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11:43

WHYY Online - Getting ready for the live chat at noon.

11:59

WHYY Online - Hi everyone. WHYY's Senior Health and Science Reporter Kerry Grens will be leading the chat from here.

11:59

KerryGrens - Thank you for visiting WHYY's web chat on the recent flu outbreaks. I'm joined by Dr. Marla Gold, dean of the public health school at Drexel University, and Jay Lynch, spokesman for the Delaware Health and Social Services Department.

12:01

[Comment From Bryan]
What is the likelihood this the H1N1 virus will mutate into a so-called "superbug"? From what I understand, the medical community is worried about H1N1's ability to mutate as it very quickly shifted from only being communicable from pigs to humans, to being communicable between humans (a key difference between this bug and the SARS bug).

12:03

Dr Gold - Good question Bryan. We dont know that probabilty as yet given current data. Many have compared this situation to 1918 or even 1976 with swine flu but we simply dont have enough information to forecast mutation. You are correct that mutation is a signficant concern and its one of several reasons for the focused vigilance on disease identificaiton and control at this time.

12:03

[Comment From Lu]
At what point is a person with H1N1 contagious, and for how long?

12:05

Dr Gold - The period of contagion is one day PRIOR to the onset of symptoms and then in most adults, a total of 7 days or until symptoms resolve. Children appear to be in a contagious phase a bit longer- up to 10 days.

12:08

KerryGrens - Flu season is winding down here, and Mexico health officials say they expect the H1N1 outbreak to subside soon -- but is the southern hemisphere entering its winter flu season?

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