MEMO FROM LAWRENCE, DC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
August 17, 2009
Now is the time for business leaders to prepare for H1N1. The disease has never left us but with fall approaching the number of cases is expected to increase.
The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death, especially among children, has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.
Businesses can help the Health Department and community in three ways:
1. Educate employees to take these simple steps that will reduce the spread of the flu virus.
• Cover your cough using a tissue or your elbow
• Wash your hands often
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
• Avoid contact with sick people
2. Allow and encourage sick people to stay home. People ill with flu-like symptoms should remain at home for 24 hours after they are fever free.
3. Encourage employees to volunteer to assist in community vaccination efforts.
It is possible that hundreds of lay volunteers will be needed to assist in managing traffic and patient flow, help process paper work and support medical staff. Your assistance in recruiting employees able to stand for long periods of time (8-12 hours with periodic breaks) and tolerate outside climates will help us meet our planning goal of having a database of 500 volunteers.
H1N1 influenza vaccine is expected to arrive in our community by mid-October. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that vaccination efforts focus on five key populations who are at higher risk of disease or complications.
When vaccine first becomes available, we will work to vaccinate these individuals first:
• Pregnant women
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
• Health care and emergency services personnel
• Persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years of age
• People from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems
For more information about how your company can help, contact:
• Dan Partridge, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Dept. 785-843-3060, dpartridge@ldchealth.org
• Kirsten Krug, Amarr Garage Doors 785-865-5500, Kirsten.krug@amarr.com
• Susan Rodgers, Hallmark Cards 785-841-9050, srodge1@hallmark.com
For general information visit our web site at www.ldchealth.org.