a combination of things, but not from dead bodies. Lack of clean water, unsanitary conditions, crowded shelter areas, etc. would make things like measles and cp easier to transmit. Also, the emotional and physical stress that these people are feeling would lower their immune system's ability to fight things off. I don't think that challenging their bodies with a bunch of vaxes is the best plan though.

I think this is correct. It is a myth that dead bodies spread disease. And, the quick mass burial of the bodies actually increases the suffering because people do not have the chance to tend to their death and burial rituals.

It is the lack of clean water, food, toilet facilities etc combined with the emotional trauma of disaster that allows the quick spread of disease. Mass vaccination seems beside the point now. Money should go to food, water, clean up, infrastucture rebuilding and recovery.

[amnesiac]

One of the big infectious disease research docs from our med school was on the news talking about this last night. He said that it is rediculous to think that there would be disease outbreaks for things like chicken pox & measles. He also said that the bodies pose no risk for infectious disease. He did say that there absolutely would be cases of things like hep A, cholera & typhoid from sewage contaminated water & that people were being vaccinated for those things. I would also imagine there would be cases of other enteric infections that there aren't vaxes for. My dh is the water supply expert at our house so I wouldn't really know what would be the best thing to do, I guess if I were in that position I'd have to see what he thought. I would think it would be more important to find access to clean water, have oral rehydration solution, probiotics & antibiotics for severe cases.

[Marsupialmom]

This is a large area that needs clean water and sanatation. No matter how hard they try it can take time for the water/sanatation to be "good" enough to prevent deseases.

My parents have worked extensively in areas after hurricanes. Inspite of their best efforts they have see some horrible stuff because their was no way they humanly could work and establish proper sanation.

[amnesiac]

BTW, I saw this story & it speaks volumes to me. I like these guys a lot.