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Western Pennsylvania prepares swine flu measures
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_641941.html
Schools could close, people could be forced to work from home, and hospitals could fill with miserable, feverish, coughing flu sufferers.
Or, this winter could be like any other flu season, except for an early start because of a novel influenza strain called H1N1, or swine flu, that has swept the globe since emerging in spring.
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Throughout Western Pennsylvania, school districts, universities and businesses are preparing for high rates of absenteeism while instituting policies meant to stem the spread of infection. Hospitals are encouraging employee vaccinations and will isolate people with flu-like symptoms from other waiting-room patients.
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Hospitals are required to have "surge" plans that would help them deal with a large influx of patients, said Bill Smith, senior director of emergency preparedness at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
That might include finding hospital wings that could accommodate large numbers of flu victims. People coming into emergency rooms with respiratory symptoms could be asked to wear masks and be guided to different waiting areas.
"But any scenario right now is a guess," Smith said. "We really don't know yet how severe it will be." (Continued ...)
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_641941.html
Schools could close, people could be forced to work from home, and hospitals could fill with miserable, feverish, coughing flu sufferers.
Or, this winter could be like any other flu season, except for an early start because of a novel influenza strain called H1N1, or swine flu, that has swept the globe since emerging in spring.
-snip-
Throughout Western Pennsylvania, school districts, universities and businesses are preparing for high rates of absenteeism while instituting policies meant to stem the spread of infection. Hospitals are encouraging employee vaccinations and will isolate people with flu-like symptoms from other waiting-room patients.
-snip-
Hospitals are required to have "surge" plans that would help them deal with a large influx of patients, said Bill Smith, senior director of emergency preparedness at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
That might include finding hospital wings that could accommodate large numbers of flu victims. People coming into emergency rooms with respiratory symptoms could be asked to wear masks and be guided to different waiting areas.
"But any scenario right now is a guess," Smith said. "We really don't know yet how severe it will be." (Continued ...)