MEDINA TWP. — A receptionist at the Medina County Health Department spends much of her day fielding calls from residents looking to find information about the seasonal flu and the second wave of the H1N1 virus that is beginning to break out in the United States.

The Health Department reports it is keeping tabs on the spread of the virus by regularly monitoring its occurrence at area schools and hospitals. But with no vaccine available until mid- to late-October, officials say the best way to control it is prevention.

“Our approach right now — besides the surveillance — has been largely centered on education,” said Lisa Klatka, medical epidemiologist with the Health Department. She said the depart¬ment has been distributing information on prevention methods — such as frequent hand washing, covering noses and mouths during coughs and sneezes, and staying home from work when sick — to people countywide.

The virus

Louise Lobotsky, infection control coordinator at Medina Hospital, said the hospital has seen sporadic cases of the flu.

“But usually at this time of the year we’re not seeing any flu,” she said.

She said the cases so far have been Influenza A, which is the type shared by the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus.

Klatka explained H1N1 developed when proteins in the normal influenza virus shifted to make a new one “that people generally do not have immunities to.” She said the virus has similar symptoms to the seasonal flu, but sometimes with more gastric symptoms and a shorter duration.

Dr. Daniel J. Raub, health commissioner and medical director of the Health Department, said the most at-risk population for the virus is women who are pregnant. He said women have diminished immunities while pregnant and are more susceptible to a possibly fatal case of H1N1.

Raub said adults younger than age 64 with chronic medical conditions also are more susceptible, but adults older than 65 are less likely to be infected.

“The paradox here between the seasonal and H1N1 is that the elderly are in the high-risk area for the seasonal flu, but they seem to have some immunity to H1N1,” Raub said.

He said the elderly and any of the other at-risk populations should contact their physicians if they contract the flu this year.

The vaccine

The health department has been told that Medina County should get around 20,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine.

“But that’s no guarantee; that’s just an estimate,” he said. Lisa Strebler, director of public health nursing for the department, said those will be distributed to the Health Department and to physicians throughout the county. She said once the vaccines are available, the Ohio Department of Health will announce what doctors in Medina County will be offering the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that testing is still being done on the H1N1 vaccine. It is currently unknown whether it will be given in one or two doses and if people can take it with the seasonal flu vaccine.

Raub said once the vaccine is available, there will be clinics scheduled throughout the county. He said some of them will be open to the public and some only will be open to at-risk populations, such as students.

Vaccines for the seasonal flu virus are currently available. The schedule of the vaccine clinics can be found on www.medinahealth.org, or by calling (330) 723-9688.

Schedules of H1N1 vaccination clinics also will be posted once the vaccine is available.

Other preparations

Even though the vaccine isn’t available yet, Health Depart¬ment officials and other county agencies are making sure the county is ready to handle a flu outbreak.

Strebler said the Health Department communicates with school district superintendents every year.

“But, as we know that this virus can have effects in the school-aged child, it certainly has created the need to have more frequent conversations with them this year,” she said.

The Health Department has distributed information about flu viruses and prevention to the schools that is targeted to students and their parents.

The county’s safety forces also are gearing up.

Buck Adams, director of the Medina County Emergency Management Agency, said employers throughout the county could see as much as a 35 to 40 percent sickness ratio among their employees at certain times this year. That could provide some extra challenges for police and fire departments and other safety agencies, he said.

“Really, our challenge is that when 911 rings, we want to ensure there will be a dispatcher there to answer it and there will be a police officer or fireman to respond,” he said.

Adams said agencies will be “sharpening up” their mutual-aid agreements to make sure one department will help another when it is under-staffed. And the county’s special needs task force — comprised of the Health Depart¬ment, nursing homes and other organizations representing at-risk groups — will meet later this month to go over plans in case of a pandemic.

“I am never satisfied that we are as prepared as we should be. We should always have something more to be prepared,” Adams said.

QUESTIONS, ANSWERS ABOUT H1N1VIRUS

When will the vaccine be available?

Most likely between mid- and late-October. Availability depends on several factors, including time needed for testing, manufacturing and shipping.

Where will the vaccine be available?

Medina County is set to receive 20,000 vaccine doses. They will be distributed between the Medina County Health Department and various physicians throughout the county. The Health Department will set up vaccine sites throughout the county once the vaccine becomes available. The list of physicians offering the vaccine will be available once it’s distributed.

Will the seasonal flu vaccine also protect against the H1N1 strain?

No.

Can the seasonal vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine be given at the same time?

This will be unknown until vaccine testing is complete.

But the Health Department encourages residents to get the seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it is available. The schedule of the vaccine clinics can be found on www.medinahealth.org, or by calling (330) 723-9688.

How do you avoid contracting or spreading the flu?

Take everyday actions to stay healthy, such as covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, frequently washing your hands, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and getting your seasonal flu shot. The Health Department also recommends having an emergency preparedness kit and plan at home.

What are some of the warning signs of the flu?

In children, look for fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish or gray skin, severe or persistent vomiting, not drinking enough fluids, and being so irritable they don’t want to be held. In adults, look for difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion or severe or persistent vomiting.

Source: Medina County Health Department

Contact Maria Kacik at (330) 721-4049 or mkacik@ohio.net.

---

Print this story
Report an innappropriate comment

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered, click here.
If you are registered, click here to log in.
Need help? Email Us.