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U.S. Declares Public Health Emergency for Swine Flu
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. declared a public health emergency Sunday to deal with the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for approaching hurricanes.
Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been mild _ and U.S. health authorities can't yet explain why.
"As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease," predicted Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We're going to see more severe disease in this country."
At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.
Top among those is declaring the public health emergency. As part of that, Napolitano said roughly 12 million doses of the drug Tamiflu will be moved from a federal stockpile to places where states can quickly get their share if they decide they need it. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas.
Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure _ one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a "declaration of emergency preparedness."
"Really that's what we're doing right now. We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be."
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On the Net:
CDC: http://www.cdc.gov
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been mild _ and U.S. health authorities can't yet explain why.
"As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease," predicted Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We're going to see more severe disease in this country."
At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.
Top among those is declaring the public health emergency. As part of that, Napolitano said roughly 12 million doses of the drug Tamiflu will be moved from a federal stockpile to places where states can quickly get their share if they decide they need it. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas.
Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure _ one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a "declaration of emergency preparedness."
"Really that's what we're doing right now. We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be."
___
On the Net:
CDC: http://www.cdc.gov
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Karen on -
One of the most important issues of ambulance work is how to keep yourself safe. In 29 years on ambulances (21 as a paramedic), I never got the flu or a cold from a patient despite numerous cold and flu epidemics. I attribute that to five actions: (1) I never touched a patient with an ungloved hand; (2) the minute the gloves came off, the hands got washed; (3) I carefully instructed partners in how to clean the ambulance while I was doing paperwork: (4) any patient with a known respiratory illness caused the vent fan to be activated; (5) if the patient was coughing or sneezing, I put on a mask. I think being older helped also, maybe there was some lingering immunity in my body from past exposures to similar things. In 29 years of ambulance work with no flu shots (they give me the flu, which I discovered long before I was ever near an ambulance) I only got the flu twice, and both those times I had an immediate family member sick at home. Despite working an area where TB was endemic, I believe the 5 actions kept me TB free--I still test negative even though I am nearing 70. Though I had fomite exposure, pens and clipboard, I was always careful to keep my hands away from my face. It worked for me.
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Permalink Reply by Travis Kusman on -
Ensuring our health and safety as providers of emergency medical services is no doubt a top priority. This being said, a primary public health related mission of EMS is to reduce morbidity and mortality in the populations that we serve.
Influenza is a significant cause of illness and death in vulnerable populations in the U.S. and abroad. It IS our responsibility as medical professionals to continually acquire knowledge of (and act in accordance with) evidence based recommendations, including those related to infection control.
The most current information regarding the swine flu can be found at www.cdc.gov/swineflu/. Please visit the site to learn about the flu, including how you, as a provider of emergency medical care, can protect yourself and assist in controlling its spread.
Stay safe and healthy!
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Permalink Reply by Therle on -
We have long since passed the days when being a "smoke-eater" was cool and trendy. In today's world of fire safety, training and preparedness, SCBA training and compliance are conditions of employment and a minimum standard. The same must be true for care providers in a world where airborne illnesses can be lethal--and not only can they be lethal, we can be vectors of contamination for other patients.
Clean your units and yourselves, after every call at minimum. Decontaminate your unit daily to deal with anything that may have been spilled, dropped or sneezed. Take precautions like gloves and masks.
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Permalink Reply by Joe P. on -
What does fire safety and SCBA training have to do with EMS and infection control?
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on -
I believe it was a respirator analogy - SCBA for firefighters and filter respirators for EMS.
They both prevent you from inhaling things that are bad for you.
OSHA defines them both as respirators.
You are required to have a respiratory protection program and provider medical clearances to use either or both.
"You" being the fire department and/or EMS system.
Joe P. said:What does fire safety and SCBA training have to do with EMS and infection control?
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Permalink Reply by TheCannulator on -
As well as access to the right sort of respiratory protection (the was a wealth of non N95/P2 masks entering the public domain with the last SARS outbreaks), looking after your won well being is paramount.
Staying healthy and stay vaccinated. Although not protective of this strain in it's own right, flu vaccinations may offer some protection through the mediated protection they provide.
Keep in mind the current pandemic planning applies to the current flu variants as well as they have the real possibility to reach pandemic status is susceptible populations.
Interesting titbit that the H1N1 was also responsible allegedly for the 1918/9 Spanish flu, that killed up to 100 million. So it has been around, despite the variant encountered recently.
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Permalink Reply by Derek Watson on
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I just started EMS as an EMT-B and my district has taken some big steps to stop it. 1. Any patient with flu like symptoms gets a mask as do the ambulance personel. 2. Upon arrival at hospital they are immediatly isolated as is family members. 3. Higher concentration bleach solution 125:1 water/bleach ratio. Those three things are what the higher ups think will stop this along with other good BSI practices. It's just a bad situation and I think Im gonna gank me some tamiflu
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Permalink Reply by Marcy Scott on -
A good 'one-stop' link for swine flu updates, information and local resources is this one from the Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.pandemicflu.gov
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Permalink Reply by stacie walker on -
I agree with everything that has been said. As health professionals we need to protect ourselves from this epidemic. 1. always always wash your hands and forearms even if you are using gloves this is our first line of defense. 2. If your patient shows any signs and symtoms put a mask on yourself and your patient. Not only are we patient advocates but we have to be advocates of ourselves, after all sick EMTs cant help sick patients.
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Permalink Reply by Eric D. Liddy Sr. on -
Michigan has its first probable case of the H1N1 virus per the Michigan Department of Community Health.
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Permalink Reply by Thomas Durkee on
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Permalink Reply by Thomas Durkee on
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Latest CDC H1N1 Surveillance shows another spike in flu cases:
More info: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm
Are you worried yet? Or is it all just hype? Over 1,000 deaths so far this year... thousands of hospitalizations... hundreds of thousands of cases.
--Tom Durkee
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Ben,
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