H1N1 influenza is now reported in 46 states in the country and President Barack Obama last week declared the disease a national emergency, which allows the federal government to assist communities that experience a surge in cases of the swine flu.
In Livingston County, the exact number of cases of H1N1 is not known but Livingston County Health Director Joan Ellison says the illness is here. Cases of swine flu are not being confirmed through laboratory tests but are being clinically diagnosed based on the patient’s symptoms.
“We don’t know how many cases there are but the assumption is if a person is experiencing flu-like symptoms, it probably is H1N1 because it is too early for seasonal flu,” Ellison explained.
Doctors in the area are reporting that their patients who presumably have a case of H1N1 are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms lasting approximately five days with some lasting up to seven days.
Symptoms of H1N1 are similar to those a cold, Ellison says, and include fever, body aches, sore throat, sneezing, cough, and in some instances, nausea and vomiting. The length and severity of the illness depends on what treatment the patient is receiving, either a prescription medication from their physician such as Tamiflu or over the counter medications, which treat the symptoms of the flu.
The national headlines are reporting a shortage of the H1N1 vaccine and Ellison confirms that to be the case here in Livingston County as well. Limited quantities are available but will be distributed to the target groups first.
“We have started to receive the mist and injectable vaccine but we don’t have enough,” she said.
The vaccine will be available first to children under six months of age, caretakers of children under six months of age, pregnant women and then will be expanded to include health care and EMS workers. Hospitals and nursing homes will immunize their own workers using their own quantities of the vaccine.
Ellison meets regularly with Livingston County school superintendents to keep them abreast of the latest developments regarding swine flu. No schools in the county have reported a significant increase in absenteeism though all such absences by students and or staff experiencing flu-like symptoms are being documented.
All schools have agreed to host immunization clinics sponsored by the Livingston County Health Department during the school day for their students, Ellison said. Parents have the option of having their children immunized at their local school, at their physician’s office or not at all.
“This is an opportunity where the children are already there and we could provide immunization for both the seasonal and H1N1 flu when we have ample supplies,” she explained.
School-based immunization clinics were common 30 years ago prior to mandatory immunization for entrance to public school. Children routinely received their measles, mumps and rubella vaccines during the school day.
So far, there has been a positive response from parents in the community with the number who desire their children to be immunized at school growing weekly, Ellison reported. Exact dates for the clinics will not be scheduled until there is enough vaccine available to do all of the schools in the county consecutively.
Parents are understandably concerned about swine flu and are seeking answers to their concerns from their child’s school nurse. Schools are partnering with the Livingston County Health Department to disseminate the most up to date and accurate information to parents and the community and hope it will quiet their concerns about contact with others at school and at social events. AT this point, closing schools and canceling social events is not recommended since a person can be communicable for swine flu one to two days before symptoms become apparent.
The most effective methods of prevention include frequent hand washing, practicing good respiratory etiquette including sneezing into your elbow, covering your mouth when coughing, not putting your hands near your nose and mouth, not sharing drinks and other common sense practices.
“If you’re not feeling well, stay home so that you’re not exposing others,” Ellison recommends.
The county health department is in continual contact with local schools and says they are doing a good job of educating students and parents on the most effective means of controlling the swine and season flu viruses. So far, their efforts appear to be working.
“In contact with the school nurses, we’ve not seen anything that’s raising our eyebrows and that’s good news but we will continue to monitor the situation,” said Ellison.
It’s estimated that the H1N1 vaccine, in both the nasal spray mist and injectable forms administered with a needle as a shot, will become available in the next couple of weeks. The injectable vaccine is not live and is available for anyone.
The nasal spray mist contains a live vaccine and is available to people ages two to 49 who are not pregnant and do not have certain health conditions such as an allergy to eggs, a past reaction to the season flu vaccine or a long term health condition. Ellison recommends you talk to your doctor about which vaccine is right for you when it becomes available.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
"The most effective methods of prevention include frequent hand washing, practicing good respiratory etiquette including sneezing into your elbow, covering your mouth when coughing, not putting your hands near your nose and mouth, not sharing drinks and other common sense practices.
“If you’re not feeling well, stay home so that you’re not exposing others,” Ellison recommends."
So if that is true why do we need a vaccine?
Also I think it is a bit naive to assume that anyone who is experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms has H1N1 without laboratory confirmation when they may indeed only have a cold.
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My child came home from school saying that they learned to cough and sneeze into their elbow with Germy Wormie, and I was totally taken aback. I always covered with my hands. But I went to the website and now I get it, hands touch, elbows don't!! Kids can touch 300 surfaces in 1/2 hour and they hate to wash their hands. There is also a DVD that teaches them in a fun way the elbow cough, as well as other important hygiene habits. Anyone who gets the H1N1 shot may be a carrier anyway, health department officials say.
