Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Racine County has first H1N1-related death
StoryDiscussionLINDSAY FIORI lindsay.fiori@journaltimes.com | Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:40 pm |
H1N1 vaccination clinic Friday
WHAT: H1N1, or swine flu, vaccination clinic featuring injectable and nasal vaccines
WHEN: Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Case High School, 7345 Washington Ave.
WHO: Only individuals in the following high-risk groups will be vaccinated: pregnant women; persons living with or providing care for infants 6-months-old or younger; health care and emergency medical services personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious material; children aged 6 months to 18 years; and adults aged 19 to 64 with chronic medical conditions.
COST: Free
RACINE COUNTY - Health department officials said Wednesday the county has experienced its first H1N1-related death.
State labs have confirmed that the dead individual tested positive for H1N1, or swine flu, said Sarah Clemons, public information officer for the City of Racine Health Department.
County and state health departments are not releasing the individual's name, sex, age, race or residence out of respect for the family, they said. Officials also would not confirm if the individual was an adult or child, or the exact date of the individual's death, which was sometime between Nov. 11 and Wednesday, according to Clemons.
The individual died in a Racine County hospital but Clemons did not know which one and area hosptial officials said patient privacy laws prevented them from releasing that information.
In most cases, H1N1 cases are not severe, Clemons said, adding that in this instance the individual had underlying health conditions that likely contributed to his or her death.
"For most people, the 2009 H1N1 flu is not severe," said Marcia Fernholz, health officer for the City of Racine. "However, we know that the virus can be especially dangerous for children, individuals with compromised immune systems and those with chronic health illnesses."
To protect those populations from H1N1, officials recommend vaccinating against the illness. The county has already held one mass vaccination clinic for H1N1 and the next is scheduled for Friday evening at Case High School, 7345 Washington Ave.
While the vaccines are currently being reserved for use on high-risk individuals, officials said they expect vaccines to eventually be available to anyone who wants one.
Until more vaccines are available, county health officials said the spread of H1N1 can be contained at least partially by washing hands thoroughly, by covering mouths when sneezing or coughing, by staying home from work or school when ill and by staying healthy with good dietary habits, plenty of rest and exercise.
http://www.journaltimes.com/special...cle_0668df6a-d474-11de-849a-001cc4c03286.html
StoryDiscussionLINDSAY FIORI lindsay.fiori@journaltimes.com | Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:40 pm |
H1N1 vaccination clinic Friday
WHAT: H1N1, or swine flu, vaccination clinic featuring injectable and nasal vaccines
WHEN: Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Case High School, 7345 Washington Ave.
WHO: Only individuals in the following high-risk groups will be vaccinated: pregnant women; persons living with or providing care for infants 6-months-old or younger; health care and emergency medical services personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious material; children aged 6 months to 18 years; and adults aged 19 to 64 with chronic medical conditions.
COST: Free
RACINE COUNTY - Health department officials said Wednesday the county has experienced its first H1N1-related death.
State labs have confirmed that the dead individual tested positive for H1N1, or swine flu, said Sarah Clemons, public information officer for the City of Racine Health Department.
County and state health departments are not releasing the individual's name, sex, age, race or residence out of respect for the family, they said. Officials also would not confirm if the individual was an adult or child, or the exact date of the individual's death, which was sometime between Nov. 11 and Wednesday, according to Clemons.
The individual died in a Racine County hospital but Clemons did not know which one and area hosptial officials said patient privacy laws prevented them from releasing that information.
In most cases, H1N1 cases are not severe, Clemons said, adding that in this instance the individual had underlying health conditions that likely contributed to his or her death.
"For most people, the 2009 H1N1 flu is not severe," said Marcia Fernholz, health officer for the City of Racine. "However, we know that the virus can be especially dangerous for children, individuals with compromised immune systems and those with chronic health illnesses."
To protect those populations from H1N1, officials recommend vaccinating against the illness. The county has already held one mass vaccination clinic for H1N1 and the next is scheduled for Friday evening at Case High School, 7345 Washington Ave.
While the vaccines are currently being reserved for use on high-risk individuals, officials said they expect vaccines to eventually be available to anyone who wants one.
Until more vaccines are available, county health officials said the spread of H1N1 can be contained at least partially by washing hands thoroughly, by covering mouths when sneezing or coughing, by staying home from work or school when ill and by staying healthy with good dietary habits, plenty of rest and exercise.
http://www.journaltimes.com/special...cle_0668df6a-d474-11de-849a-001cc4c03286.html