 |
|
| | |||||||
|
| |||||||
| ||||||||
|
The Finley Hospital |
Still Important To Vaccinate To Stay Healthy H1N1 vaccinations continue to be available to all Iowa residents. Allocations of H1N1 vaccine have increased statewide; this makes it possible to expand those eligible to be vaccinated past the initial target priority groups to the general population. Influenza activity continues to decrease; however, H1N1 is still circulating in Dubuque County and throughout Iowa. Public health officials predict another wave of H1N1 illness will occur after the holidays, coinciding with what is typically the time Iowa sees the highest rates of seasonal flu activity - January and February. "Being immunized as soon as possible will give Dubuque County residents protection against this possible third wave of H1N1 illness", said Dr. John Viner, M.D. "It will also prevent the spread of the virus to others." Local healthcare providers continue to offer H1N1 vaccine to their patients. Vaccination clinics are also held on Mondays and Fridays at the Dubuque Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), 1454 Iowa St.; Call 556-6200 for an appointment. Walk-in clinics are held each Wednesday afternoon at Crescent Community Health Center, 1798 Elm Street; no appointment necessary. Both clinics are free. A statewide toll-free hotline has been established for public questions about seasonal and H1N1 influenza, at 1-800-447-1985.
H1N1 Vaccinations Now Open to All Iowans The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced that beginning Monday, December 14, 2009, all Iowans will be eligible to receive an H1N1 flu vaccination. "Local public health agencies have done a tremendous job during this vaccination campaign, and in getting those at highest risk vaccinated," said IDPH Director Tom Newton. "We feel confident that it is now time to expand H1N1 vaccinations to the general public." While H1N1 vaccinations will be available to all Iowans beginning Monday, IDPH continues to encourage those at highest risk of complications to make sure they are vaccinated. Public health officials predict that another wave of H1N1 illness will occur during the usual time Iowa sees the highest rates of influenza activity - late January and February. Thus, being immunized as soon as possible will give Iowans protection against this possible third wave of illness. "In Dubuque County, health care providers have done an extraordinary job of vaccinating those most at risk from H1N1 complications", said Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist for the City of Dubuque. "Now that more vaccine will be allocated from IDPH, local health care providers, including the Dubuque Visiting Nurses Association and Crescent Community Health Center, are gearing up to give the vaccinations."
What if YOU Get H1N1? Adults need to put themselves first in order to help others Since September, 2009, nearly 500 Iowans have been hospitalized with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Initially, children were especially hard-hit by the virus. Surveillance now shows a growing number of adults are becoming ill with H1N1. Adults are often more likely to make sacrifices to take care of others than they are to take care of themselves. For instance, parents may be more willing to stay home from work with an ill child than they are to stay home themselves while ill. "This year, it's more important than ever for adults to take care of themselves when they are sick," said Dr. John Viner, MD. "By doing so, they not only speed along their own recovery, but also help stop the spread of illness to others." The symptoms of H1N1 include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills, and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting have also been reported with H1N1. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Dubuque County Public Health recommend you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine. You should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings. When at home, stay in your room and consider wearing a facemask to help prevent spreading the virus if you need to go into other parts of the home. With Thanksgiving around the corner, it's especially important to consider the health of others when socializing or shopping. "Family gatherings are important and shopping is fun," said Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist for the City of Dubuque. "But it's much more important to keep your friends and loved ones well by staying away from others when you are ill. If you are ill, stay home from the mall, and if family is coming for Thanksgiving, try to stay in a room away from visitors." While most adults will recover from the H1N1 virus without complications, there are signs that indicate you should seek medical attention right away. These include difficulty breathing; having purple or blue discoloration of the lips; vomiting and being unable to keep any liquids down; feeling dizzy when standing; or being unable to urinate. A statewide toll-free hotline has been established for public questions about seasonal and H1N1 influenza at 1-800-447-1985. More information can also be found at www.idph.state.ia.us.
2009 H1N1 Influenza Information Sharing Document
Updated Information from the Iowa Department of Public Health on H1N1 Influenza
Special Bulletin from the National Hospital Association H1N1 INFLUENZA TRIGGERS RESTRICTED VISITATION AT LOCAL HOSPITALS At the direction of Dr. John Viner, chairperson of the Bi-hospital Infection Control Committee, Finley Hospital and Mercy Medical Center, Dubuque and Dyersville, are limiting patient visitation effective immediately due to H1N1 Influenza. Children under age 14 and individuals (all ages) with respiratory and/or influenza symptoms, such as coughing, fever, aches, and nausea, are asked to refrain from visiting hospitalized patients until further notice. The restriction, like the seasonal influenza restriction in past years, is a safety precaution for patients and visitors and will remain in effect until further notice. The state of Iowa and Dubuque County are experiencing widespread H1N1 Influenza, as all subtyped Influenza A viruses reported to CDC the week ending 10-16-09 were 2009 H1N1 Influenza viruses. As throughout the rest of the state, the impact of 2009 H1N1in Dubuque County is concentrated in school-aged children as Senior High School, Mazzuchelli Middle School and Sageville Elementary School are all reporting greater than 10% absenteeism rates today. "Many people are wondering what they should do if they get sick, or when they should see their doctor" says Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Information Officer for Dubuque County. What should I do if I get sick? However, some people are more likely to get flu complications and they should talk to a health care provider about whether they need to be examined if they get flu symptoms this season. They are:
When do I call my health care provider? In children
In adults
H1N1 Vaccine Allocation The Dubuque County Health Department and health care providers within the community are receiving numerous inquiries from citizens wanting the H1N1 vaccine. As a reminder, Dubuque County is receiving weekly allocations of H1N1 vaccine from the Iowa Department of Public Health, the first supplies are being used for health care workers and pregnant women. As the vaccine is allocated to states on a staggered basis over the coming weeks, Dubuque County public health officials will continually update information about vaccine availability and vaccine sites.
H1N1 Vaccine Arrives in Dubuque County "Allocation of the vaccine to Dubuque County is being determined by the state according to population," said Dubuque Public Health Specialist Mary Rose Corrigan. "As a county, we then work with providers to administer the vaccine." Vaccine will continue to be shipped to Iowa through the winter months. As for who should receive the vaccine, Dubuque County is following IDPH guidelines, which state the H1N1 vaccine should first be made available to the following priority groups:
Because the first shipment of H1N1 vaccine is in the form of a nasal spray, which is not recommended for some people (such as pregnant women and children with asthma), it is important to talk to your health care provider about getting the vaccination. Most of the first shipment will be given to health care providers. The extent of H1N1 influenza occurring in the community and the state is monitored through sentinel testing sites, school absentee rates and confirmed hospitalization cases and deaths. Individual testing for individual H1N1 diagnosis is not available. In addition, it remains important to take personal actions to prevent the spread of the virus:
Swine Flu Outbreak Resources Information for clinicians and the public: U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) information and updates Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Updates and Alerts World Health Organization info on global response For additional information: For individual questions about Swine Flu, please call the My Nurse patient hotline at (563) 589.4834 toll free at 877.242.8899. MyNurse is a free service from The Finley Hospital and Iowa Health System and is available 24/7 to answer question or connect you with one of our physicians or clinics.
ABOUT SWINE FLU What is swine flu? How many swine flu viruses are there? Is this swine flu virus contagious? What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people? How does swine flu spread? When should I see my doctor? Can people catch swine flu from eating pork? What You Can Do to Stay Healthy
Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people. If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Source: CDC |
|