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There has been tremendous misrepresentation (either by accident or intentional – take your pick) on the mortality associated with the H1N1 (Swine) flu these past six months in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Yes, our U.S. CDC has docmented that about 100 pediatric deaths the last 6 months have been "associated" with the H1N1 flu. But, it is almost NEVER cited in media newscasts that the "pediatric category" includes up 18 years of age, which is a very far cry from what people think when hearing these figures. So, naturally, and misleadingly, the public hearing the news naturally thinks of infants and real young kids as those dying, when in fact most have been much older.
Additionally, though it is mentioned now and then in newscasts, it is also a fact via the CDC that perhaps 67% (2/3 rds) of this 100 "pediatric" mortality is in those already having severe, chronic health problems.
From my study of all the ingredients in all flu vaccines, including H1N1, it is clear to me that the shots' risks far outweigh any benefits. And, don't forget, numerous studies have shown the people get the flu, despite being immunized.
Another fact completely kept quiet is that in previous years there was effectively no testing for "flu cases" before November (just look at the CDC Charts and data), but since this year CDC decided to do this testing (because of H1N1), then of course there will be some mortality associated with it. Just like previous years if the millions of tests were done like this year.
Dramatic action (front page in Canada but ignored by U.S. media) by Canada Health Officials recently suspended all their major Province's their "usual seasonal flu vaccination" programs until further review (they do it earlier in Canada than the U.S.).
This is because a sweeping study of Canadian flu cases by two researchers (Dr. Danuta Skowronski of British Columbia Centre of Disease Control and Dr. De Serres of Laval University in Quebec) that document Canadians getting their flu vaccinations are twice as likely to actually get sick from the flu, compared to those Canadians that do not get flu shots the last couple years.
World Health Organization officials (WHO) held a world-wide teleconference Oct. 3 to discuss these findings, and though none of the participants could actually identify flaws in the Skowronski/De Serres Study, the teleconference participants agreed the Study certainly must be wrong for some (unidentified) convoluted study factors, in other words, "just believe us when we tell you to get a flu shot, don't believe an objective study."
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Mr. Gillespie your really giving bad advice! If your child has a fever of 103 or more you should take them to see a doctor as soon as possible. It could be a deadly situation!
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My son was running a fever, and had an earache and his face hurt. He has seasonal allergies so my first thought was an ear infection and/or a sinus infection because he has a history of both. I called our doctor and they refused to see him because of "flu-like symptoms". Since when are earaches and facial pain symptoms of H1N1?
I ended up taking him to After Hours in Geneseo because his fever was higher than it had been the day before. I had to sit there with him for 2 1/2 hours with many other sickly individuals. And guess what? Sinus infection and ear infection…just what I had told the doctor's office.
I am thoroughly disgusted by our "now former" doctor's office. They turned down a child to save their rear ends. My son had to suffer because they were more concerned about themselves than the health of their patients.
I am so sick and tired of hearing about this H1N1.
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Folks, Maybe you have read my earlier contribution on Canadian Officials calling off the usual flu vaccinations. See earlier contribution if you have not yet read it.
The following in " " quotation marks is from the Sept 2, 2009 MMWR (Morbidy and Mortality Week Report of the U.S. CDC). After you read it, I have a few comments. Thanks for listening!
"Twenty-eight (78%) of the 36 children whose deaths were associated with 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection were in at least one of two groups previously found to be at increased risk for complications from seasonal influenza: children aged <5 years and those with a high-risk chronic medical condition (1–3). The percentage of children with high-risk medical conditions (67%) in this series is higher than the percentage reported in recent influenza seasons. During the 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, and 2006–07 seasons, a total of 153, 47, 46, and 73 pediatric deaths were reported through the influenza-associated pediatric mortality reporting system, respectively. During those seasons, the percentages of children with high-risk medical conditions were 47%, 55%, 48%, and 35%, respectively (1,7). During the same seasons, among children who died, the percentages of children aged <5 years and aged <2 years among pediatric deaths was generally higher (<5 years, 42%–63%, <2 years, 26%–46%) than the 19% and 14%, respectively, reported for 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1). Continued surveillance is needed to determine whether these and other differences between pediatric deaths from seasonal influenza and deaths from 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) are important."
My personal view is straightforward: For the last many years, people and pediatric (under 18 years of age), during the warm months, the U.S. has always had deaths for a lot of causes, but rarely in fact directly related to flu.
However, this past summer, huge numbers of flu-tests were given – and then when someone dies from anything, the mortality magically morphs into a "flu-associated" death, when in fact "flu" had nothing to do with it.
This type of disease manipulation is outright hogwash, no other good word for it.
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Corrections: It was the MMWR date of Sept. 4, 2009 (not Sept. 2), and "Morbidity," not Mobidy.
