El Paso, TX H1N1 Update

Department of Public Health Addresses H1N1 Preparedness Efforts

El Paso, Texas – The City of El Paso Department of Public Health is taking numerous steps to prepare for what could be a very active fall flu season with both Influenza H1N1 (2009) virus and seasonal influenza circulating in the community at the same time.
To fight the flu, the Department of Public Health is recommending: vaccination; everyday preventive actions including frequent hand washing and staying home when sick; and the correct use of antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them.
With both the H1N1 and the seasonal flu vaccines, individuals will be able to receive them through their doctor’s offices and other medical providers that traditionally offer seasonal flu vaccines.
Supplies of the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 flu vaccine have been ordered for city-operated clinics. The city health centers began distributing the season flu vaccine earlier this month. The H1N1 flu vaccine is expected to be available sometime after the middle of October.
Initially, the H1N1 vaccine will be reserved for people at greatest risk for H1N1 flu infection or serious complications. These groups include; children, young adults age 19-24, pregnant women, people age 25-64 with chronic health conditions, caretakers of infants less than 6 months of age, and healthcare and emergency medical services personnel. After the high-risk groups have been vaccinated, city-operated clinics will make the vaccine available to the general public.
Other Department of Public Health preparedness and response efforts underway include:
• Continuing to collaborate with public health partners on H1N1 influenza surveillance, mitigation and communications
• Providing K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, businesses and employers with guidance on how to reduce exposure and transmission of the H1N1 flu and how to handle potential outbreaks
• Partnering with the state and the community-based organizations to develop a process for providing families, who don’t have health insurance or are underinsured with access to vaccines and antiviral medication.
• Calling on individuals and families to plan for the fall flu season by taking steps to prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu, such as following basic public health practices and getting their flu vaccines.
To support the efforts and to reduce the illness and severity of H1N1 influenza, the department is creating an Epidemiological Response Team, who will investigate cases and advise families on appropriate care and treatment. It also has development of a Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications (or CERC) Team to assist with public outreach and to develop a special H1N1 website, which will be unveiled in October. The department is also in the process of hiring additional temporary staff for the laboratory and has ordered additional instrumentation to assist the laboratory staff in testing for H1N1 influenza.
Everyday Preventive Actions Against the Flu
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick.
• While sick, limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.