Are we in a swine flu lull?
| Tuesday, Nov 24 2009 09:46 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Nov 24 2009 09:46 PM
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DON'T LET THE FLU RUIN YOUR HOLIDAY
The American Red Cross offered suggestions for lessening the chance of getting sick over Thanksgiving weekend:
Before traveling
* If sick, stay home.
* It's possible to spread the flu virus one day before showing symptoms. Those who've been in close contact with a sick individual should be extra careful about using good hand hygiene and cough etiquette and very aware of what might be flu symptoms.
While traveling
* Wash hands with soap and water as often as possible. If soap and water aren't available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
* Use sanitizing wipes to disinfect hard surfaces such as airplane tray tables, luggage handles, cell phones, door handles and seat arm rests.
* Wash hands or use hand sanitizer before eating any meals or snacks. You are touching a lot of surfaces that others are touching as well.
* Bring personal blankets, pillows and earphones to avoid using something that may have been in contact with the flu virus.
* After washing hands in a public restroom, turn off the faucet with a paper towel. Then use another paper towel to dry hands and open the door when exiting the restroom.
Have a safe celebration
* Avoid the usual kisses and handshakes when greeting friends and family.
* If hosting the holiday dinner and someone in the household becomes ill, make sure they can be isolated for care, or ask another family member to host dinner to avoid spreading the flu.
* Keep plenty of hand soap in the bathroom, preferably in a pump container. Skip the pretty hand towels and use disposable hand towels or a roll of paper towels.
* Consider putting the glasses away this year and using plastic cups, or provide a way for guests to identify their drinks. Don't drink out of anyone else's glass.
* Put serving utensils in every dish, including snacks like nuts, pretzels, etc.
-- The American Red Cross
DON'T LET THE FLU RUIN YOUR HOLIDAY
The American Red Cross offered suggestions for lessening the chance of getting sick over Thanksgiving weekend:
Before traveling
* If sick, stay home.
* It's possible to spread the flu virus one day before showing symptoms. Those who've been in close contact with a sick individual should be extra careful about using good hand hygiene and cough etiquette and very aware of what might be flu symptoms.
While traveling
* Wash hands with soap and water as often as possible. If soap and water aren't available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
* Use sanitizing wipes to disinfect hard surfaces such as airplane tray tables, luggage handles, cell phones, door handles and seat arm rests.
* Wash hands or use hand sanitizer before eating any meals or snacks. You are touching a lot of surfaces that others are touching as well.
* Bring personal blankets, pillows and earphones to avoid using something that may have been in contact with the flu virus.
* After washing hands in a public restroom, turn off the faucet with a paper towel. Then use another paper towel to dry hands and open the door when exiting the restroom.
Have a safe celebration
* Avoid the usual kisses and handshakes when greeting friends and family.
* If hosting the holiday dinner and someone in the household becomes ill, make sure they can be isolated for care, or ask another family member to host dinner to avoid spreading the flu.
* Keep plenty of hand soap in the bathroom, preferably in a pump container. Skip the pretty hand towels and use disposable hand towels or a roll of paper towels.
* Consider putting the glasses away this year and using plastic cups, or provide a way for guests to identify their drinks. Don't drink out of anyone else's glass.
* Put serving utensils in every dish, including snacks like nuts, pretzels, etc.
-- The American Red Cross
Images:
Henry A. Barrios / The Californian Though the numbers of people coming in with H1N1 flu symptoms have dropped people are still required to check in before entering Bakersfield Memorial Hospital.
Henry A. Barrios / The Californian Tents that were set up outside Bakersfield Memorial Hospital to quickly treat people coming to the hospital with flu symptoms have been closed down as the numbers of people coming in with flu symptoms have dropped. They can be reopened if cases rise again.
Henry A. Barrios / The Californian Though the numbers of people coming in with H1N1 flu symptoms have dropped people are still required to check in before entering Bakersfield Memorial Hospital.
The number of people streaming into local emergency rooms and clinics with flu-like symptoms is down, but a top county health official isn't ready to say we've hit an H1N1 lull.
Only a few people a day have been coming into Bakersfield Memorial Hospital's emergency room with flu over the last few weeks, down from 60 to 70 daily a couple of months ago, said spokeswoman Michelle Willow.
At Kern Medical Center, only about 10 people showed up at the ER with flu maladies last weekend compared to 60 per day in October, said Chief Executive Officer Paul Hensler.
Steve Schilling, chief executive of Clinica Sierra Vista, said he's seen a big drop in flu-plagued people at his chain of health clinics, including a decline in sick staffers and their family members.
And Kaiser Permanente in Bakersfield has closed its evening flu clinics for the time being, said Assistant Medical Director Dr. Paul Fuller.
"Pretty much everybody is winding things down right now," Fuller said.
Health officials said they suspect several things are at play:
* Fewer people really are sick these days, since there are flu peaks and lulls every year.
* Residents have done a good job heeding advice to wash hands, cover coughs and stay home when they're sick.
* Folks realize they don't need to rush to the ER when they come down with minor symptoms and can ride the illness out like they did before swine flu hit the scene.
"The information is getting out on the best ways to treat the H1N1 virus and what to do if you suspect you have it," said Willow of Bakersfield Memorial.
There's typically a flu spike after the holidays, when friends and loved ones have been socializing a lot, she added.
If we are in a lull, the swine flu will be back, probably mixed with seasonal flu that arrives in December and lasts through spring, Kaiser Permanente's Fuller said. So when they're available, he advised, still get your H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations.
Matt Constantine, director of the Kern County Public Health Department, hesitated to declare a lull because his sample size of local flu-related hospitalization and death statistics is so small.
"It would be difficult to conclude, based on the information we have now, that there is a reduction in H1N1 activity," Constantine said. "I hope that's the case, but I can't draw that conclusion."
The department announced Tuesday there was one additional local H1N1 death during the most recent reporting period -- Nov. 15 to Nov. 21 -- bringing Kern's death toll so far this year to 17.
The latest death was a 51-year-old Bakersfield man with an undisclosed underlying condition, said Kim Rodriguez, spokeswoman for public health.
There were six additional swine flu hospitalizations reported during the week, growing the total so far to 180.
KMC's Hensler and Clinica's Schilling had strong suspicions there is indeed a slowdown.
"It seems we've hit a lull in the storm," Schilling said. "From everything we have read, though, this thing comes in waves. There may be another wave in December."
Meanwhile, the supply of H1N1 vaccine to Schilling's clinics has been "seemingly dislodged and flowing" over the last couple of weeks. That's in stark contrast to the initial roll-out.
Everyone who has wanted a swine flu vaccine and met the age, health condition and other criteria for receiving it has been able to get one, he said.
"We have 5,000 doses on hand now. Stuff is being rolled out to patients every day," Schilling said Monday. "We are not confronted with any shortages of any kind."
He was not sure, though, when staff will be allowed to vaccinate all groups, not just high-risk patients. Schilling also noted he has heard no reports of people having adverse side effects from the vaccine.
Constantine also didn't know when anyone who wants the swine flu vaccine will be able to get it. But there is evidence the county is close to having met needs of the first wave of eligible locals, he said.
At the last large, public vaccine clinic put on by county health officials -- at a Bakersfield church Nov. 13 -- 1,053 were vaccinated and 100 doses were left over.
"In all (such previous) clinics, we've run out of vaccine," Constantine said.
