vt.mathgirl
Well-known member
Vermont has stopped reporting actual numbers, and just says "sporadic" cases.
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Article published Sep 23, 2009
State: 30 percent of Vermonters could get H1N1 flu
By Peter Hirschfeld Vermont Press Bureau
BURLINGTON ? State health officials say there's a very real possibility that as much as 30 percent of Vermont's population could contract the H1N1influenza virus this flu season.
Dr. Wendy Davis, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, said widespread outbreaks in 21 states so far mean the virus will likely inflict similar illness here. Though Vermont is now reporting on "sporadic" cases, Davis said she expects the novel flu strain to arrive in earnest before long.
"It's like a snowstorm," Davis said Tuesday. "We can't stop the flu, but we can do all we can to be prepared."
At the Department of Health, Davis said, those preparations have been under way since the state saw its first case of H1N1 last spring. While Vermont experienced relatively mild infection numbers then, according to Davis, Vermont will likely see significant numbers of residents come down with the illness between now and the end of winter.
"People have asked us why there's so much focus on this strain and why this intense preparation," Davis said. "This particular strain has very effective transmission and it is likely to affect so many people because most people do not have immunity to this strain of flu."
The number of people infected could reach 200,000 or more, according to Davis, though not everyone who contracts the virus will suffer from flu-like symptoms.
"We talk about scenarios of 30 percent of the population in our preparations," Davis said. "It's not an unlikely scenario we use in our planning strategies."
Those planning strategies have focused largely on the school-age populations that are statistically more susceptible to the H1N1 strain.
"What's clear is it hits very young children and youth in a disproportionate way," Davis said.
Unlike seasonal flu, according to Davis, H1N1, also known as swine flu, seems to "spare the very elderly."
Jill Remick, with the Vermont Department of Education, said schools are preparing for the potential outbreak by scheduling clinics to administer the H1N1 vaccine, which is expected to arrive in Vermont in mid-October. Remick said she expects between 60 and 100 schools to host vaccine clinics, which will be voluntary.
"School age kids are a priority group and are first in line for the vaccine," Remick said. "So it made a lot of sense to have schools be the site."
Pregnant women and anyone with compromised health or chronic diseases also are considered "priority" groups for the vaccine. Davis said she expects tens of thousands of vaccines to arrive next month, followed by weekly shipments of 10,000 or more doses thereafter. It's unclear exactly how many vaccines the state will receive from the federal government, Davis said, noting that people not in a priority group will have to wait in line until the more vulnerable populations have been inoculated.
Davis said good hygiene, including frequent hand washing and well-covered coughs and sneezes, is among the most effective ways to prevent transmission. Staying home when sick, Davis said, also will mitigate the impacts of any flu outbreak. She urged residents to be prepared to stay at home for up to two weeks.
"We're asking people when they can to stock up to stay home," Davis said.
Davis said her office will continue to monitor the prevalence of H1N1 through testing and reports from hospitals and other health-care facilities. The severity of the influenza threat will be conveyed to the public in terms borrowed from the Centers for disease Control. "Sporadic," "regional" and "widespread" will connote the scope of the epidemic.
Davis said confirmed cases represent only a small fraction of total H1N1 cases, making the CDC terms a more helpful tool for residents looking to gauge the prevalence of the flu.
"We've really moved away from counting cases and hence the use of these terms ? we will use to describe flu activity in the future," Davis said.
She said most people don't need to be tested for the H1N1 strain, nor will they need to seek medical intervention. Antiviral medications, she said, will be reserved primarily for vulnerable populations or those experiencing particularly harsh symptoms.
"Most healthy people who get the flu may feel very badly when they have it but will get better at home without anti-viral treatment," she said.
Davis urged residents to get vaccinated against seasonal flu as soon as possible and said the presence of both strains will make for a "complex" flu season.
Davis delivered the remarks at a Burlington press conference Tuesday as the department embarks on a series of public flu forums that started Tuesday in South Burlington. Forums will held in three additional Vermont towns, including one in Rutland next Tuesday.
