Do your part to control the H1N1 virus

By Curtis Dickson

The recent deaths from H1N1 influenza of two Eastern Iowans in the prime of their life drives home the threat this influenza pandemic poses. Unlike the regular seasonal flu, which normally attacks the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions more severely, this H1N1 influenza is attacking our youth and young adults at a much greater rate, and often with devastating effect.

These deaths are a clarion call for prevention now and for protection when the H1N1 vaccine becomes available.

We must actively practice prevention to keep this pandemic in check until the H1N1 vaccine can be produced, distributed in quantity, and administered to target populations at high risk. Linn County Public Health has strongly advocated for all schools to use alcohol gel containers in the classroom and actively promote a “gel in, gel out” campaign to set habits among our youth (and through them, their parents.)

Public Health also advocates businesses and government offices do the same. Making alcohol gels available at all entrances and places where people gather and urging “gel in, gel out” would go a long way toward slowing transmission of this H1N1 virus.

It would also be helpful if our faith community utilized the same process, and even temporarily halted the handshake greeting system so common in our culture. We often unknowingly pass the influenza virus with that handshake (particularly if we have coughed or sneezed into our hand, or shaken someone's hand who has done the same.)

Washing hands with soap and water or using the alcohol gel rub, coughing or sneezing into a single-use tissue or into your elbow or sleeve, and

staying home when you are sick or keeping your sick child home from school or day care are all imperatives if we are

to slow the spread of this

pandemic to give us time to get high-risk populations vaccinated.

And yes, get your regular seasonal flu shot NOW!

Because this flu is attacking our younger populations more severely, and because the H1N1 vaccine will be in short supply for several weeks, there are five priority populations designated to first receive the vaccine: 1) pregnant women, caregivers and family members of children under six months of age, health care and emergency medical workers, children 6 months to 24 years of age, and adults 25 to 64 with underlying medical conditions.

Once these target populations are protected, Linn County Public Health will make the vaccine available to everyone. Adults 65 years of age and older may have some natural immunity from earlier strains associated with H1N1, and have had minimal impact from this virus so far.

All H1N1 vaccine will flow through Linn County Public Health, beginning in mid-October.

We will distribute vaccine to medical providers and also conduct eight mass immunization clinics at two clinic locations as soon as enough vaccine is available. We will give the public ample notice of the dates and locations of these clinics.

At first, there will not be enough vaccine for all our residents, so it is important to remember that all of us have a role in keeping our community and each other safe.

Each of us can effectively reduce the spread of the illness by staying home when we are sick with flu-like symptoms (and keeping sick children home from school or day care), and using good hygiene etiquette (as described above).

Please help do your part to combat the H1N1 virus. Pandemic H1N1 is an event to be taken seriously.

Curtis W. Dickson is director, Linn County Public Health.

Posters and educational materials on H1N1 flu are available from Public Health by calling (319) 892-6000 or e-mail health@linncounty.org.