From personal experience and talking to many of my age (50's – 60's) colleagues, none of us can not remember any serious "flu" episodes or years, personally or family-wise, other than the created-panic year in 1976 for Swine flu at Ft. Dix, New Jersey.
The "Asian Flu" cited 1957-58 as serious never was not serious to us, but maybe we're missing something, but I tend to think the Officials have exaggerated this one too. Really? Can Officials exaggerate?
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I do not know how the Health Dept can possibly say that the H1N1 flu is "under control." My 10 yr old Daughter just went through it last week, and from what I hear, it is spreading like wildfire through her school.
The H1N1 flu itself is not the deadliest part.. it is the secondary infection that sets in because the immune system is weakened. When the secondary infection sets in, parents think it is the flu returning and instead of going to a Dr, they return to treating their child for the flu symptoms, when in reality, there is a much deadlier infection attacking their child's body.
If you're child has/had the H1N1 (even if diagnosed over the phone) do not let your guard down when their fever breaks and they are able to go back to school. Watch for a return of fever, rapid breathing, increased heart rate. If you see ANY of these symptoms, call your Dr immediately. If your Dr won't see you, DO NOT WAIT, go directly to the ER.
This is advice I got from my Dr. She does not mince words, tells it straight up the way it is.
Prayers for everyone affected by the H1N1 flu, both the sick people and those caring for them.
And.. no one should really take anything written in the comment section of a newspaper as truth. Even what I have written is second hand knowledge. Go to the CDC website, WebMD, or one of the other trusted sites to read about H1N1 and be informed. Being informed is your best weapon against H1N1.
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I meant naive in the sense that by assuming that EVERYONE with flu-like symptoms has H1N1 it artificially inflates the number of cases and thus leads to panic and confusion. As clearly was the case for Adrienne and her son; a Dr ASSUMED he had H1N1 when in fact he didn't purely based on what information she provided on the phone and then refused to even see him. So is this flu really as bad as people think it is, or it is like any other flu that is going around any other year?
Yvonne touched on another point, it's not the H1N1 that kills, it is the secondary infection that is 'let in through the front door' because the body is fighting H1N1. The thing is that the common cold can do exactly the same thing, but no one seems to 'freak out' when they get the sniffles. ANY time your immune system is depressed, be that due to illness, pregnancy, cancer etc there is the potential for something as simple as the common cold to kill you. So I will weigh those things up and decide what the best course of action is for me and my family, though I know this much, it won't involve being vaccinated against it.
Does anyone know if they are vaccinating EVERYONE regardless of whether they have already had H1N1(either assumed or confirmed)?
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Mark- I think you may have meant under 103 rather than over 103 when you stated:
"If you or your kids are having flu-like symptoms — especially fevers of above 103, it’s safest to stay home."
If a child or adult has a fever above 103 there is a good chance they need to be seen by a clinician. Dehydration and other complications arise when the bodies temp. gets that high- especially a young child. Just thought I would correct that:)
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I think public health people are having a hard time getting two conflicting — but important — messages out. 1. Take H1N1 seriously. 2. Don't panic.
From what I've read, H1N1 is like two diseases in one. It can either be mild, like a bad cold or a light flu, or it can be deadly. You either miss a couple of days or work, or you end up in the hospital on a respirator.
If you or your kids are having flu-like symptoms — especially fevers of above 103, it's safest to stay home. You might not get worse, but the virus you may be carrying could kill someone else.
Most doctors, I've heard, aren't seeing people directly due to risk of infection. They're just advising bed rest, fluids and alternating Tylenol and Motrin.
Naïve? Maybe, but better safe than sorry. Same goes with getting the vaccine.
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I wouldn't want to give bad advice, nor do I present myself as a medical professional. I hope each parent whose child has a fever exercises sound judgment based on their doctor's advice and past experience.
Here's an excellent article by an M.D. about how to proceed when your child is ill.
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Every case is different. Certainly, if your child is running a strong fever, its best not to send them to school. Above 103, and I call my family doctor for advice. Usually, I'm asked about my child's behavior, other symptoms, etc.
My two daughters are in the midst of H1N1 throes right now. They've got fevers that spike high, but respond to alternating doses of Tylenol and Motrin. They are coughing and sluggish, but otherwise in good spirits. My doctor tells me that there is no magic temperature that should trigger a trip to the clinic. It's the accompanying symptoms to watch.
By all means, do not take my word or anyone else's word as gospel unless they are a medical professional and have your child's file in front of them. Every case is unique, and every parent has the right to make their own decision with the advice of a trusted physician.
The outlying severe cases of H1N1 are frightening, but not typical. Still, it's best not to expose others to a disease that could hit them hard — even if your own symptoms are mild.
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