H1N1 DuPage County Letter

(www.dupagehealth.org)

 

DuPage County Health Department
111 North County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187

Nov. 4, 2009

Dear DuPage County Community:

    Thank you for your patience during this unique influenza season. We are pleased to announce that more vaccine has become available. You may make an appointment for either the H1N1 influenza injectable vaccine or the
H1N1 influenza nasal mist vaccine by calling 866-311-1123. Due to high call volume, you may get a busy signal; if you do, please try calling again. We encourage you to try calling during off, or non-peak hours. The
appointment line is taking calls 24/7.

    A flu vaccine is the single best way to protect against influenza illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages anyone who wants to reduce their chances of illness from H1N1 flu to get vaccinated as soon as vaccines are available. Currently, due to limited supply and high demand, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that vaccination efforts focus first on people in the following priority groups:

• Pregnant Women
• People who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months
• Health care and emergency medical services personnel
• People 6 months through 24 years of age
• People 25 through 64 years of age with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.

In addition to getting vaccinated against influenza, there are everyday actions you can take to stay healthy:

• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. For medical questions or concerns, contact your physician.
• Early treatment of persons at higher risk for flu-related complications: People at high risk for influenza complications (including pregnant women, young children, persons 65 years, persons of any age who have certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disease, or have compromised immune systems) who become ill with influenza-like illness should speak with their physician as soon as possible.  Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk because it can prevent hospitalizations and deaths.
• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Antimicrobial hand cleaners are also effective.
• Stay home if you are sick until at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever reducing medications). This will help reduce the number of people who may get infected.
• Cover you nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw it away after use.
• Do not share eating utensils or drinking containers. Persons should not share straws, cups, glasses, water bottles used during sports or recreation, cigarettes, etc.

For more influenza information and updates, please visit www.protectdupage.org, www.ready.illinois.gov, www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/, or www.flu.gov . For general information, call the H1N1 Hotline at 630-221-7600. For materials in Spanish, please visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/espanol.

Sincerely,
Maureen McHugh                                Rashmi Chugh, M.D., M.P.H.
Executive Director                               Medical Officer

- oOo -

 

 

DuPage County Health Department
111 North County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187

October 21, 2009

Dear DuPage County Community:

    We would like to thank you for your patience as we enter into this action-orientated phase of vaccine distribution. The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine is arriving in small quantities and we are focusing distribution to the priority groups recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our goal is to distribute H1N1 vaccine as quickly as we can to reduce and prevent disease activity.

    Any person falling into a priority group is encouraged to contact us to make an appointment by calling 1-866-311-1123. The five priority
groups are: pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age, health care andemergency medical personnel, anyone from 6 months though 24 years of age, and anyone from 25 through 64 years of age with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.

    The challenges are significant during this unique influenza season. We recognize that people are having a difficult time reaching a representative on the H1N1 appointment hotline. Please continue to call the appointment line and we are encouraging you to try calling during off, or non-peak hours. The appointment line is taking calls 24/7.

    The DuPage County Health Department is working together on a daily basis with the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to ensure access to H1N1 vaccine for our community. As reported by the CDC this week, H1N1 vaccine manufacturing and distribution is slower than initially planned, but that more and more vaccine is becoming available regularly. Demand for the H1N1 vaccine is outweighing the supply at this point. However, the CDC has indicated that there will be enough vaccine for every person wanting to receive H1N1 vaccination. They expect that H1N1 vaccine should be widely available by mid-November.

    We understand that this is a challenging situation. Please remember that the H1N1 hotline is available 24/7 at 630-221-7600 for community questions and concerns. Additionally, www.protectdupage.org is available as a DuPage H1N1 information resource.

In addition to getting vaccinated against influenza, there are everyday actions you can take to stay healthy:

• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. For medical questions or concerns, contact your physician.

• Early treatment of persons at higher risk for flu-related complications. People at high risk for influenza complications (including pregnant, young children, persons > 65 years, persons of any age who have certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disease, or have compromised immune systems) who become ill with influenza-like
illness should speak with their physician as soon as possible. Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk because it can prevent hospitalizations and deaths.

• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.  Antimicrobial hand cleaners are also effective.

• Stay home if you are sick until at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever reducing medications). This will help reduce the number of people who may get infected.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw it away after use.

• Do not share eating utensils or drinking containers. Persons should not share straws, cups, glasses, water bottles used during sports or recreation, cigarettes, etc.

    For more influenza information and updates, please visit www.protectdupage.org, www.ready.illinois.gov, www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu, or
www.flu.gov.  For general information, call the 24/7 H1N1 Hotline at 630-221-7600. For materials in Spanish, please visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/espanol.
 

Sincerely,
Maureen McHugh                                Rashmi Chugh, M.D., M.P.H.
Executive Director                               Medical Officer

 

 

 

 

H1N1 News Release

(www.dupagehealth.org)

 

DuPage County Health Department announces clinics and phone number for residents to call for H1N1 flu shot appointments.

Priority groups get vaccine first; later there will be enough for everyone

    The DuPage County Health Department announces that DuPage County residents who meet priority group criteria may call beginning today to schedule appointments to get flu shots to protect against the novel H1N1 influenza virus.

    The initial clinic schedule will cover Oct. 22 to Nov. 8, including weekends. Additional dates will be announced as vaccine becomes available.  Enough vaccine is being manufactured for everyone in the United States. 

    All flu shots will be given by appointment only at this time. County residents may call 1 (866) 311-1123 to make appointments. Calls will be taken on a 24/7 basis.

    Times, dates and locations of the daily clinics is posted on www.protectdupage.org, the DuPage County emergency information web site.  (Or you can click here to view the H1N1 Vaccine Clinic Schedule) 

    The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) designated five priority populations that should receive the novel H1N1 vaccine first:

• Pregnant women
• Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than six-months of age
• Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
• All people from six-months through 24 years of age
• Persons aged 25 to 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza

To stay healthy and limit the spread of flu, remember the 3 Cs:

• CLEAN – wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of germs.

• COVER – your cough and sneeze with a tissue or sleeve, not your hand.

• CONTAIN – contain your germs. Stay home if you are sick.

For a printable original copy of this article, click here.

 

(H1N1 News Release,  Oct. 19, 2009,
 News media calls to David Hass at (630) 682-7979, ext. 7374)