Health officials urge H1N1 preparedness

Cases of H1N1, commonly called “swine flu,” appear to be on the rise and people are urged to exercise common sense to avoid contracting it.
Documented symptoms are common to the seasonal flu: headache, high fever, runny nose, sore throat, aching muscles, diarrhea or vomiting,  said Dr. Jeffery Levine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

Levine advises people to seek a physician’s care if they are experiencing symptoms. “Do not go to school and go to the doctor and get it checked out. Isolate yourself. If you live with a roommate, stay at least six feet away from them,” Levine said.

“There is a test to determine for the H1N1, however it’s quite expensive, somewhere around $200,” said Dr. Nicole Ellison at The University Health Clinic.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends administration of a regular flu test. If a strain comes back as an “A positive” strain this early in the flu season, it is safe to regard as H1N1.

Prevent Spreading

H1N1 is spread by large droplets of secretion or mucus, physicians say.  Regular hand washing, coughing in the sleeve/elbow area and maintaining social distance from others helps prevent the risk of getting infected.

Other techniques include not touching over-used common objects like door handles, keyboards and shopping when there are no large crowds.
Antibacterial products are located throughout common areas on campus. “If used with correctly washing hands, it is believed to be an effective tool given what is known of it,” Ellison said.

Personal protective equipment such as a surgical mask, “can help prevent digesting the flu into the respiratory system,” Levine said. Masks are a good product to reduce the burden spread of disease, but at this time most physicians are leaning toward the flu spreading by droplets.

AT RISK

The CDC developed a list of people at risk of the H1N1 including pregnant women and people who have household contact with children under the age of 6 months.  Medical professionals, people under 24, and those aged 25 to 64 with significant chronic medical conditions are also at risk. Most of the reported cases occur in people around the age of 20, which is more unusual than the seasonal flu strain, physicians say.

The majority of the cases of the flu are appearing to be the H1N1. There is also seasonal flu which usually begins in October and peaks in the winter months.

VACCINES

“I recommend my own college-age kids to receive the [H1N1] vaccine when it becomes available,” Levine said. The seasonal flu vaccine is available now. The University Healthcare Center will be administering a flu vaccine clinic Sept. 22-24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Herrington Patriot Center. The cost for students is $16.

The first round of the H1N1 vaccine is scheduled for release Oct. 15, according to CDC. Distribution will be 3.4 million doses for the first month then increase to an estimated 1.5 million a week as more supplies become available.To maximize effectiveness, the CDC recommends people take two doses of the H1N1 vaccine, Levine said.

“In a perfect world, vaccinations would be 100 percent effective, but that’s not likely,” Levine said. “There are three things to remember. Number one, nothing is 100 percent effective. Number two the vaccine is going through the same process as from the season before, and number three, the vaccination technology is better but is no different from the seasonal flu it requires time.”