Home › Lifestyle › Health
Health professionals gearing up to combat onslaught of swine flu
More Health 
Share and Enjoy 
TREASURE COAST — Treasure Coast health departments, along with health officials around the country, will spend the next month finalizing plans to vaccinate as many people as possible against swine flu.
Right now, the swine flu virus, also known as the H1NI virus is hardly a rarity on the Treasure Coast or anywhere else in the United States. Officials say flu is already about as widespread as it was at the peak of last winter’s flu season — and 98 percent of the cases are swine flu.
The focus is on doing everything possible to slow transmission and limit the effects of the virus on people most likely to have a bad time with it.
U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the first swine flu shots could be available as soon as the first week of October, with most health departments starting to receive the vaccine by Oct. 15. Doses initially will be reserved for those known to be at particularly high risk if they get the virus —pregnant women, health workers (to protect those around them), people aged 6 months to 24 years, and those with chronic medical conditions, like asthma or diabetes.
Perhaps by the end of the year, federal officials think there will be enough vaccine available to protect most Americans from the swine flu — or at least everyone who wants to get the free and voluntary inoculation.
In 2,800 jurisdictions around the country, officials are determining the best way to distribute the shots.
Drive-through banks are being looked at by officials near Louisville, Ky.
“We’ve done exercises for several years at the state fairgrounds, parking lots, other public places with multiple lanes where we could move a lot of people through quickly,’’ said Dr. Adwale Troutman, director of Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness, speaking during a recent swine flu preparation conference in Washington. “We’ve tried to make plans to use schools for mass vaccinations, but we’ve found it’s logistically difficult for people to come in.”
But in other areas, including the Treasure Coast, schools and medical providers — including hospitals — are being looked at as possible distribution points.
Indian River and St. Lucie county health officials plan to offer vaccine clinics for children at schools. People at high risk for complications, such as pregnant women, also might be able to get the vaccine from area doctors, said Clint Sperber, a public health preparedness coordinator with St. Lucie County Health Department.
“Each place will know what the strengths (of the delivery system) are in their area best,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A single shot of the swine flu vaccine is expected to offer protection in adults after 10 to 12 days.
Children younger than 5, who have less developed immune systems, might need to get two doses to achieve protection from the H1N1 virus. Testing of the shots on children started several weeks later than those for adults, and results are still pending.
National health officials are reporting no safety concerns with the vaccine.
“People getting the shots are having the same sort of sore arms and redness reactions that people do who receive a seasonal flu shot,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Even with 40 million doses of swine flu vaccine available by this time next month, most Americans will have to tough out the new flu with over-the-counter remedies if they get sick. To avoid catching the virus, officials recommend vigorous hand-washing, adequate sleep and a good diet, plus avoidance of anyone coughing.
People are advised to stay home if they get sick, unless their symptoms become severe or they have underlying medical conditions.
“Vaccination is our strongest tool,’’ said the CDC’s Frieden. “With the vaccine not yet here, what we can do now is reduce the number of people who get severely ill.”
Reporter Hillary Copsey contributed to this report.
Comments
There are 4 responses to this article. Click here to join the conversation »
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. We don't allow comments that degrade others on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability. Epithets, abusive language and obscene comments will not be tolerated... nor will defamation.
Click here for our full user agreement »