Vt. swine flu forums set for coming weeks

[Commonground]

By SUSAN ALLEN TIMES ARGUS STAFF -

Published: September 15, 2009



MONTPELIER ? The state is hosting four forums around the state in the coming weeks to brief local officials, business owners and residents on swine flu in preparation for any potential outbreak of H1N1 influenza.

"This flu season is certain to be complex, and it will be even more important for Vermonters to know the precautions they can take and preparations they can make," said state Health Commissioner Wendy Davis in a statement.

The forums, sponsored by the Vermont Health and Emergency Management departments, will be held in Burlington, Rutland, Springfield and Lyndonville.

"We're hoping that especially community leaders come and find out what individuals, what families, what schools, what work places, what various groups can do to prepare for and cope with the flu," said Health Department spokeswoman Nancy Erickson.

Erickson said Vermont expects to receive its first doses of the new swine flu vaccine around mid-October, perhaps earlier.

She said the vaccine for regular, seasonal flu, which differs from the H1N1 vaccine, already is arriving and the Health Department urges all Vermonters to receive that vaccination.

Those who should be first in line for the swine flu vaccine, the department said, include pregnant women, health care providers and others.

The Health Department advised in a release, "People who are sick with influenza can spread the virus through coughs and sneezes. If you're sick with flu-like symptoms (sore throat, bad cough, body aches or chills, usually a fever of 100 F or more, extreme fatigue, sometimes vomiting or diarrhea), stay home from work or school for at least 24 hours after fever has gone away.

"Most people who are sick with flu will not need to see a health care provider and can be cared for at home. If you need medical attention, call your health care provider first."

The federal Department of Homeland Security also is urging small business owners to plan for any flu outbreak, with the Centers for Disease Control, putting out a guidebook that recommends ? among other things ? letting sick workers stay home and preparing for employee shortages in the event of an outbreak.

"The CDC has been doing a really good job of listening to what the states need," she said of the new list. Previous information has been geared toward larger employers; the small business advice is better suited to states like Vermont with more of those types of companies.

The Vermont forums will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington on Sept. 22, the Holiday Inn in Rutland on Sept. 29, Springfield High School on 30, and Lyndon Institute on Oct. 1.

sue.allen@timesargus.com

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20090915/NEWS01/909150359/1002/NEWS01

[vt.mathgirl]

Re: Vt. swine flu forums set for coming weeks (last forum)

MONTPELIER ? About 20 people turned out in Montpelier on Tuesday night to learn more about the H1N1 virus, commonly called swine flu, asking about everything from when small schools will receive vaccine to whether the government is putting too much focus on this illness to the neglect of other infectious diseases.

The early spike in H1N1 influenza cases around the nation and the state has surprised health officials. "This is way out of whack," said Christine Finley, deputy commissioner of the Department of Health. Speaking at the last scheduled public Vermont forum on the flu, Finley said seasonal flu typically hits around mid-December, and peaks in January or February.

The first report of widespread H1N1 virus came earlier this year from Georgia, but today only South Carolina and Washington D.C. are not reporting widespread swine flu cases.

"Clearly this is a flu that can spread easily," she said.

Finley told the group that swine flu is a pandemic, a word "that strikes fear in the hearts of people." But, she cautioned, so far this influenza has been relatively mild and healthy people are recovering well from the illness. Unlike seasonal flu, which hits the elderly hardest, swine flu is impacting children and young adults most.

Pregnant women and adults with other serious medical conditions are also at risk from the H1N1 virus.

She said swine flu is spread through sneezing, which can spray the virus up to 6 feet, or on surfaces like handrails or door knobs, where it survives for up to eight hours. It enters the body through the nose, mouth or eyes, moving into the respiratory tract.

The symptoms include coughing and fever or sore throat and fever, vomiting or diarrhea in many cases, headache, tiredness, weakness, and body and muscle aches. Finley said often a cough will go away, but return. People are most contagious when they have a fever, although they can also be contagious a day before they develop symptoms.

Treatment is not unlike seasonal flu, she said. That includes getting rest and plenty of fluids, and taking something to reduce the fever. Finley said people should consult a doctor if they have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, children turning blue or showing discoloration, dehydration from vomiting, dizziness, or seizures.

The Vermont Health Department on Tuesday began the first of 37 public vaccination clinics outside of the school setting for people at high risk of H1N1. A clinic, which is co-sponsored by Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, is scheduled in Montpelier for Nov. 23 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. A Barre clinic is set for Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Municipal Auditorium. The vaccinations are free of charge.

Finley said 56,000 doses of vaccine have been administered so far and more are coming every day. She said it's important the vaccine be given to those in high-risk groups first (for more information on this, visit www.healthvermont.gov).

In Middlebury Tuesday, at least 100 people who wanted shots at a flu vaccination clinic were left out in the rain without vaccination. But state and local health officials promised more shots would make their way to the state by the end of the month to meet the growing demand.

H1N1, or swine flu, is "widespread everywhere in Vermont right now," said Brant Goode of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at an emergency preparedness conference in Killington earlier in the day.

And there's no telling how long the flu will last, he said.

Goode, presenting alongside Vermont Health Commissioner Wendy Davis, said anywhere from 180,000 to 300,000 Vermonters will get infected with swine flu according to estimates released in August by PCAST or the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

In Vermont, anywhere from 60 to 120 deaths are estimated, Goode said.

The Middlebury clinic, conducted by the Addison County Home Health & Hospice at the American Legion, drew people from as far as Montreal to try to get free vaccinations.

So far, larger schools have been prioritized for vaccination clinics. One man attending the Montpelier forum asked about when small schools like Websterville Baptist Christian School would host a clinic, and the answer was probably about mid-December.

She said schools are being advised to remain open in most cases. And businesses are encouraged to make contingency plans for 30 percent of employees to be out sick with the flu.

One woman at the forum who works with young children, but has a family member home with swine flu, wondered if she was putting the children at risk. Finley advised her to take proper precautions to not spread the virus (sneeze or cough into a tissue, for example), and urge children to also takes steps to avoid the flu (wash hands thoroughly, for instance).

Someone else asked about whether people should wear surgical masks for protection. Finley said special masks are recommended for some health care providers, but masks are generally not recommended for the public.

One man asked about whether more could be done to prevent the spread of the illness on public transportation, such as school and transit buses. Finley said the department would work with school and transit officials on that issue.

A man expressed concern that so much of the public health focus as been placed on swine flu when "there are many more important and dangerous health problems out there."

Finley, who had a clear interest in infectious diseases, agreed there are other diseases that deserve attention. But, she added, "If there isn't good communication out there (on swine flu), it can lead to more fear and more confusion."

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20091104/NEWS02/911040333/1003/NEWS02