swine flu Archive

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H1N1 vaccine available to general public

– December 9, 2009Posted in: Health

All 14 county health departments in Southwest Health District now have the H1N1 vaccine to the general public.

“All of the health departments currently have H1N1 vaccine on hand,” said Southwest Health District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. “Depending on demand, some of the health departments may offer extended-hour or Saturday clinics for the convenience of residents who may not be able to come by during the work week. Check with your local health department to find out if one is scheduled in your community.”

Grant explained that the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have relaxed restrictions to the vaccine, opening the way for the District to make it available to the general population.  Initial H1N1 vaccine doses were offered to five priority groups most at risk of developing complications from the virus.

“The timing of the state and CDC decision worked out well for us. A large shipment of H1N1 vaccine arrived in the District last week, which gave members of the priority groups who had been unable to get vaccine an opportunity to get it,” she said. Until then, the vaccine had been in short supply in the District.

Despite the announcement a new shipment had arrived, most county health departments reported a low turnout, Grant said. “At the same time, our health departments have been getting calls from people who are frustrated because they want the vaccine and aren’t in the populations targeted to get the initial doses,” she said. “We are happy that, with the restrictions relaxed, we can offer H1N1 vaccine to everyone who wants it.”

H1N1 vaccine is free at county health departments, although administration fees may be charged to Medicaid or Medicare.

Although the pandemic seems to be slowing – with fewer cases being reported in Georgia and nationally – residents should remain on guard, cautioned Grant.

“Having a supply of the vaccine available at a time when cases are declining offers us a window of opportunity to get more of the population vaccinated before the holidays,” she said. It takes around two weeks for the body to achieve full immunity from a vaccination.

“What we typically see in a pandemic are a series of waves,” Grant explained. “Our concern is that holiday gatherings and travel will give the influenza virus a chance to infect more people and trigger another wave.”

While most people who catch H1N1 recover at home without medical treatment, the pandemic has claimed around 4,000 lives in the United States, including nearly 600 child fatalities, according to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Grant also reminded the public to continue basic prevention methods that help keep flu and other contagious diseases from spreading:

  • Practice good hand-washing hygiene. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
  • Get your seasonal flu shot as soon as it becomes available.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes.
  • Stay home if you are sick. Keep sick children at home.

More information is available by  calling local county health departments, by going online to www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org or by calling the District’s toll-free Flu Hotline at 800-829-2255.

By Carolyn Maschke

Tags: H1N1, swine flu
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More H1N1 children’s vaccine available

– November 24, 2009Posted in: Headlines

Around 1,700 more doses of H1N1 nasal spray are available in time for children who need a second dose of vaccine to achieve full immunity, says Southwest Health District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant.

“The approximately 1,730 children aged 2 through 9 in our 14-county Health District who have gotten their first dose of vaccine will need another dose 28 days later to be fully protected against the pandemic H1N1 flu,” Grant said. “Because the vaccine is in short supply, some parents have been anxious. We’re pleased to have acquired more H1N1 nasal spray, which can be used to provide booster doses as well as to continue to vaccinate people who fall into high risk categories.”

The nasal mist, also known as LAIV for `live attenuated influenza vaccine,’ is made with live, weakened flu viruses, and is only for healthy people aged 2 to 49 who are not pregnant.

“Children who received their first dose of H1N1 vaccine in the injectable form can get their second dose as a nasal spray as long as they don’t have any of the contra-indications, such as compromised immune systems or conditions like asthma,” Grant said. “Since we don’t know when we will get another shipment of H1N1 flu shots, parents may want to go ahead and get their children fully protected before the holidays.”

Southwest Health District received the new supply of H1N1 nasal spray vaccine late Nov. 19 and began transporting it to county health departments Nov. 20, said Grant. In addition, area childcare providers who had signed up to receive vaccine and met required federal and state guidelines also received an allotment from the new supply.

“About 210 doses were made available to the childcare providers in the District who expressed willingness to accept LAIV,” she said.

Meanwhile, influenza-like illness continues to sicken residents in Southwest Georgia. As of Nov. 18, 13 new hospitalizations were reported, said District Epidemiologist Jacqueline Jenkins.

“The hospitalizations included very young children and older adults,” she said. “We are seeing a lot of these patients with co-infections of pneumonia.”

H1N1’s highest attack rate is in children and young adults, who have no immunity to it, said Grant. “The lowest H1N1 infection rates are in adults 65 and older. However, older adults who do catch this virus are at risk of significant illness.”

