Jefferson County H1N1 School Located Clinics Open to General Public

After much discussion with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and after careful review of JCPH current vaccine distribution and availability, Jefferson County Public Health decided to open its school-located H1N1 clinics scheduled for Saturday December 12, 2009 and December 19, 2009 to the general public. To date, JCPH has received 114,800 doses of H1N1 vaccine and distributed 96,484 doses to its high priority populations via distribution to healthcare providers in the County, special priority group clinics and mass school-located clinics. Now that the majority of our high risk population has been vaccinated, we are making vaccine available to anyone who wants it.

JCPH has over 15,000 doses of vaccine available for the upcoming clinics. The clinics will be on a first-come, first-served basis. and both the injectable shots or nasal spray will be provided free of charge. Our goal is to vaccinate as many people as possible. Anyone who wants to protect themselves from H1N1 should attend the clinics.

For locations and dates, visit our web page at http://bit.ly/clinics.
You can also email us at publichealthclinics@jeffco.us and let us know which clinic you plan on attending. For those who have already notified us, thank you.

Emergency Preparedness and H1N1

H1N1, Swine Flu, its everywhere these days. What is good information and what is bad? Is the vaccine safe? Where can I get it? How can I tell if I have H1N1? What is the big concern now when seasonal flu impacts so many Americans each year?

These are all questions that we have received over the last few months as the H1N1 virus has picked up speed and is infecting millions of Americans. The truth is that right now no one is really looking for H1N1 specific flu unless you are hospitalized. Early studies and tests have shown that 99.9% of the flu circulating in the country right now is H1N1. Since it costs state laboratories so much to subtype for this specific virus, health authorities are assuming that if you have the flu, chances are, it’s H1N1. So while you will not know specifically if you have H1N1, you can make that assumption when it comes to caring for yourself and your family.

So what do you if you get sick with flu? Start with good hygiene such as washing hands well and often; stay home or keep your kids home if you have a fever or cough; be especially attentive to washing hands and disposing of tissues and staying away from others to prevent spread. Most people have not needed medical care and have been able to recover at home. There are some however, who are more likely to get flu complications and they should talk to a health care provider about whether they need to be examined if they get flu symptoms. This includes, pregnant women, children under the age of 2 and those with chronic medical conditions. Eating right, getting good rest and regular exercise will also help you stay healthy.

Although many people have strong opinions about vaccines, all data indicates that vaccines are a safe effective way to prevent disease. But why get a shot if this flu virus is no worse than the seasonal flu? First off this flu is targeting younger, healthier adults and children at an alarming rate, similar to the 1918 pandemic that killed millions. Second, the seasonal flu kills 36,000 people in the U.S each year; if we try to minimize H1N1 by comparing it to the seasonal flu we are minimizing the loss of 36,000 lives.

Jefferson County Public Health has distributed nearly 35,000 doses of vaccine to our high risk community members via special clinics and distribution to healthcare providers and emergency workers. Call your healthcare provider or check the Immunize Colorado Website for vaccine clinics in your county. Jefferson County residents are also asked to attend one of our school located clinics if they are unable to access vaccine through their provider. Please see: http://bit.ly/clinics

The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus will impact your community in some way, especially since the spread of seasonal flu has not yet kicked up. Think seasonal flu times two, except now we are watching a different age group (children) being most affected. This virus spreads very easily and it is still possible that it will combine with another flu virus that have a much higher mortality rate creating more deaths and more illness. Working together we can slow the spread and reduce the chances of a stronger, deadlier flu strain appearing in the spring or next fall.

Stay healthy, stay informed, and visit our website for more information.

Jody Erwin, Emergency Response Coordinator

Prevent Animal-borne Disease - End of Season

The 2009 zoonoses season is winding down and pet and citizen encounters with insects and wildlife are starting to decrease. The summer started out cool and wet and it looked like we might have a very active season West Nile Virus (WNV) season. Our integrated mosquito management program started in early June and was prepared for a very busy season but the WNV activity started slow and remained that way throughout the 2009 season. Compared to past years this will be one of the slowest WNV seasons we have had since WNV first came to Colorado. At this time Jefferson County has had 5 cases of WNV and the State has 51. The total number of cases in the State will probably increase slightly but that number will still be lower than any of the past five years. Jefferson County cases have always been lower than other highly populated counties and that is the case this year, never having more than 10 cases during the WNV season the last five seasons.

The wet and cool weather did lead to more plague activity in prairie dog colonies than we have seen over the past few years. We had prairie dog die offs due to plague from infected fleas in the north and south ends of the county. Citizen use in those areas was restricted and JCPH monitored the flea activity in those areas and continued to find infected fleas weeks after the prairie dogs were gone. The health department is now waiting for the first frost of the year to eliminate any remaining fleas so the areas can be opened for public use.

