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Good chance H1N1 will be part of flu season
about 5 hours ago
By CHRISTINE L. PRATT
Staff Writer
MILLERSBURG -- Who would care for your children if schools closed?
How would you respond to an inability to report to work?
Are you prepared to be isolated for up to two weeks?
Recognizing a lull in media coverage of the H1N1 pandemic, but not intent on inducing undue panic, Holmes County's health commissioner is encouraging residents to take advantage of a window of opportunity to prepare for a likely resurgence of the virus as part of the regular flu season.
"Because we're not hearing about H1N1 in the news, the misconception is it's gone," said Dr. D.J. McFadden.
He said that while the virus has proved to be not as serious as anticipated, after a "dry run" of emergency response systems, it most likely will be among the strains circulating in the fall and winter.
Worldwide there have been 94,512 reported cases of H1N1 and 429 related deaths, according to the World Health Organization, which, on June 11, raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6.
The designation, indicating a global pandemic is under way, was a reflection of the spread of the virus, rather than the severity of illness caused by the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"If H1N1 is the dominant flu strain this winter, we could see a much different picture," said McFadden, adding he expects to see a vaccine for it no earlier than the start of 2010. "It could (continue to) act like the normal flu, and that would be great, but it might not."
Besides having no vaccine for the strain or a relative thereof, McFadden said, people will be more susceptible to H1N1 because it is new and there is no natural immunity to it.
Already the virus has become part of the seasonal flu outbreak in the southern hemisphere, he said, noting "the concern is, as it circulates and drifts (from its original makeup) a bit, it will cause a more aggressive immune response." That's what could cause morbidity and mortality rates to climb at an accelerated rate.
"Let's not count on a vaccine and use basic public health we've used for centuries before then," he said. "We have a unique opportunity right now. We see where we were in the spring. Now, we've had the first death in Ohio. There's a relatively good chance H1N1 will be a major player in this fall's flu season. We have no vaccine. So we need to start planning in our family."
There is no better time than the present to make healthy lifestyle changes -- shedding extra pounds, eating right, stopping smoking, getting proper sleep. All can be factors in building a healthy immune system that is better prepared to serve as the first line of defense.
"These are things we don't think about every year, but this year we don't have the luxury to rely on a vaccine for H1N1," he said, anticipating vaccines for other flu strains will be available and should be employed as in the past.
It also will be "even more important to practice social distancing" throughout the flu season. "Don't go to work or school if you're sick and practice basic hygiene -- wash hands, cover coughs," McFadden said.
To that end, families can anticipate the best, but should be prepared for the worst -- the need to be isolated from others and the possibility spread of the virus could interrupt and shut down services on which people rely daily.
He suggests families have stores of food and necessary supplies to last a full two weeks, if necessary. These include water, batteries, a flashlight, medications, pet food, extra clothing and bedding, diapers and formula, a can opener, entertainment for children and spare cash.
It also is a good time to revise a list of essential contacts, allergies and medications and devise backup plans for who would be available to care for children and elderly members of the family should daily routines be interrupted by the virus. Employees should also talk with their employers to discuss the possibility of working from home in the event an H1N1 infection prevents them from leaving the house.
Additional tips on planning and preparing for an H1N1 epidemic are available online at www.pandemicflu.gov.
Reporter Christine L. Pratt can be reached at 330-674-1811 or e-mail cpratt@the-daily-record.com.
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4627251
about 5 hours ago
By CHRISTINE L. PRATT
Staff Writer
MILLERSBURG -- Who would care for your children if schools closed?
How would you respond to an inability to report to work?
Are you prepared to be isolated for up to two weeks?
Recognizing a lull in media coverage of the H1N1 pandemic, but not intent on inducing undue panic, Holmes County's health commissioner is encouraging residents to take advantage of a window of opportunity to prepare for a likely resurgence of the virus as part of the regular flu season.
"Because we're not hearing about H1N1 in the news, the misconception is it's gone," said Dr. D.J. McFadden.
He said that while the virus has proved to be not as serious as anticipated, after a "dry run" of emergency response systems, it most likely will be among the strains circulating in the fall and winter.
Worldwide there have been 94,512 reported cases of H1N1 and 429 related deaths, according to the World Health Organization, which, on June 11, raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6.
The designation, indicating a global pandemic is under way, was a reflection of the spread of the virus, rather than the severity of illness caused by the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"If H1N1 is the dominant flu strain this winter, we could see a much different picture," said McFadden, adding he expects to see a vaccine for it no earlier than the start of 2010. "It could (continue to) act like the normal flu, and that would be great, but it might not."
Besides having no vaccine for the strain or a relative thereof, McFadden said, people will be more susceptible to H1N1 because it is new and there is no natural immunity to it.
Already the virus has become part of the seasonal flu outbreak in the southern hemisphere, he said, noting "the concern is, as it circulates and drifts (from its original makeup) a bit, it will cause a more aggressive immune response." That's what could cause morbidity and mortality rates to climb at an accelerated rate.
"Let's not count on a vaccine and use basic public health we've used for centuries before then," he said. "We have a unique opportunity right now. We see where we were in the spring. Now, we've had the first death in Ohio. There's a relatively good chance H1N1 will be a major player in this fall's flu season. We have no vaccine. So we need to start planning in our family."
There is no better time than the present to make healthy lifestyle changes -- shedding extra pounds, eating right, stopping smoking, getting proper sleep. All can be factors in building a healthy immune system that is better prepared to serve as the first line of defense.
"These are things we don't think about every year, but this year we don't have the luxury to rely on a vaccine for H1N1," he said, anticipating vaccines for other flu strains will be available and should be employed as in the past.
It also will be "even more important to practice social distancing" throughout the flu season. "Don't go to work or school if you're sick and practice basic hygiene -- wash hands, cover coughs," McFadden said.
To that end, families can anticipate the best, but should be prepared for the worst -- the need to be isolated from others and the possibility spread of the virus could interrupt and shut down services on which people rely daily.
He suggests families have stores of food and necessary supplies to last a full two weeks, if necessary. These include water, batteries, a flashlight, medications, pet food, extra clothing and bedding, diapers and formula, a can opener, entertainment for children and spare cash.
It also is a good time to revise a list of essential contacts, allergies and medications and devise backup plans for who would be available to care for children and elderly members of the family should daily routines be interrupted by the virus. Employees should also talk with their employers to discuss the possibility of working from home in the event an H1N1 infection prevents them from leaving the house.
Additional tips on planning and preparing for an H1N1 epidemic are available online at www.pandemicflu.gov.
Reporter Christine L. Pratt can be reached at 330-674-1811 or e-mail cpratt@the-daily-record.com.
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4627251