Even though they are not among the first designated to receive H1N1 vaccine, people 65 and older can get vaccinated against pneumococcal disease, plus they are prioritized to receive antiviral medication if they develop flu-like symptoms, said Grant. “Older adults should contact their healthcare providers at the first sign of influenza so they can begin receiving antivirals immediately. These medications are most effective when they are administered within the first 48 hours.”

Eventually, older adults – and others not in priority groups – will be able to get H1N1 vaccine. However, production delays continue to hobble vaccination efforts. “We don’t know when we will be able to open up the H1N1 vaccine to more of the population,” Grant said. For now, Public Health continues to recommend prevention measures:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
  • Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
  • Keep sick children at home.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • Get a seasonal flu vaccination as soon as you can.
  • Stay informed – the situation may change rapidly, so listen for Public Health alerts and recommendations.

For more information about swine flu (H1N1) go online to www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org or www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ or call the District’s toll-free Flu Hotline at (800) 829-2255.

Tags: H1N1, Health, swine flu
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Southwest Health District opens H1N1 nasal-spray vaccine to more priority groups

– October 15, 2009Posted in: Headlines, Health

Beginning this week, the 14 county health departments in Southwest Health District will begin offering H1N1 nasal-spray vaccine to healthy children 2 to 24 years old; people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age; and healthcare and emergency medical services personnel with direct patient contact.

“These are priority groups identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state to be offered the first doses of H1N1 vaccine because they are either at greater risk of complications if they catch the disease or because they have close contact with individuals at risk of complications from it,” said Southwest Health District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant.

They can also take the nasal-spray flu vaccine, also known as LAIV for `live attenuated influenza vaccine,’ which is made with live, weakened flu viruses. It is only for healthy people ages 2 to 49.

“Once we begin receiving H1N1 flu shot vaccine, we will broaden our target groups even more,” Grant said. “For example, pregnant women are one of the highest priority groups for H1N1 vaccination, yet they should not receive the nasal-spray form of the vaccine,” she said.

Neither should people with asthma or other chronic medical conditions, people who have compromised immune systems or people on certain medications such as steroids.

“We got the nasal-spray first because it can be produced more quickly than the flu shot, but the CDC said flu shot vaccine is now being shipped out as well, so we hope to get some shortly,” she said. “Vaccine is being shipped as soon as batches are ready, which means we are getting small amounts that trickle in over time rather than large shipments scheduled for a particular date.”

The United States has never undertaken such a massive and complicated vaccination effort before, Grant noted. “We are asking the public to bear with us as we work through this process. By November, our understanding is that there will be ample supplies of H1N1 vaccine for everyone who wants to get it.”

As more vaccine arrives, mass vaccination clinics, including school-located vaccinations, may be offered in the District, she said.

H1N1 vaccine is being provided free of charge by Public Health, although administration fees may be charged to Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance.

Private providers are also beginning to offer H1N1 vaccine. The State Department of Community Health’s Web site, www.health.state.ga.us/h1n1, lists the providers.

“This vaccine is made by the same manufacturers in the same way at the same facilities as regular seasonal flu. No corners were cut in its production. It is safe and effective. The vaccine is our best protection against pandemic H1N1 influenza,” Grant said.

Although the flu has been widespread in Southwest Georgia and throughout the United States, disease investigators studying it say only 5 to 10 percent of the population has been infected.

“That leaves 90% to 95% of the population that’s still susceptible,” said Grant. “We know that historically pandemics come in waves. So even though we may have weathered the first wave of H1N1, we should be prepared for another one. Vaccination is our best tool to reduce the impact of influenza.”

Meanwhile, she said, residents should continue to follow practices that help reduce the spread of infectious disease.

“Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer regularly,” Grant said. “Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. Stay home when you are sick. And get vaccinated against seasonal flu.”

More information is available by calling local county health departments, by going online to www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org or by calling the District’s toll-free Flu Hotline at 800-829-2255.

Tags: H1N1, Health, swine flu
0

Southwest Health District launches toll-free Flu Hotline in English and Spanish

– September 17, 2009Posted in: Health

For Southwest Georgia residents, access to up-to-date information on Pandemic H1N1 Influenza, also known as Swine Flu, is only a phone call away – and the call is toll-free.

“By calling 1-800-829-2255, you will get current and credible information about influenza,” said Southwest Health District Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. “Information ranges from symptoms of influenza to how to care from someone at home. The recording is approximately 10 minutes long. Listeners have the option to choose a Spanish version or to select more information on certain topics.”

The hotline can help individuals determine the best course of action to protect their health and the health of their families. It will be updated regularly to reflect changing conditions or new recommendations concerning influenza-like illnesses, Grant said.