The number of specimens submitted for rabies testing in 2009 has been about average this year with over 70 animals tested with 40 of those specimens being wild animals. Two bats tested positive for rabies this summer. Every year, several counties from around the State, including Jefferson County, have bats test positive for rabies. In 2007 skunk rabies was detected in several eastern Colorado Counties and this summer skunk rabies worked its way into El Paso County and eastern Arapahoe County. El Paso County is south of the Denver metro area and had several skunks test positive for rabies this past summer. It is only a matter of time before skunk rabies makes its way into the Denver Metro area and into Jefferson County. Now that there are two wild animals that could have rabies in Colorado (bats and skunks) it is very important that everyone always remember the following points.

Keep your pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets), horses and other high-value livestock up to date on their rabies vaccinations.
Stay away from an animal exhibiting bizarre behavior, such as a nocturnal animal like a skunk wandering about during the day or a bat on the ground.
Never feed or approach wild animals and everyone should stay away from wild animals.
If your pet is bitten or scratched by a wild animal consult your veterinarian immediately.
Contact your doctor immediately if you suspect you’ve been exposed to rabies.
If you must remove a dead animals from your property lift the carcass with a shovel or other tool and place the animal into a double-bag and throw it out in the trash.

As the summer comes to a close and everyone starts to enjoy winter time activities remember to add warm clothes, water proof shoes, and a winter time survival kit to your planned activities.

That’s it for me, now I will turn the reins over to Jody Erwin who is going to teach us all about Emergency Preparedness and H1N1.

We are Not Our of the Woods Yet . . . Novel Influenza A (H1N1)

We are Not Out of the Woods Yet . . . Novel Influenza A (H1N1)

The novel influenza A (H1N1) virus took center stage in April of this year and within weeks had infected people in the United States and across the globe. Public Health officials around the world sounded the alarm, our media, government, and community partners responded accordingly and the general public had the opportunity to watch from their living rooms and computer screens a new and potentially deadly influenza virus emerge onto the world stage.

Fortunately, the severity of illness caused by H1N1 has been fairly mild and most are able to recover at home without complications, yet for some the illness has proved deadly and no one really knows how severe this virus really is. As community spread has occurred, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its State counterparts are focused on tracking more severe illness and case counts reflect only those hospitalized with confirmed illness in their Novel H1N1 Flu Situation Updates. Thus official case counts greatly underestimate actual spread through the community and the exact number of infected persons will never be known. What is known is that the virus is here, and public health professionals nationwide expect that illnesses and deaths may continue for some time. Since you, or people around you, may become ill with influenza it is important to know how to recognize the symptoms and take appropriate actions.
The symptoms of H1N1 flu virus are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some of those infected have also reported diarrhea and vomiting. If you get sick, stay home and take measures to prevent spreading illness to others. Be sure to contact a physician if symptoms do not resolve or if you have other chronic health conditions or if you are pregnant.
Jefferson County Public Health continues to be actively involved in responding to H1N1 influenza A. At this time, our response goals are to reduce the spread and severity of illness, and to provide information to help health care providers, government officials and the public address the challenges posed by this new public health threat. We are working with schools, community partners, hospitals, municipalities, volunteers and others to be sure Jefferson County is ready for the influenza season this fall and the potential for a reemergence of this novel virus. During the past weeks these activities have included frequent outreach with health care providers and dissemination of information to higher risk settings for spread, including nursing homes, hospitals, correctional facilities, child care centers and schools. Because the majority of mild illness is not detected by our current disease surveillance systems, we are working with our school district to track absenteeism-- related to fever and respiratory symptoms--at every school. This system will greatly help us to track the probable return of this and related flu strains in the fall.

It is important that we not let our guard down and pay close attention to messages about preventing the spread of disease in our communities,” says Dr. Gayle Miller, Jefferson County Public Health Senior Epidemiologist. Officials monitoring the H1N1 influenza are looking closely south of the equator where flu season is just beginning. How H1N1 spreads there, whether it exchanges genetic material with another virus could give us a good idea of what might happen next fall here in the United States. “We know from past pandemics that there is a possibility that this strain of H1N1, which happened to have emerged in the Spring at the tail end of seasonal influenza season, could come back with a vengeance in the Fall. We need to be prepared for that.” (Learn more information on the history of flu pandemics.)
Public health and its disease detectives are keeping a close eye on the novel H1N1 influenza A virus and will inform the public of necessary updates as they unfold. The public also has an important role in disease control, we urge you to do you part and pay close attention to preventing the spread of disease in our communities.
Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Community

• Stay informed. Health officials will provide additional information as it becomes available. Visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website. Colorado HelpLine at 1-877-462-2911
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Keep away from other household members as much as possible. This is to keep you from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
• Learn more about how to take care of someone who is ill in "Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home"
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds, and other social distancing measures.
• If you don’t have one yet, consider developing a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of extra food, medicines, and other essential supplies. Further information can be found in the "Flu Planning Checklist "

For more information on Novel Influenza A (H1N1) and its warning signs, visit our website at www.jeffco.us/health.