West Central District Health Department

H1N1 Flu Information

What are the signs and symptoms of H1N1 flu in people?
· Fever  ·  Sore Throat  ·  Body Aches  ·  Fatigue   ·   Cough  ·  Headache  ·  Chills
· Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with H1N1 flu.
· Like seasonal flu, H1N1 flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How does H1N1 flu spread?
· Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza.
· Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How long can an infected person spread H1N1 flu to others?
· Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and remain contagious as long as they are symptomatic
  and possibly for as long as 7 days following illness onset.
· Children, especially younger children, may be potentially contagious for longer periods.
· Stay home for at least 24 hours once symptoms are gone.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
· Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  Cough in your upper sleeve, not your hands if tissue not available.
· Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
· Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
· If you get sick with influenza, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Are there medicines to treat H1N1 flu?
·The CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for treatment and/or prevention.
· If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness less severe and make you recover faster.
· For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
· Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches his/her own
  eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.
· Viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks.

Can I get H1N1 influenza from eating or preparing pork?
· H1N1 influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get H1N1 influenza from eating pork or pork products.
  Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

For More H1N1 Flu Information Follow One The Links Below

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu
http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/flu

Non-Safety Related Voluntary Recall

Non-Safety Related Voluntary Recall of Certain Lots of Sanofi Pasteur H1N1 Pediatric (o.25ml, for 6-35 month olds) Vaccine in Pre-filled Syringes

Sanofi Pasteur Notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the antigen content in one lot of pediatric syringes that had been distributed was later found to have dropped below a pre-specified limit. As a result of the findings, Sanofi Pasteur tested additional lots and found that three other lots that had been distributed also had an antigen content that had fallen below pre-specified limits.

Recommendations:
CDC and FDA agree that the small decrease in antigen content is unlikely to result in a clinically significant reduction in immune response among persons who have received the vaccine. THERE IS NO NEED TO REVACCINATE PERSONS WHO HAVE RECEIVED VACCINE FORM THESE LOTS.

West Central District Health Department did NOT receive any H1N1 vaccine that is being recalled. If you are in receipt of H1N1 vaccine for the West Central District Health Department, you did NOT receive vaccine that is being recalled. Lot #’s UT023DA, UT028DA, UT028CB, and UT030CA

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office @ 308 696 1201 ext 223

Shannon Vanderheiden, Director

H1N1 Availability Notice

Unvaccinated High-Risk People, who have not yet received the H1N1 Flu Shot, Now is the time. Vaccine Will Be Available to the General Public Dec. 21. High-risk groups will still be able to receive vaccine after the 21^st, however, due to the increase number of people who will be eligible, vaccine could be limited.

High-Risk groups include the following:

.        Anyone 6 months-24 years old
.        Pregnant women
.        People who live with or care for babies 6 months old and younger
.        Health care and emergency medical services personnel
.        And, people 25-64 years old with underlying medical conditions, like heart disease or asthma.

For vaccine availability, people can contact their local Health Department, local physician or visit our website at www.wcdhd.org.

More vaccination questions? Contact the DHHS Flu Information Hotline at
1-888-541-5668 or 402-471-2579. Specialists are available to assist you
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. For more flu
information, visit the DHHS Web site at
www.dhhs.ne.gov/influenza>.

West Nile Flu Information

Dead Bird Collection and Mosquito Trapping Begin;
Public Should Take Precautions Against Mosquitoes

Lincoln:

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is now accepting dead birds for testing for West Nile virus. Mosquito trapping for additional surveillance has also begun.

"Finding the virus in birds and mosquitoes gives public health officials an indication of the level of the virus in the area and the risk to human beings of contracting the disease," said Annette Bredthauer, state public health veterinarian.

This year the department is accepting all species of birds for testing.

"Because the types of birds that we previously tested have had their numbers decimated by the West Nile virus, we have to expand our surveillance to other birds," Dr. Bredthauer said. "In previous years, blue jays, crows, hawks and owls were the only ones accepted for testing, but their numbers are down considerably."

People who find dead birds should contact their local health department. (A list of local health departments can be found at www.dhhs.ne.gov/puh/oph/lhd.htm). Testing can only be conducted on birds that are in good condition, with no evidence of maggots or rotting.

Last year, 67 birds in the state were tested and 17 found to be positive for the virus. Of the 1,592 mosquito pools collected, 81 were positive.

Mosquito trapping will take place in 24 counties in Nebraska. The pools of mosquitoes are tested for the virus.

There were 45 human cases of the disease reported last year. This compares to 163 in 2007, 264 in 2006, 188 in 2005, 57 in 2004, 2,366 in 2003 and 174 in 2002. There were no cases prior to 2002, the year the disease found its way to Nebraska from the East Coast.

West Nile is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. In turn, the mosquito can pass the virus to humans.

West Nile fever includes flu-like symptoms such as fever and muscle weakness. Symptoms of West Nile encephalitis include inflammation of the brain, disorientation, convulsions and paralysis. People over 50 and those with weak immune systems are especially vulnerable to the disease.

Insect repellents can save lives, according to the state’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joann Schaefer.

"We need to do the things that can prevent mosquito bites, like wearing insect repellant and long-sleeved shirts and pants at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active,” she said.

People can "fight the bite" to reduce their risk by:

Using a repellant that contains DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus;
Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks;
Taking extra precautions when going outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active; and
Removing standing water where mosquitoes breed.

For more information, visit the HHS Web site at http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/wnv/ or the WCDHD Web site at www.wcdhd.org

Parent Absenteeism Information

Guidance for Parents for Reporting Flu to Their School

What to report to school attendance office:
If your child is sick with influenza, it’s important that you report this reason of illness to the school’s attendance clerk. Giving details such as, “My child is sick with influenza.” will better assist local Health Officials with the monitoring of an outbreak.

When to stay home:
Please avoid sending your child to school if they present the following signs & symptoms; a cough or a sore throat and if, body temperature reading measures 100 degrees or greater. Additional symptoms that often indicate influenza include malaise, muscle aches, runny nose, sore throat, chills, and headache. Please call your school and say, “My child is sick with influenza,” if your child shows the above signs and symptoms.

Why it matters:
West Central District Health Department (WCDHD) has asked school nurses to report school absenteeism due to influenza to get a clearer view of how influenza is emerging. This can help us take action to slow the spread of influenza in our region. We take influenza seriously as it can lead to serious illnesses, school and business closures, and even deaths. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports in the U.S., influenza causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations annually and about 36,000 deaths.

Next steps to follow:
Once you report influenza to your school attendance clerk, consider contacting your child’s doctor to notify the presence of influenza like symptoms. If your student has flu-like symptoms please keep him/her home until 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of medication. Please avoid sending your child back to school until all of your child’s influenza symptoms have subsided or your pediatrician says it’s acceptable for your child to return to school. With your help, our School’s will try to keep exposure here at school to a minimum.

* Remember the best way for your child to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the virus is to:

Thoroughly wash their hands
Cover their mouth when they sneeze
Not share beverage containers
Stay home when sick

Clinical Case-Definition For Influenza

Clinical case-definition for influenza:

The public health clinical case definition for influenza is:

Fever greater than or equal to 100(37.8 C) PLUS
Either a cough or a soar throat without a known diagnosis.

Persons who meet this case definition are candidates for influenza diagnostic testing and treatment.