“This resource isn’t intended to replace your healthcare provider. It is a way to help you make good choices,” she stressed. “Most people with H1N1 recover at home without medical attention, just as they do with regular seasonal flu. Unless they fall into a high risk group, the majority of those with influenza-like illness won’t need to see a doctor.”

Yet worried well and people with mild symptoms have flooded

healthcare providers throughout the District since schools began opening

and students began falling ill to the fast-spreading, highly-contagious

new virus.

“Many of our partner healthcare agencies have reported crowds

in their emergency departments and waiting rooms,” said Grant. “This

is a concern because it stresses our healthcare system, can deplete

limited resources and also exposes people in the waiting areas to

H1N1.”

The Flu Hotline gives listeners information on how influenza

spreads; ways to prevent it from spreading; symptoms; how to provide

homecare to those with influenza-like illness; who is at risk of

developing severe infections and what they should do if they develop

symptoms or are exposed to someone with symptoms; and the warning signs

that indicate immediate medical attention is needed.

In addition, Dougherty County’s new 3-1-1 information line

will refer callers with questions about influenza-like illness to the

Flu Hotline and will post general flu information on its Web page, Grant

said.

“As you can see, this is a real community effort,” said

Grant. “It offers benefits to everyone.”

More information is available by calling local county health departments or by going online to www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org.

Carolyn Maschke

Risk Communications/Public Information Officer

Georgia Health District 8, Unit 2

1109 North Jackson Street

Albany, GA 31701

(229) 430-1969

fax: (229) 430-5143

Email: cwmaschke@dhr.state.ga.us

Tags: H1N1, swine flu
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Health Department extends hours for mass seasonal flu shot clinic Sept. 2

– August 31, 2009Posted in: Health

The Dougherty County Health Department will open early and stay late Wednesday during a seasonal flu shot mass clinic aimed at protecting as many residents as possible as quickly as possible.

The cost will be $20, which is $5 less than Public Health charged last year per dose.

“It is more important than ever to get your flu shot, and to get it early, because we already have Pandemic H1N1 influenza in our community,” explained Suzette Profit, immunization coordinator for the Dougherty County Health Department.

“We are dedicating all day Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to a mass seasonal flu vaccination clinic. Giving flu shots is all we will be doing that day,” Profit said. “We’ll have five times our usual number of nurses on hand so we can move people through quickly and conveniently.”

The seasonal flu vaccine will help protect individuals from co-infections, which could allow the H1N1 virus to mutate into a disease that is drug-resistant or more severe. Every fall, a number of influenza viruses begin circulating. The seasonal flu shot is designed to fight the three viruses expected to cause the most sickness each autumn.

Meanwhile, a vaccine for H1N1 Influenza is under development, with a delivery date of October at the earliest. It is likely to require two doses given 21 days apart.

“This is something you can do to protect your health, the health of your loved ones and the wellbeing of the community as a whole,” Profit said. “Children as young as 6 months can get vaccinated against the flu. We recommend it for everyone from that age up unless they have had a severe allergic reaction to eggs, have a history of Guillain-Barré or have a fever.”

To find out more about influenza, contact the Dougherty County Health Department or visit Southwest Georgia Public Health District’s website, www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org.

Tags: Health, swine flu
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County health departments to begin offering seasonal flu shots Wednesday

– August 30, 2009Posted in: Health

Southwest Health District’s 14 county health departments will begin offering seasonal flu shots Wednesday, Sept. 2, roughly a month earlier than usual. Plus, the District has reduced the price to $20.

“We are offering seasonal flu vaccine earlier than usual and cutting the cost to help encourage residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Southwest Health District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. “Getting your seasonal flu shot is an important way to fight the spread of the Pandemic H1N1 virus, which, as you know, is already in our communities.”

A seasonal flu shot offers no protection against H1N1 infection, but it will help prevent co-infections, she explained.

“When an individual is infected with more than one virus, it is an opportunity for the viruses to exchange genetic material. That could lead to creation of a more severe virus, or one that is resistant to drugs,” she said.

While the novel H1N1 virus has been getting the most attention, especially since it achieved pandemic status in June, seasonal flu itself can cause significant illness.

“Remember, seasonal flu claims around 36,000 lives and results in around 200,000 hospitalizations in the United States each year,” Grant said. “Now, with H1N1, we may be faced with four or more different circulating flu strains.”

So far, she said, H1N1 has been mild to moderate. “However, we are already seeing high absenteeism and crowded emergency rooms and doctors’ offices throughout the district, and the regular flu season hasn’t started yet,” noted Grant. “Patients who get seasonal flu shots are less likely to end up with complications requiring hospitalization and medical attention from physicians. So that can help reduce pressure on the healthcare system, care-givers and others.”

