Influenza (Flu) Updates:
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tanner Health System will be offering Community H1N1 Vaccination Clinics on Nov. 23, Nov. 24 and Dec. 2. Details are provided below.
Georgia H1N1 Hotlines
Georgia Public Health has set up toll-free Influenza Assistance and Reporting Hotlines for Georgia citizens and clinicians:
- Hotline for Community Residents: 1-888-H1N1 INFO (or 1-888-416-14636)
- Hotline for Clinicians: 1-888-H1N1 MED (or 1-888-416-1633)
State Activity
- Georgia is continuing to report widespread influenza activity.
- For the week ending Nov. 14, 2009, 5.02% of patient visits were for influenza-like illness.
- Most cases were in persons aged 0 to 4 years. This is a change from prior weeks, where persons aged 5-24 predominated.
- Since Aug. 30, 2009, 454 hospitalizations and 34 deaths due to influenza (seasonal and H1N1 2009) were reported in Georgia residents.
Local Activity
- Confirmed and suspected H1N1 cases have been reported in Carroll and Haralson counties. At this time, the disease still appears to be mostly mild to moderate in nature in most persons.
- We have seen episodes of severe illness in young to middle aged adults with very minor medical problems. This leads real credibility to the seriousness of the situation, as well as the need for as many people who are inclined to get vaccinated for not only the seasonal flu but also the novel H1N1 this year.
Testing and Treatment
- For our area, H1N1 testing by the Georgia Public Health Lab is only being performed on patients admitted to ICU in the hospital at this time.
- The CDC updated antiviral treatment recommendations on Oct. 19, 2009, recommending treatment for those patients who are at greatest risk of flu related death in a timely manner. Not all patients with suspected influenza or H1N1 need to be treated.
Vaccination
- The seasonal flu vaccine is currently available from several providers in the local area, but some offices have already run out of vaccine. This is because several offices have not yet received their complete order from the manufacturer. Additional shipments may not be available until November, because manufacturers are making both seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccine.
- H1N1 inactivated vaccine is available at many Tanner Medical Group clinics.
- At this time, only one H1N1 vaccine may be required for persons 10 years and older. Two doses may be required for persons 9 years and younger.
- H1N1 vaccine may be available from health departments, some medical offices, and many chain stores, such as Kroger, Publix, Winn-Dixie, CVS, Walgreens, etc.
- The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines have not been associated with any unexpected adverse events or possible side effects.
- Tanner Health System is offering Community H1N1 Vaccination Clinics. Please see below.
Community Information
- Tanner will be offering H1N1 influenza vaccine to persons in the CDC priority groups for vaccination. These priority groups are:
- Pregnant women
- Household contacts and caregivers of children under 6 months
- All persons aged 6 months through 24 years of age
- Persons aged 25 years through 64 years of age who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza, such as:
- Persons who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematologic or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
- Persons who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)
- Persons who have any condition (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neurologic/neuromuscular disorders) that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk of aspiration
- Community H1N1 Vaccination Centers will administer H1N1 influenza vaccines only.
- Seasonal influenza vaccines will not be available
- These Community Centers are vaccination centers, not treatment centers.
- Persons who are ill may not be able to receive the vaccine, since it would not be as effective while ill.
- Community H1N1 Vaccination Clinics will be available as follows
- Monday, Nov. 23, 2009, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Tanner Occupational Health Center, 802 Dixie Street in Carrollton (Located across the street from Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton.)
- Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Tanner Professional Building (old administration building), 611 North Avenue in Villa Rica. (Located near Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica.)
- Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, from 4 to 7 p.m. in Conference Room B at Higgins General Hospital in Bremen. (Located just inside the hospital from the parking lot along Carrollton Street