Davis said residents should keep themselves informed about the flu, and how to avoid it, by visiting www.healthvermont.gov.
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Article published Sep 23, 2009
State: 30 percent of Vermonters could get H1N1 flu
By Peter Hirschfeld Vermont Press Bureau
BURLINGTON ? State health officials say there's a very real possibility that as much as 30 percent of Vermont's population could contract the H1N1influenza virus this flu season.
Dr. Wendy Davis, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, said widespread outbreaks in 21 states so far mean the virus will likely inflict similar illness here. Though Vermont is now reporting on "sporadic" cases, Davis said she expects the novel flu strain to arrive in earnest before long.
"It's like a snowstorm," Davis said Tuesday. "We can't stop the flu, but we can do all we can to be prepared."
At the Department of Health, Davis said, those preparations have been under way since the state saw its first case of H1N1 last spring. While Vermont experienced relatively mild infection numbers then, according to Davis, Vermont will likely see significant numbers of residents come down with the illness between now and the end of winter.
"People have asked us why there's so much focus on this strain and why this intense preparation," Davis said. "This particular strain has very effective transmission and it is likely to affect so many people because most people do not have immunity to this strain of flu."
The number of people infected could reach 200,000 or more, according to Davis, though not everyone who contracts the virus will suffer from flu-like symptoms.
"We talk about scenarios of 30 percent of the population in our preparations," Davis said. "It's not an unlikely scenario we use in our planning strategies."
Those planning strategies have focused largely on the school-age populations that are statistically more susceptible to the H1N1 strain.
"What's clear is it hits very young children and youth in a disproportionate way," Davis said.
Unlike seasonal flu, according to Davis, H1N1, also known as swine flu, seems to "spare the very elderly."
Jill Remick, with the Vermont Department of Education, said schools are preparing for the potential outbreak by scheduling clinics to administer the H1N1 vaccine, which is expected to arrive in Vermont in mid-October. Remick said she expects between 60 and 100 schools to host vaccine clinics, which will be voluntary.
"School age kids are a priority group and are first in line for the vaccine," Remick said. "So it made a lot of sense to have schools be the site."
Pregnant women and anyone with compromised health or chronic diseases also are considered "priority" groups for the vaccine. Davis said she expects tens of thousands of vaccines to arrive next month, followed by weekly shipments of 10,000 or more doses thereafter. It's unclear exactly how many vaccines the state will receive from the federal government, Davis said, noting that people not in a priority group will have to wait in line until the more vulnerable populations have been inoculated.
Davis said good hygiene, including frequent hand washing and well-covered coughs and sneezes, is among the most effective ways to prevent transmission. Staying home when sick, Davis said, also will mitigate the impacts of any flu outbreak. She urged residents to be prepared to stay at home for up to two weeks.
"We're asking people when they can to stock up to stay home," Davis said.
Davis said her office will continue to monitor the prevalence of H1N1 through testing and reports from hospitals and other health-care facilities. The severity of the influenza threat will be conveyed to the public in terms borrowed from the Centers for disease Control. "Sporadic," "regional" and "widespread" will connote the scope of the epidemic.
Davis said confirmed cases represent only a small fraction of total H1N1 cases, making the CDC terms a more helpful tool for residents looking to gauge the prevalence of the flu.
"We've really moved away from counting cases and hence the use of these terms ? we will use to describe flu activity in the future," Davis said.
She said most people don't need to be tested for the H1N1 strain, nor will they need to seek medical intervention. Antiviral medications, she said, will be reserved primarily for vulnerable populations or those experiencing particularly harsh symptoms.
"Most healthy people who get the flu may feel very badly when they have it but will get better at home without anti-viral treatment," she said.
Davis urged residents to get vaccinated against seasonal flu as soon as possible and said the presence of both strains will make for a "complex" flu season.
Davis delivered the remarks at a Burlington press conference Tuesday as the department embarks on a series of public flu forums that started Tuesday in South Burlington. Forums will held in three additional Vermont towns, including one in Rutland next Tuesday.
Davis said residents should keep themselves informed about the flu, and how to avoid it, by visiting www.healthvermont.gov.
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