Update:
No vaccine yet available to protect against this new strain of flu virus

Area health officials are on alert for potential swine flu cases in Fayette, Coweta and 10 other nearby counties in the District 4 Public Health (DPH) area.

And on Tuesday, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the “Access to Flu Vaccines Act,” which permits pharmacists and nurses to order and dispense flu shots without the patient first having to get a doctor’s prescription.

Commenting on a DPH conference call Tuesday, Public Safety Director Allen McCullough said Fayette County is in a watch and monitor mode while receiving nearly hourly updates from public health agencies and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

McCullough said that, locally, public health and the school system have a notification system in place to track illnesses and absenteeism and to notify emergency services officials when those thresholds are reached.

A total of 64 swine flu cases have been confirmed in five states as of mid-day Tuesday.

Officials say symptoms are similar to regular flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu, officials said.

In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people.

The Centers for Disease Control has determined that the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. CDC has also determined that people vaccinated against the flu likely have no added protection against the strain known as swine flu.

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

· Fast breathing or trouble breathing.

· Bluish skin color.

· Not drinking enough fluids.

· Not waking up or not interacting.

· Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held.

· Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough.

· Fever with a rash.

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

· Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

· Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

· Sudden dizziness.

· Confusion.

· Severe or persistent vomiting.

Health officials are urging the public to take the following steps to prevent the spread of illnesses such as influenza:

· 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, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. The virus can spread this way.

· Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

· If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces. It is also important to disinfect commonly used surfaces.

To help states combat the outbreak of swine flu, the CDC is releasing one-quarter of the national stockpile of antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment and respiratory protection devices.

Some 45 of the 64 nationwide cases were reported in New York City, according to the CDC. The others were reported in California, Kansas, Texas and Ohio.

The bill signed by Perdue grants broader emergency powers if a pandemic influenza is declared by the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control.

“The flu affects thousands of people each year and our citizens should be able to access flu vaccines to protect themselves and their families,” said Perdue. “This legislation makes it easier for Georgians to receive flu shots and allows the state to respond quickly and effectively to any flu outbreak.”

The “Access to Flu Vaccines Act” returns the state to the past practices of more than a decade, allowing physicians to enter into protocol agreements with pharmacists and registered nurses to allow the ordering and dispensing of flu shots without a physician’s individual prescription.

To ensure quality control, physicians may issue no more than 10 standing orders with pharmacists and nurses within the same county or adjacent county to the physician’s primary place of business.

Corporations with more than one location are also included in this agreement. This includes grocery stores and drug stores.

It is important to note that there is currently no vaccine available that protects against swine flu. The current flu shots only protect against other forms of the flu virus, but not swine flu.

HB 217 ensures hospitals have the explicit authority to offer its staff or patient any vaccination, test or prophylactic matter required or recommended by the CDC.

The bill also includes an emergency powers provision that allows the governor to declare a “pandemic influenza” state of emergency if the WHO declares a Phase 5 Pandemic Alert for influenza in the United States and/or Georgia or the CDC declares at least a Category 2 Pandemic Severity index for influenza in the United States or Georgia.

DPH Dist. 4 will be including daily updates on www.district4health.org beginning at noon on April 28. Regular updates are also ongoing on the CDC’s website, www.cdc.gov/swineflu.