vaccine being questioned, page-8

D, I think you are wrong on a number of points. First while the peak of the flu season is over, I do not think that there be "probably only a few sporadic cases". As shown in North America, the flu still spread over their summer and people still died. The same happened in Europe. In tropical countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia the flu came late but is now well established with 20,000 confirmed cases.

You also have travellers going to the Northern Hemisphere and catching it and bringing it back. How many come to Australia from the NH for holidays during our summer.

The flu has already replaced most of the seasonal flu varieties. So it will be around for a long time. As it is a new variety so everyone is susceptible.

Vaccines prevent you getting ill. Antivirals such as relenza reduce the severity, but you still get ill.

"Remember that influenza antivirals also act as a vaccine because they allow asymptomatic infection and therefore immunity to develop."

If you are refering to the continual taking of prophylactic levels of antivirals to combat possible exposure, you will need to take it continually for the entire flu season. I don't think any country has sufficient stocks of antivirals for that. Also you are forgetting the side effects. I far as I am aware there are no studies on taking tamiflu for months.

The Japanese did that for their seasonal flu in previous years and resistance developed very fast. Low dose prophylactic levels of antibacterials or antivirals are a good way of breeding resistance.