Kosciusko County Health Department is preparing for the H1N1 strain of influenza, more commonly known as Swine Flu.
Swine Flu is now considered a pandemic, but the severity of it has remained fairly low. Most people who have that strain of the flu will respond and overcome it like a regular bout with the flu.According to statistics from the Centers For Disease Control, more than a million Americans have been struck with the Swine Flu while it has killed about 500.
The disease has continued to affect people in the spring and summer months of this year, typically a time when flu cases subside.
The White House issued a report from a health panel that suggests as much as 30 percent of the population could contract the illness with as many as 90,000 people dying from it.
As it stands now, 40,000 people die from the flu annually.
Kosciusko County Health Administrator Bob Weaver said that he thinks those numbers from the White House report are worst-case scenario and is unsure how those numbers were arrived at.
Weaver said the most susceptible group to the H1N1 are pregnant women, and they are a top priority in getting vaccinated.
Weaver said the vaccine is expected to be delivered to the county sometime in October.
Once the county health department receives the shipment, which will come from the state health department in Indianapolis, it will be then shipped to private health care providers and hospitals.
Weaver said his department also plans on setting up clinics at local schools to provide flu shots to school-age children. Weaver said children are at the most risk.
"Older people are less of a priority," said Weaver, "because while this is a new strain, if you're older your body, over time, has built an immunity to different parts of the strain. So it affects younger people more."
It is believed that people born before 1957 have background immunity to the H1N1 strain due to past exposure to parts of the genetic makeup of H1N1, said Weaver.
People more than 24 years old run a higher risk if they have such conditions as heart disease, asthma or diabetes, but young adults still are most vulnerable.
Weaver said there have been no confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Kosciusko County. If someone has come in with flu-like systems, respiratory issues and a fever in the spring or summer, they have been treated as if they had Swine Flu, and those people recovered.
Weaver said once the vaccines are received by the health department, he will notify local media outlets, and times and dates of the clinics will be set.
Along with vaccinations, the same tips apply for staving of the disease as for normal strands of the flu.
- Wash your hands often
- Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth
- Get flu shots early and realize immunity takes a while.
- If you get sick, rest, drink plenty of fluids.
- If the illness progresses or if you have breathing problems, chest pain or vomiting, contact a doctor immediately.
For more information, contact the county health department's clinic, located at the K21 Foundation building, at 574-267-7028, and ask for county nurses Deb Frank and Teresa Miller.