Vaccine for H1N1 is being produced, but won’t be available until mid-October at the earliest, she said. It is likely to be administered in two doses.

This year’s seasonal flu vaccine contains three virus strains that researchers anticipate will cause the most illness during the flu season. They are A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus; A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus and B/Brisbane 60/2008-like antigens.

“The 2009-10 influenza vaccine is intended to protect you from getting sick from these three viruses, or make your illness milder if you get a related but different influenza virus strain,” Grant explained.

Anyone who wants to reduce the chance of catching the seasonal flu can get vaccinated. But certain populations face greater risk of developing serious complications from influenza and Public Health experts recommend they be vaccinated. They include:

▪ Children aged 6 months to 19 years

▪ Pregnant women

▪ People 50 and older

▪ People of any age with chronic medical conditions like asthma or heart disease

▪ People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities

▪ People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:

▪ Healthcare workers

▪ Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu

▪ Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (children too young to be vaccinated)

Those who should talk to their doctor before getting a flu shot include anyone who has had a severe allergic reaction to eggs or a previous flu shot, a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome or is running a fever, Grant added.

She said that influenza usually starts suddenly and may include fever (usually high), cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue, runny or stuffy nose and body aches. Diarrhea and vomiting may also occur and are usually more common in children than adults.

“Remember, this year it is more important than ever to get your seasonal flu vaccination,” Grant said.

For more information about flu shots, contact your local county health department or go online to www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org.

Tags: swine flu
0

First case of Pandemic H1N1 confirmed in Dougherty County

– July 20, 2009Posted in: Health

SOUTHWEST PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT
1109 North Jackson Street
Albany, Georgia 31701-2022
(229) 430-4599 Fax (229) 430-5143 Emergency 888-430-4590
www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org

July 20, 2009 Contact: Carolyn Maschke, Public Information Officer
For Immediate Release 229-430-1969, 229-357-0257; cwmaschke@dhr.state.ga.us

A 16-year-old Dougherty County male has been added to the list of Southwest Health District’s patients confirmed with Pandemic H1N1, says Southwest Health District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. The teen’s case marks the first time that the novel influenza virus has been confirmed in Dougherty County and raises Southwest Health District’s tally of confirmed cases to 10.

“We were certainly not looking forward to this day, but we expected it, and, unfortunately, we expect to see more evidence that this infection is continuing to spread,” Grant said. “I am pleased to note that this young man, like the majority of H1N1 patients in this country, did not require hospitalization. He is being treated at home, and we wish him a speedy recovery.”

In addition, a 5-year-old Thomas County boy whose diagnosis was confirmed at the Florida Public Health Laboratory has become the eighth Pandemic H1N1 case identified in Thomas County. Colquitt County has the only other confirmed case in the Southwest Health District.
So far, this pandemic is continuing to be a mild to moderate disease, continued Grant, adding that most patients do well receiving care at home.

“Although the teenager resides in Dougherty County, he was identified as part of a Lowndes County investigation,” Grant said. “His situation is similar to cases being seen throughout Georgia and the rest of the country in which children and teens who participate in summer camps and programs are exposed to H1N1.”

To date, Pandemic H1N1 has been seen most commonly in children and young adults, with outbreaks in schools, childcare centers and residential camps. Groups at risk for complications from infections with H1N1 include pregnant women, people with suppressed immune systems or chronic disease, healthcare workers and obese people, she said.

The CDC estimates that a million people have been infected with H1N1 in the United States alone. Pandemic H1N1 has been confirmed in more than 100 countries.

“This strain of H1N1 is a true pandemic in that it has spread across the globe. Since disease investigators know it is everywhere, Public Health’s focus is no longer on tracking the number of cases, but in monitoring for increased severity in the disease,” Grant emphasized. Testing is being performed in three circumstances: when clusters of influenza-like illness occur; on hospitalized patients with influenza-like illness; and by sentinel providers, the healthcare providers who routinely assist Public Health in monitoring seasonal flu.

In Georgia, 181 Pandemic H1N1 cases have been confirmed to date, including one fatality.
There is no vaccine for Pandemic H1N1 at this time. For now the best defense is to practice measures that help prevent the spread of any infectious disease:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
  • Keep sick children at home.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • Stay informed – the situation may change rapidly, so listen for Public Health alerts and recommendations.

For more information about swine flu (H1N1) go online to www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org, or visit the CDC website, www.cdc.gov/swineflu/.

Tags: swine flu
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