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H1N1 Information UPDATED 02/08/10 Most recent addition to this article added February 8, 2010 An H1N1 clinic was provided by the Clinton County Health Department to the Beekmantown Central School District on January 21, 2010. The clinic was a huge success and 402 vaccines were administered district-wide. The CCHD will return on March 2, 2010 to administer boosters to elementary aged students and those that were absent on January 21st. Thanks to Kathleen Mulholland, School Nurse, for working with the Clinton County Health Department and the building nurses, administrators, and teachers to plan for this successful event!
PowerPoint presentation file added at the bottom of this page, received from Clinton Country Health Department following November 4th Public Forum on H1N1 hosted at BCSD
Press Release Received from:
Clinton County Health Department Joint Information Center Press Update Fall 2009 Seasonal and HINI influenza Update #4 October 21, 2009 Influenza Type Illness in the Community Health Department (New Developments) Since the last update there has been one laboratory confirmed H1N1 case - all other suspected cases have been negative. That person is currently recovering. There continues to be no concerns at this time regarding access to local health care. Some area schools had experienced increased absenteeism due to both influenza like illness and other illness. Vaccine Availability (New Developments) Seasonal: Clinton County Health Officials continued to temporarily suspend seasonal flu clinics. Larger than expected flu clinic attendance, coupled with a lag in the arrival of additional vaccine, and limited influenza vaccine supply in adjacent counties has created a temporary shortage. Clinics will be rescheduled when a sufficient supply of vaccine becomes available. H1N1: Shipments of H1N1 vaccine continued to be delayed. It is expected that additional supplies will come into the area and distribution will continue dependent upon amounts received. No public clinics are planned at this time, due to limited amounts of H1N1 vaccine. The public can monitor the availability of vaccine by going to the Health Department website: Clinton Country Health Department Vaccine administration is following a targeted approach as set by CDC and New York State Department of Health. Schools/Worksites: SUNY Plattsburgh (New Developments) Last week, the Center for Student Health and Psychological Services had five cases of influenza-like illness, and this week, as of Tuesday afternoon, they had another eight cases. This brings the total for the semester up to 27 cases. The college continues to treat all cases of influenza-like illness as though they were H1 N1 and requests that students go home to recuperate, making sure to distance themselves from large groups of people and to receive the proper care. The student health center received 800 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine (400 shots and 400 in the form of a mist) last Friday and started distributing it on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge to students this Monday. They administered 600 doses on Monday and the remaining 200 doses on Tuesday. Staff at the student health center put in an order for more doses of H1N1 vaccine and expect that another shipment will arrive next week. Additionally, the center received 50 doses of seasonal flu vaccine last week and another 50 this week. They expect to host a clinic to administer these doses next week. Champlain Valley Educational Services (CEWW BOCES) (New and continuing developments) In response to the increase in regional absentee surveillance numbers, all public and private schools have been advised to increase the frequency of cleaning in public areas and high traffic items such as door knobs, push plates, light switches, and drinking fountains. Districts continue to provide information regarding H1N1 transmission, symptoms, treatment, and prevention to their educational communities. Schools continue absentee surveillance reporting per NYSDOH and local health department recommendations. All of the regional public school districts have completed H1N1 Awareness Training. Topics included: surveillance, transmission, symptoms, treatment, prevention, and vaccination. CVES has distributed over 1600 posters and 500 brochures regarding H1N1 to regional public school districts. CVES continues to work with the local departments of health on preparations and logistical requirements associated with hosting school based H1N1 vaccination clinics. Clinton County Chamber of Commerce (Continuing) The Chamber continues to direct local businesses to appropriate web sites and local sources of information and resources on how to keep the local workforce healthy. Closures There are NO closures of any schools or worksites locally. Policy Changes CVPH Medical Center (Previously reported) The Alice T. Miner Center for Women and Children (CWC) at CVPH has