H1N1 - Northern Health Prepared for the Next Wave of this Flu
By 250 News
Wednesday, September 02, 2009 01:31 PM
Prince George, B.C. - Northern Health is preparing for the next wave of H1N1. The flu that hit the world last spring is now all over the planet and Northern Health Medical Health Officer Dr. William Osei says the second wave will be here soon, “Pandemics come in waves and this next wave could still be mild because it’s not as serious as we thought, but it will be more widespread, lots and lots of people will be affected.”
Speaking on the Meisner program this morning on 93.1 CFIS-FM, Dr. Osei says there won’t likely be any more deaths from this flu than any others.
While there is a vaccine that will be available in November, Dr. Osei says the priority list of who should get the first round of shots has not yet been established. “We do know there is increased risk for pregnant women, young children, people with other conditions like kidney, heart, lung problems, or those with immunity issues, so these individuals plus health care workers and security may be part of the first wave that receives the vaccine. This has not been firmly decided yet, but based on information we have from other countries, this may be one way to go.”
Dr. Osei says experience with previous pandemics has provided valuable lessons, ”Through very simple means, you can avoid getting this infection. Washing your hands, having cough etiquette, self isolation, especially when you begin to show symptoms that is when you should stay away because you are most infectious.”
Dr. Osei says to call this flu “swine flu “ is incorrect, that this flu is actually a mix of swine flu, avian flu and flu that has already presented itself in humans. “Normally we have one whole one (flu) that we know, but this one has little bits of all three.”
Northern Health is prepared says Dr. Osei “We have to face it because it’s coming, but we have all the information we need. So far in the North we have seen only about 57 confirmed case, four hospital admissions and no deaths. This is the type of outbreak we can overcome.”
There may be two shots given for H1N1 and another for the regular seasonal flu. When its time for the regular flu shot, Dr. Osei says the pain from a shot is far less than the sickness the shot is meant to fight “It is better to get a little injection prick or a little fever or inconvenience than to be down with pneumonia and be down for 7 to 10 days.”
The good news, if you were born 1957 or earlier, you are pretty much safe from coming down with H1N1. “Very fit young people are getting very sick with H1N1” and that is why a great deal of attention is being paid to schools, colleges and Universities “They are a breeding ground for flus, that’s where children pick up the virus and bring it home.”
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Posted by: travism on September 2 2009 2:55 PM