My wife's company will be handing out free tamiflu to employees and their families.

[Fuzz]

A memo went out before she went home and they are more than likely going to do this by the end of the week. She works for a huge pharmaceutical company that makes a vital component for tamiflu and they have operations in Mexico. Those who have traveled there recently have been told to stay home for at least 7 days.

My sister in law, a Psychiatrist at Princeton is about to do the same.

Strange times.

[Dinger]

1. That's Cool

I heard tonight (from someone who saw it first hand), that people are buying as much as they can. One area pharmacist said he was only selling to people who were sick. People could be hoarding it for present/future scams.

[Fuzz]

4. My entire family is in the medical profession, so getting preventive care is not

a problem for us, thankfully. But, I have chronic medical conditions. If I catch it, and I catch EVERYTHING, I'm done. :)

I'm not worried about it though. The kids on the other hand, with all those nasty germs in school, I'm kinda worried. We're in NJ.

[Dinger]

5. I'm A Teacher, And Wisconsin

has had some "probable" or "confirmed" cases, depending on where you read it.

[ddeclue]

2. Is TamiFlu a prescription drug or OTC?

:shrug:

[Fuzz]

3. Prescription usually.

[havocmom]

9. So staff doctor handing it out?

Or is it just being put in the water cooler? ;)

[mrs_p]

6. are they taking it before they have even been exposed?

[Fuzz]

7. Yes, that's what it would be used for. It has a prophylactic effect.

[mrs_p]

8. hmm... it doesn't really do anything unless the virus is present

as oseltamivir (tamiflu) works as a NA inhibitor -- basically, it arrests emergence of virions from infected cells. i'm just wondering if you all take it now before you are exposed, if you will have protection afterwards? as your bodies haven't even seen the virus, you will not have mounted an immune response and may still be susceptible. i'm not a human doc or an immunologist, so best to go with their opinion, but i am still curious.