altered its visitor policy in an effort to protect its patients during the flu season. Effective Monday, October 19, visitors to the unit located on the third floor of the Medical Center will be limited to the mother's husband/partner/coach, and the maternal and paternal grandparents. According to the Centers for Disease Control, children under the age of 6 months and pregnant women are in the high-risk category for serious complications related to the flu (seasonal and H1N1). Through its website, www.cvph.org CVPH offers a patient email service. Emails to patients on CWC will be hand delivered by volunteers. Phone service is also offered to patients free of charge. Community Issues (Continuing) Individuals should familiarize themselves with flu signs and symptoms and at home comfort care. All homes/families should have a thermometer and several family members should know how to use it. The public should call primary care provider for guidance with temperature concerns. For more information people can go to the following web sites for guidance: flu.gov, the New York State Health Department public site or the Centers for Disease Control web site. Health officials expect to have additional cases of H1N1 in the community. All residents are asked to remember the basics of how to stay healthy. They are listed below as a reminder. • Stay home from work or school if you are sick. • If you are sick do not visit infants, the elderly, or those with serious medical conditions. • Try to keep six feet of space between you and other individuals who are coughing or sneezing. • Cough or sneeze into your sleeve. • Use tissues when you cough, sneeze, or spit and dispose of the tissue in a covered trash bin. • Wash hands or use alcohol cleanser immediately after handling tissues. • Wash hands often with soap and warm water. • Use alcohol-based cleaners when soap and water is unavailable. • Keep hands away from your face. Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth. • Clean surfaces in shared space such as phone receivers, keyboards, and office equipment. • Do not share personal items such as forks, spoons, toothbrushes, and towels. For more information about H1N1 and additional precautionary measures and daily updates go to: Clinton County Health Dept. website: www.clintonhealth.org Center for Disease Control website: www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ Center for Disease and Control: www.flu.gov NYSDOH: htt://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/influenza/surveillance/2009-2010/ Recorded messages about H1N1 and seasonal influenza are available by calling the Clinton County Health Info Line at 518.565-4490. Endorsed By:Darwyna Facteau, Supervising Public Health Nurse, Health Services Unit Acting Incident Commander Joint Information Center
October 20, 2009 From Superintendent of Schools, Scott Amo Good afternoon. There has certainly been a great deal of information, and misinformation, swirling in our public regarding the H1N1 virus and its purported effect on our school district. I want to assure everyone that the district is not in imminent need to consider closing one or more schools. As a district, we are experiencing higher than usual student and staff absences primarily due to symptoms consistent with the flu. However, information such as “33% of the students are out sick, most of them with the H1N1 virus” is simply inaccurate. On Oct. 19, the student absence rate for the entire district was 12% and as of noon today, the rate was nearly the same. The total number of all staff reporting out sick was 24 yesterday and 26.50 today (approximately 7% of the total staff). As far as H1N1 confirmed cases are concerned, the County Health Department and CVPH are not testing for the virus when symptoms of the flu are presented. We are asked to assume the flu is present and patients are largely receiving over the counter relief, rest, and encouragement not to go to work or school until the symptoms are gone. This final point deserves particular emphasis: staff and students experiencing flu-like symptoms are encouraged to stay home. Therefore, absence numbers from school should not be that surprising. As far as school closings are concerned, the State Education Department is still not recommending school closures without otherwise danger or evidence of substantial disruption to the school day. In fact, I am not aware of any schools in the state that have closed because of the presence of flu-like symptoms. Our present staffing of schools and busses are quite sufficient for the district to carry on customary school services. I hope some of this information will assist you in better understanding the present circumstances and enable you to allay some concerns, rumors, etc. that you might find yourself hearing or being asked by well-intentioned individuals to answer. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to heed the precautionary measures currently listed on our district website.
