Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=10>Last updated at 9:21 AM on 12/11/09 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
H1N1 pandemic continues to affect central region
JANINE DAVIDGE
Advertiser
It was announced on Monday that the H1N1 flu virus had taken another life in the central region of the province. The Advertiser spoke with Central Health CEO Karen McGrath to address concerns people might be having in light of the latest death.
Q: The central region of Newfoundland is obviously being hit very hard by the H1N1 pandemic, has Central Health come to any conclusions as to why the virus seems to be resulting in more deaths in this region?
A: We are asking the same question ourselves so to that end there are a couple of things we are doing. We are asking the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information to work with us to determine if there is anything different about central Newfoundland and its citizens from the rest of the province, so that is the first thing we are doing from an epidemiological perspective - we're asking them to look at our population. The second thing we are going to do is we are going to do a review of all three of these deaths to determine if there's anything we can learn and if there are any things we need to be doing differently.
Q: Is Central Health taking any other special precautions?
A: No, we are looking at it as an opportunity to highlight the importance of vaccine when its available to individuals and as well for them to do the things that people can do. The clean, cover and contain message, the fact that if people are experiencing symptoms they should self-isolate for a period of time. That people should be hand washing and covering their mouths when they are coughing. All of those things are reinforced as a result of these tragedies.
Q: In statements regarding previous deaths, it was men- tioned that there were underlying conditions involved, but this statement fid not mention any. In the latest death, did the 48-year-old male have any underlying conditions?
A: Not that we are aware of, no.
Q: Should people living in the central region be concerned?
A: People are concerned. I think we have to legitimize people's feelings. People are concerned. It's what we do with that concern that is the real question and I would say that people are entitled to their feelings however they do need to do the things they can do, they do need to make sure that they are practicing clean, cover and contain, that they are self-isolating, that they are hand washing and that they are covering when they are coughing, so all of those things are things people can do with that concern while they await the vaccine.
Q: Were any of those who have died vaccinated?
A: I can't speak to that at all.
Q: Can you tell us whether H1N1 vaccination would have prevented their deaths?
A: No I can't speak to that. I don't know.
Q: You mentioned the health care staff that took care of this person. In general how are these deaths affecting staff at the central region hospitals.
A: I would suggest to you that we are working with staff who are in what I would describe as a depressed mood. Obviously people are significantly concerned, that's why they provide the care that they do and when they lose their patients, when their patients die they are significantly impacted by that so I would say to you that our ICU staff throughout this region are at this particular point grieving the loss of the three individuals in question.
Q: Are there any vaccination clinics scheduled for the next few days?
A: There are no clinics but if individuals fall within the target groups they can call our 1-800 line (1-877-311-2613) and they can get an appointment to receive the vaccine.
Over 12,000 non-adjuvanted doses of H1N1 vaccine are set to have arrived in the province Tuesday, Nov. 10 and more than 15,000 doses of adjuvanted vaccine are due Wednesday Nov. 11. A new vaccination schedule including locations for new mass immunization clinics is expected by Friday.
All echocardiogram services at the Regional Health Centre in Grand Falls-Windsor have been temporarily suspended until further notice. For latest information on changes in service, visitation restrictions and scheduling and criteria for target groups changes in service visit Central Health's website at www.centralhealth.nl.ca.
An autopsy is underway to determine whether or not the 48-year-old male who was the third to die in the region had any underlying conditions doctors were not aware of. In the meantime a review of Central Health's handling of the H1N1 pandemic is being undertaken.
http://gfwadvertiser.ca/index.cfm?sid=302429&sc=291
H1N1 pandemic continues to affect central region
JANINE DAVIDGE
Advertiser
It was announced on Monday that the H1N1 flu virus had taken another life in the central region of the province. The Advertiser spoke with Central Health CEO Karen McGrath to address concerns people might be having in light of the latest death.
Q: The central region of Newfoundland is obviously being hit very hard by the H1N1 pandemic, has Central Health come to any conclusions as to why the virus seems to be resulting in more deaths in this region?
A: We are asking the same question ourselves so to that end there are a couple of things we are doing. We are asking the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information to work with us to determine if there is anything different about central Newfoundland and its citizens from the rest of the province, so that is the first thing we are doing from an epidemiological perspective - we're asking them to look at our population. The second thing we are going to do is we are going to do a review of all three of these deaths to determine if there's anything we can learn and if there are any things we need to be doing differently.
Q: Is Central Health taking any other special precautions?
A: No, we are looking at it as an opportunity to highlight the importance of vaccine when its available to individuals and as well for them to do the things that people can do. The clean, cover and contain message, the fact that if people are experiencing symptoms they should self-isolate for a period of time. That people should be hand washing and covering their mouths when they are coughing. All of those things are reinforced as a result of these tragedies.
Q: In statements regarding previous deaths, it was men- tioned that there were underlying conditions involved, but this statement fid not mention any. In the latest death, did the 48-year-old male have any underlying conditions?
A: Not that we are aware of, no.
Q: Should people living in the central region be concerned?
A: People are concerned. I think we have to legitimize people's feelings. People are concerned. It's what we do with that concern that is the real question and I would say that people are entitled to their feelings however they do need to do the things they can do, they do need to make sure that they are practicing clean, cover and contain, that they are self-isolating, that they are hand washing and that they are covering when they are coughing, so all of those things are things people can do with that concern while they await the vaccine.
Q: Were any of those who have died vaccinated?
A: I can't speak to that at all.
Q: Can you tell us whether H1N1 vaccination would have prevented their deaths?
A: No I can't speak to that. I don't know.
Q: You mentioned the health care staff that took care of this person. In general how are these deaths affecting staff at the central region hospitals.
A: I would suggest to you that we are working with staff who are in what I would describe as a depressed mood. Obviously people are significantly concerned, that's why they provide the care that they do and when they lose their patients, when their patients die they are significantly impacted by that so I would say to you that our ICU staff throughout this region are at this particular point grieving the loss of the three individuals in question.
Q: Are there any vaccination clinics scheduled for the next few days?
A: There are no clinics but if individuals fall within the target groups they can call our 1-800 line (1-877-311-2613) and they can get an appointment to receive the vaccine.
Over 12,000 non-adjuvanted doses of H1N1 vaccine are set to have arrived in the province Tuesday, Nov. 10 and more than 15,000 doses of adjuvanted vaccine are due Wednesday Nov. 11. A new vaccination schedule including locations for new mass immunization clinics is expected by Friday.
All echocardiogram services at the Regional Health Centre in Grand Falls-Windsor have been temporarily suspended until further notice. For latest information on changes in service, visitation restrictions and scheduling and criteria for target groups changes in service visit Central Health's website at www.centralhealth.nl.ca.
An autopsy is underway to determine whether or not the 48-year-old male who was the third to die in the region had any underlying conditions doctors were not aware of. In the meantime a review of Central Health's handling of the H1N1 pandemic is being undertaken.
http://gfwadvertiser.ca/index.cfm?sid=302429&sc=291
12/11/09