This afternoon, I listened in on a press conference from the CDC regarding H1N1 updates. The conference speaker was Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the CDC. This is my summary of the information presented in the press conference. You can see a video of the press conference by following the link to flu.gov.
H1N1 is here and spreading in the southeast. In fact, it never actually left the United States over the summer. The good news is that so far, both here and abroad, it has not changed since it arrived on the scene in spring 2009. The vast majority of people with the flu have not been severely ill. However, H1N1, and Influenza in general, is very unpredictable and the CDC is vigorously monitoring its spread and severity. Dr. Frieden advises that we should all be prepared to change course quickly if the situation changes. A report was recently posted to flu.gov that describes the experiences of 5 countries in the Southern Hemisphere. These countries have experienced some challenges but overall no changes in the severity of the illness.
In reviewing information on pediatric deaths from H1N1 in the spring of 2009, Dr. Frieden noted that in a normal flu season the US will have between 50 and 100 flu related deaths among children. Of the 36 pediatric deaths this spring, 2/3 of the children also had severe underlying conditions which contributed to their death. Most of the remaining young people became infected with bacteria due to their immune systems being weakened by the flu. The flu can be severe especially among high risk groups which includes children with other medical needs. These children are a priority for getting the flu vaccine. The H1N1 vaccine is still on track for release in mid-October. The vaccine itself will be free but physicians may charge a small administration fee. At the current time, it will likely still be two doses especially for younger children. The priority groups for getting this vaccine first are school-age children, people with underlying health conditions and pregnant women. The vaccine programs will be run by state and local health agencies in partnership with local physicians. As the program rolls out, the CDC will be closely monitoring adverse effects after the vaccine has been given and comparing to the normal rate of occurrence of these adverse conditions in the general population.
Dr. Frieden stressed that we can expect to see more cases now that schools are opening. In fact, the increased spread of H1N1 in the southeast may be attributed in part to the opening of schools for a new school year and the fact that schools in the southeast open sooner in the year than schools in other parts of the country. Dr. Frieden also stated that the vast majority of flu cases are mild and there is no need to see a doctor unless the sick person begins to develop signs of distress such as difficulty breathing or trouble keeping fluids down. Others who should seek prompt medical attention are people with underlying health conditions that may be complicated by the flu. Two examples given by Dr. Frieden were people with muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. The H1N1 flu has proven to be no more virulent or drug resistant than when it first appeared in the spring. He advises that we continue with basic flu prevention procedures such as staying home when sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent hand washing. He discouraged schools from requiring parents or staff to get a note from the doctor to return to school after having the flu. This will prevent doctor’s offices from being inundated with people who are not currently sick. He further noted that he hopes that schools will continue to open and remain open and follow common sense practices to prevent the need for school closings. The common sense measures include staying home when sick, separating sick children from nonstick children and sending sick children home. So far H1N1 is no more severe than seasonal flu. It may not be less severe but it is not more severe.
I have posted a few new links for more information. These new links include links to the Flu.gov website, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Georgia and Preparedness H1N1 website and both the US Department of Education and Georgia Department of Education H1N1 information websites. Shortly I will be posting a link to H1N1 information on the Barrow County Schools Website. I hope that you find these links helpful. The best information can be found by going directly to the source of the information. My primary sources of information are the CDC, Georgia Public Health and local health officials, Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), Georgia Department of Education and the US Department of Education. I consider these agencies and their representatives to be the experts in the field of H1N1 planning and mitigation in the school setting.
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