Firsthand account of nursing her husband through a bout of swine flu in Texas. Sounds miserable. I’ll get the vaccine as soon as I can.

Texas has been hit pretty hard, and the writer covers the story of a strained health care system dealing with epidemic flu. Meanwhile, Rhode Island is starting to take precautions–Lifespan hospitals are banning children from visiting, H1N1 flu clinics are planned.

I got an email from a friend, worries about the safety of the vaccine. I’m not unreservedly trusting of our vaccine process– mainly because the for-profit system of manufacture interferes with quality. But for me the vaccine is a good bet–I’m around a lot of sick people and I don’t want to catch flu or spread it. My friend can stay away from crowds and wash her hands a lot, she works at home and it’s an option.

I think the vaccine is a good bet generally, and for people who are at risk for pneumonia it’s a very good idea.