Press Release Received from: Clinton County Health Department Joint Information Center Media Release "Resurging H1N1 Confirmed in Clinton County" October 13, 2009 Routine surveillance has confirmed cases of H1N1 in Clinton County. Health Officials continue to remind everyone that this has been expected and does not come as a surprise. The area experienced H1N1 this past spring and has been expecting a resurgence of the illness. Several residents have tested positive for H1N1, some required isolation and hospitalization. Each individual was experiencing influenza type illness, with fever. Preliminary tests for influenza were conducted. The tests were positive for the "A" strain of influenza. Additional specimens were obtained and sent to the NYS Lab in Albany (Wadsworth) for final determination of H1N1. Several types of influenza fall in the "A" strain category and further tests are required to determine which strain is causing illness. H1N1 testing is being done on symptomatic individuals who are hospitalized and limited community surveillance samples. Many other communities in both New York and Vermont have already had residents test positive for H1N1 in the second wave of this illness. Most people who become infected with H1N1 influenza have continued to experience mild to moderate illness. Those with underlying medical conditions are at greater risk for complications from H1N1. A small amount of H1N1 nasal spray vaccine arrived in Clinton County the week of October 5. More is expected this week. The nasal spray can only be given to healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49. Initial distribution of the product will be through local pediatric offices where recommended target groups will begin to be vaccinated. It is expected that additional supplies will continue to come into the area and distribution will continue dependent upon amounts received. No public clinics are planned at this time, due to limited amounts of H1N1 vaccine. Many local providers continue to "sign on" as willing to administer the H1N1 vaccine to their patients once it is available. Vaccine administration is following a targeted approach as set by CDC and New York State Department of Health. As in the spring, health officials expect to have additional cases of H1N1 in the community. All residents are asked to remember the basics of how to stay healthy. They are listed below as a reminder. • Stay home from work or school if you are sick. • Try to keep six feet of space between you and other individuals who are coughing or sneezing. • Cough or sneeze into your sleeve. • Use tissues when you cough, sneeze, or spit and dispose of the tissue in a covered trash bin. • Wash hands or use alcohol cleanser immediately after handling tissues. • Wash hands often with soap and warm water. • Use alcohol-based cleaners when soap and water is unavailable. • Keep hands away from your face. Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth. • Clean surfaces in shared space such as phone receivers, keyboards, and office equipment. • Do not share personal items such as forks, spoons, toothbrushes, and towels. Surveillance for influenza type illness will continue in the community. No schools or work sites in our area are reporting significant absenteeism among their students or workforce. Health providers in the community are still seeing patients within the "normal" range of numbers for this time of year for a wide variety of illness. For more information on H1N1 please contact the health department at our web site www.clintonhealth.org or call our Health Info Line at 565-4590 Endorsed By: Nancy Smith Nancy Smith, Director of Health Services Unit Incident Commander Joint Information Center
From Superintendent of Schools, Scott Amo September 8, 2009 Dear Parents/Guardians: It is usual in the early days of a new school year for students to feel challenged with the expectations of a new grade, new teachers, and even new lunch choices! However, this year our district and many others throughout the country will be asked to prepare for the potential challenge created by an outbreak of H1N1 commonly referred to as Swine Flu. The Center for Disease Control as well as State and County Health officials are busy preparing informational brochures to help schools and parents/guardians take precautionary measures to minimize the effects of H1N1. In addition, our district will continue to work with staff and community agencies in developing guidelines that will be followed if/when unusual flu-like symptoms appear. For now, I wanted to share some simple steps that can be taken at home and school to minimize the risk and duration of flu symptoms. This information can be found on the back of this letter and can be posted on a refrigerator for easy reference. In addition, I encourage you to check any of the many web sites available on the internet for more information. Here are a few that have been useful and informative: • www.clintoncountygov.com/Departments/Health/cchdhome.htm • www.flu.gov Finally, you have probably already heard that a vaccine for H1N1 is currently undergoing testing trials and will be made available on a tier system established by the Center for Disease Control, Simply put, those age and/or health risk groups most susceptible to the virus will have priority to receive the vaccine. Unfortunately, the vaccines will not be available until mid-October. Thank you in advance of your attention and response to this important matter. Sincerely, Scott A. Amo Superintendent
WHAT CAN WE DO TO REDUCE THE CHANCES OF SPREADING OR “CATCHING” H1N1 INFLUENZA? **Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. **Use alcohol based hand sanitizers to clean hands if soap & water are not available. **Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue in the trash after use (if no tissue is available, cough or sneeze into your arm or sleeve---NOT your hand). NEW YORK STATEWIDE SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES CENTER WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF H1N1? Manifestations of H1N1 influenza are similar to those of seasonal influenza. Affected individuals present with symptoms of acute respiratory illness, including at least 2 of the following: • Fever • Cough • Sore Throat • Headache • Body Aches • Chills and Fatigue • Diarrhea or Vomiting WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR TREATMENT? • Most cases have been mild and self-limited • Stay home, do not go to school or work while the symptoms are present • Rest, drink fluids, and take over the counter medications • Persons with secondary medical problems should seek medical attention
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