( Little Rock) – The second round of statewide mass vaccination clinics designed to immunize Arkansans against both seasonal and H1N1 influenza will begin next Monday (December 7), the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) announced today.
The unprecedented effort will continue through December 18. During the two-week period, clinics will be held in nearly every county, according to Randy Lee, Director of ADH’s Center for Local Public Health.
The clinics will be administering H1N1 vaccine to everyone—not just priority groups at risk for serious complications from H1N1 flu--while supplies last, including children needing second shots for full protection, Lee said.
The dates, times, and locations of the upcoming mass flu clinics are posted on the ADH Web site, www.healthyarkansas.com.
There is no charge for the vaccine. Persons choosing to be vaccinated at the clinics sponsored by ADH are asked to bring their health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or ARKids First cards so ADH can file with their insurance providers.
Lee said the decision to open the upcoming clinics to all comers was made because “it appears that we will have adequate H1N1 vaccine to offer to everyone and substantial amounts of seasonal vaccine to offer also.”
The second round of clinics follows the most ambitious vaccination effort in Arkansas history earlier this fall. Thousands more individuals have been vaccinated at school clinics in districts throughout the state. These will continue, as previously scheduled, until schools recess for the holidays.
Children less than 10 years old should have a second H1N1 shot and children less than 9 years old who have never before been vaccinated for the seasonal flu should have a second seasonal flu shot. The first and second shots should be given at least four weeks apart.
The H1N1 vaccine is produced in the same manner as regular seasonal flu vaccine and in the same manufacturing plants. The H1N1 vaccine simply contains a different strain of influenza virus. Reactions to all flu vaccines may include a mild soreness or redness near the site of the shot and perhaps a little fever or a slight headache. A flu shot cannot give you the flu.
However, a few persons--individuals with a severe allergy (i.e., anaphylactic allergic reaction) to hens’ eggs and individuals who previously had onset of Guillain-Barre syndrome--should not receive flu vaccinations for health reasons. Additionally, infants less than 6 months old cannot be vaccinated.
The symptoms of seasonal and H1N1 flu are the same. Symptoms include fever greater than 100 degrees, headaches and body aches, coughing, sore throat, chills, fatigue, respiratory congestion, and, in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting.
Both H1N1 and seasonal flu are highly contagious. Each is easily spread from person-to-person through coughing or sneezing or by touching a hard surface with the virus on it and then touching the nose or mouth.
According to ADH, people can best avoid catching the flu by remembering the three C’s:
∙ Clean—properly wash your hands frequently
∙ Cover—cover your cough or sneeze
∙ Contain—contain your germs by staying home if you are sick
To avoid spreading the flu, persons who are sick should limit their contact with others and remain at home until they feel better and until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medications.
Complete flu information is available on the ADH Web site, www.healthyarkansas.com , or by calling 1-800-651-3493.
FREQUENTY ASKED
QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE H1N1 VIRUS
FROM ST. JOSEPH’S MERCY
FLU OUTBREAK OVERVIEW
Explain this “pandemic alert,” and who is WHO?
In response to an intensifying outbreak in the United States and internationally, caused by the new H1N1 influenza virus of swine origin, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 on June 11. Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing and updating interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation. CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. The H1N1 virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. In addition, the Federal Government and manufacturers have begun the process of developing a vaccine - that should be available in late October - against the H1N1 virus. For further H1N1 vaccination details, please click here.
PREPARATION
How has St. Joseph’s prepared itself for the intensifying outbreak of the H1N1 virus?
1) St. Joseph’s Mercy has and is coordinating with the Arkansas State Health Department, the Garland County Department of Emergency Management, CDC and with fellow Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) healthcare facilities.
2) We have notified all of out healthcare co-workers to make sure that they continue to follow standard procedures during this time, including the process of hand-washing. St. Joseph's Mercy also stands prepared to implement its pandemic and emergency response plans.
3) We have pandemic and emergency management response plans at St. Joseph’s Mercy that have detailed processes outlined to handle any type of outbreak. These plans are driven by the Emergency Preparedness Team, under the guidance of the Infection Preventionist and Safety Manager.
4) Our internal pandemic plan also mirrors our overall emergency response planning, which is coordinated with the Garland County Department of Emergency Management, CDC and with fellow Mercy healthcare facilities. As a result, if this current situation were to escalate to an epidemic, there will be a coordinated community-wide response.
5) During the influenza season, St. Joseph's Mercy is one of just 10 healthcare systems and or hospitals in the state that provide weekly computerized reports of positive cases of influenza A and B to the Arkansas State Health Department. The weekly reports allow the Arkansas State Health Department to track a good number of the state's positive influenza cases and therefore determine the potential for an outbreak.
6) The pandemic plan of St. Joseph's Mercy was developed and is based on the plan distributed by the Arkansas Hospital Association (AHA). The AHA's pandemic plan was developed in association with the Arkansas State Health Department's pandemic plan.
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TESTING AND IDENTIFCATION
How do I know if I have H1N1 Influenza A (swine flu)?
The symptoms are basically the same as most flu viruses. Flu-like illness is defined as a temperature above 100.0 F along with cough, sore throat or nasal congestion, runny nose, chills, muscle aches, vomiting/nausea and diarrhea. If you do not meet the definition of flu-like illness, then testing is not necessary.
How is the H1N1 flu strain identified?
All cases of influenza are at this time being treated as H1N1. The symptoms for influenza are fever, lethargy, general aching of the muscles, cough, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
How long does it take for the state health department to determine if it is H1N1?
The only H1N1 flu cases the Arkansas State Health Department is now confirming are those involving pregnant women, healthcare workers, patients under the age of five and patients admitted to the hospital with influenza or its symptoms.
PREVENTION
How do I prevent getting the H1N1 flu virus?
Due to a worldwide pandemic alert of H1N1 Influenza A (swine flu), many people are becoming anxious that they have it or will get it. H1N1 is a variant TYPE-A Influenza, a viral illness. It is contagious through tiny drops of virus spread by coughing or sneezing or by touching things that have been contaminated by droplets such as a door knob, telephone, faucet handles or other frequently touched items.
Preventative tips
1) Be aware of people around you who may be ill. If they are coughing, sneezing or have a runny nose, stay away from them.
2) When touching hard objects such as a telephone or door knob, or even shaking hands with someone who may be ill, use a hand sanitizer or wash your hands before touching food or putting your hand near your eyes, nose or mouth.
3) The use of masks may be advised when in a crowded area, but is not necessary when out walking in public.
4) Remember, medical personnel are exposed to these viruses daily and rarely catch the illness because they take precautions.
TREATMENT
What is the treatment for swine flu?
Your doctor will either prescribe Tamiflu™ or Relenza™ and give you instructions to follow these directions:
1) Stay at Home! Do not go to work or to public gatherings to spread the virus around.
2) Remember one sneeze in a crowded room can spread to everyone in the room very rapidly.
3) Take ibuprofen (Motrin™) or acetaminophen (Advil™ or Tylenol™).
4) Stay well hydrated by drinking extra fluids, but avoid milk as it can thicken secretions.
5) If you feel weak, stay in bed.
6) Cough or sneeze in a tissue and then throw the used tissue away immediately. PLEASE do not put it in your pocket and contaminate your pocket or leave lying around for someone else to pick up.
7) Consider yourself contagious until you do not run a fever for 24 hours without taking ibuprofen (Motrin™) or acetaminophen (Advil™ or Tylenol™).
8) Wear a surgical mask when a person is within 6 feet of you.
