Given the increasing number of H1N1 illnesses and associated deaths reported by the CDC–including nine confirmed deaths among children for the week of October 11-17, 2009–this article on swine-flu parties in Bio-medicine sent chills down my spine:

“These are parents who are reportedly arranging swine flu ‘parties’ — similar to chicken pox or measles parties — so their healthy children can be exposed to the virus through kids who are already sick with the H1N1 flu.”

Experts agree that this is a terribly dangerous idea– particularly given the high number of hospitalizations of children with H2N1. For more facts on the swine flu, visit the CDC’s Q&A page (also available in Spanish, French, Russian, and Arabic).

And for a through explanation of vaccine fears, see Wired magazine’s “H1NL Flu Shot: 3 Major Fears Debunked,” available here.