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Hospitals, Schools Prepare for Upcoming Flu Season
By Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
10/15/09
Officials at local hospitals and schools are gearing up for one of the most talked-about flu seasons in years.
Much of their concern is focused on H1NI, also known as swine flu. H1N1 threatens populations around the world and health care professionals are trying to get the word out about flu facts, vaccinations and prevention techniques.
“The media is covering this 24/7, with stories about the swine flu banging away,” said Dr. Robert Stacks, a longtime pediatrician who treats many Milton families at Roslindale Pediatric Associates, located at Faulkner Hospital in Boston. “People are talking about the flu more and they hear all the information constantly, so the demand [for vaccines] rises.”
According to the CDC, much research and testing goes in to creating the flu vaccine, and health officials stress the safety, year after year, of the vaccination program. The vaccine being developed for H1N1 has been subjected to as much research and testing as the seasonal version.
Doctors and flu clinics are finding the demand for the seasonal flu shot is much greater this year than in the past due to the coverage and attention the H1N1 flu is getting in the media. There is not expected to be a shortage of either vaccine, but the delay in development of the H1N1 vaccine has caused some concern.
Stacks’ office already depleted its limited amount of the seasonal flu vaccine and doses of flu mist, the inhaled, live version of the vaccine. He is waiting for another allocation to cover patients who need or want it. And as far as the arrival and administration of the H1N1 vaccine goes, he explained, that information changes on a daily basis. He recommends his patients get both shots, but health care providers are hard pressed to keep up with the latest information from the CDC and departments of public health around the country as to how to coordinate the two vaccines.
There is a list of prioritized patients who should receive the H1N1 flu shot, which differs slightly from the recommendation for the seasonal vaccine. Those recommended to get the H1N1 version include pregnant women, caregivers of children under 6 months of age, healthcare workers, children 6 months to 24 years old, and anyone age 25 to 64 with compromised immune systems or underlying health issues.
People over the age of 64 are thought not to be at risk for H1N1, as they may already have some built up immunities. They should, however, get the seasonal version.
Milton is currently offering a series of seasonal flu shot clinics throughout the month. According to Caroline Kinsella, Milton public health nurse, the first clinic held at one of the town’s elderly residences had an average turnout.
“I thought there’d be more people, to tell you the truth, but it was about what we expected,” said Kinsella.
She said the first clinics were aimed at elderly residents, but the clinics are also open to younger people. Remaining clinics will be held over the next two weeks at Town Hall, Cunningham Hall and the Council on Aging where regular vaccines will be available for those age 18 and up, and a limited amount of the flu mist will be available to healthy residents age 9 to 49. When the H1N1 vaccine becomes available later in the fall, the town plans to offer that as well. For more information, visit www.townofmilton.org.
Judy Menard, infection prevention manager at Milton Hospital, has been busy keeping up on the latest information provided by the state Department of Public Health. The hospital has created an H1N1 Planning Committee that monitors the spread of the virus, prepares staff for a potential patient surge, and communicates with patients, visitors and staff about the virus.
“Right now we are looking at what we can do to keep ahead of it,” she said. “We are keeping up to date, as things are changing rapidly.”
She added that the hospital has yet to deal with any widespread cases of H1N1, but the emergency department is prepared.
“If you look at the national map of H1N1 outbreaks, you see that the Northeast corridor hasn’t really been impacted yet,” she said. “But it’s on our doorstep.”
The hospital has offered seasonal flu shots to its employees and physicians, and Menard, who gets her shot every year, said there was a high turnout. The hospital awaits the arrival of the first doses of the H1N1 vaccine, which will be recommended to the staff as well.
“People are nervous. This is really going to be a unique year,” she added. “I think the take-home message is to be flexible because things are changing day to day.”
Carney Hospital in Dorchester is taking similar actions. According to Marketing Manager Diane Loupo, Carney has created an emergency preparedness team to deal with any possible threat of a pandemic. The hospital is offering a series of seasonal flu shot clinics open to the public at various locations, and has seen over 70 percent of its employees receive the seasonal flu vaccine as part of Carney’s ongoing staff immunization program. When the H1N1 vaccine arrives, there will be information forthcoming from the hospital regarding future clinics.
Dr. Richard Delany, a doctor who has a small private practice in Milton, has a different take on all the attention the flu is receiving. He has gotten more interested in homeopathic medicines and concentrating on preventative medicine. While he does recommend the vaccines for his most at-risk patients – those with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses – he is looking at ways to support his patients’ immune systems so they may not be at as much risk.
“I’m wondering if there aren’t some alternatives, such as taking supplements like Echinacea,” Delany said.
He also champions zinc supplements and other homeopathic treatments to keep his patients healthy. And he would recommend the H1N1 vaccine for healthy college-age students.
“I would recommend it in that situation. I think that a student at college, living in a dorm setting, is at high risk,” Delany said.
That comment follows the death of a former Thayer Academy student from Hingham who had just begun his freshman year in college at Miami University in Ohio. Colleges across the country have been dealing with outbreaks of H1N1 since the fall semester began.
Curry College has held two seasonal flu shot clinics for its students, faculty and staff. According to Fran Jackson, director of communications for the college, they had a higher-than-expected response at those clinics. Curry plans to hold separate clinics for the H1N1 vaccine when it arrives later this fall. With the student-body population a prime at-risk group, the college is closely monitoring information coming from the CDC and the state board of health. The health services department on campus has seen about a dozen students with the flu, according to Jackson, and they encourage ill students to either go home or practice “self-isolation” until symptoms disappear.
Similarly, Milton Academy continues to monitor the situation but has the unique position of having many international boarding students. Its on-campus health center is available for ill students but encourages sick boarding students to go home if possible. According to a letter sent home to parents by Todd Bland, head of the academy, the school has applied to the town for permission to administer the H1N1 vaccine on campus as soon as it becomes available. According to academy officials, the school’s health center has dealt with students ill with H1N1 as early as last spring.
Across the board, healthcare providers and the CDC send the same message: The best prevention is to get immunized. Also, practice common sense, such as frequent hand washing, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, and stay home if you are sick.
For more flu facts, visit www.mass.gov/flu.