Content about Flu pandemic in the United States

OTTAWA — Getting a flu shot during pregnancy provides unanticipated benefits to the baby, according to the authors of a large population-based study examining the issue. Specifically, the study showed that H1N1 vaccination during the pandemic was associated with a significantly reduced risk of stillbirth, preterm birth and extremely small babies at birth.

SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson Corp. on Monday reported revenue of $28.2 billion for its fiscal third quarter, ended Dec. 31, 2010. Third-quarter earnings per diluted share were 60 cents, which included a pre-tax average wholesale price litigation charge of $189 million ($133 million after-tax, or 52 cents per diluted share).

ATLANTA The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still is recommending people who have not yet gotten their H1N1 flu shots that they do so. H1N1 vaccine is widely available, CDC officials noted.

In a conference call with reporters on Monday, the CDC that H1N1 has “not gone away,” with regional activity still being reported throughout the southeast, most notably in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. Hospitalizations attributed to H1N1 have been on the rise for three consecutive weeks.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT It’s important for three reasons. First, the government is making a strong push for people to get their flu shots — both seasonal and H1N1. Second, that H1N1 flu shot is widely available at your local retail pharmacy. And third, this will further help establish retail pharmacy as the convenient go-to source for health.

Imitation may be the best form of flattery, but CVS' store brand equivalent to Boiron's Oscillo speaks volumes to something else: The gaining popularity of homeopathy.

And that's especially true this year, as concerns over the novel H1N1 flu pandemic have driven scores of consumers into their pharmacies in search of safe and effective symptomatic relief solutions.

NEW YORK Fearless prediction No. 1: You can bet a case of hand sanitizer that if and when this survey is conducted in late October, as opposed to late July, there’ll be a whole lot more people not only aware of the importance of hand-washing and sanitizers, but they’ll likely be rubbing their hands raw with the amount of hand washing that’ll be going on.