Right now if it looks like the flu, sounds like the flu and feels like the flu then guess what — you probably have H1N1 swine flu.
According to Dr. Howard Quentzel, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Griffin Hospital, the H1N1 pandemic flu is the only influenza virus known to be in active circulation at the moment.
“If you have the flu now, it is H1N1,” Quentzel said Wednesday.
Quentzel — along with Karen Spargo, Director, Naugatuck Valley Health District, and Deborah Horvath, APRN, Assistant Director of Community Health at the Naugatuck Valley Health District — presented an informational session on the H1N1 pandemic at Griffin Hospital.
The good news is, so far H1N1 isn’t showing itself to be significantly more dangerous than the seasonal flu, which kills about 36,000 Americans every year, according to Quentzel. The majority of those deaths are attributed to the elderly and people with underlying health concerns.
“This strain looks to be similar to (those numbers),” said Quentzel. “It might even be milder than that.”
However, according to Quentzel, this influenza seems to be acting differently and presents itself as a greater threat to younger people. That could be do to an earlier strain of H1N1 that ran from 1918 to 1957 before seeming to disappear.
Anyone that had that flu might show signs of resistance to the newer version.
The strains are similar enough though that the CDC has so far kept citizens over the age of 65 who are in good health and are not healthcare providers or caretakers of young children off of the priority lists for receiving the vaccine.
Overall, the CDC is seeing less than 5 percent of the severe cases coming from otherwise healthly seniors according to Quentzel. He added that other flues have tended to hit seniors harder than other populations.
That however does not mean a threat does not exist. Spargo presented a numbers breakdown of confirmed cases of H1N1 in Connecticut.
Now near what she said healthcare officials predict to be the apex of the second wave of H1N1 infections, Connecticut has seen 20 deaths related to verified cases of H1N1. Of those, 5 have been over the age of 65.
Every person that has died in Connecticut from H1N1 had other medical conditions that raised the threat level. These same conditions would have made any influenza more dangerous for that individual.
The heaviest hit group in Connecticut are those between 25 and 49.
Slowly but surely, the NVHD is attempting to inoculate as many eligible citizens as they can, but the numbers are so far against them. NVHD serves 125,000 Connecticut valley residents. To date they have received 2,900 doses of the H1N1 anti-virus.
“Every Thursday we receive a memo to order vaccine and to let us know who is eligible,” said Spargo. “We don’t find out what we are getting, shot or nasal spray, or how much until the next week. It doesn’t seem to have much to do with what you ordered, it’s usually less.”
How much less was a shock to some of the those in attendance at for the discussion.
“I mean 2,900 shots for 125,000 people, that’s ridiculous,” said Oxford resident Richard Kurimski. Turning 66 on Nov. 19, Kurimski falls outside of the priority groups available to receive the vaccination.
Spargo and Horvath are attempting to get as many of their vaccinations administered as possible. They encourage residents to try to go through their private practitioner first, as many of them have their own sets of the vaccination. The NVHD has provided some vaccinations to pediatricians as well.
If someone qualifies on the priority list and they cannot get a vaccination through their own physician, they can contact the NVHD to schedule an appointment. Due to limited staff and vaccinations, residents must make an appointment.
NVHD is planning a vaccination clinic on Nov. 23, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Seymour Senior Center, 20 Pine St., Seymour.
Residents will still need to make an appointment but will be taken in blocks of 25 people every 15 minutes. Anyone from the NVHD service area is welcome to make an appointment, not just Seymour residents.
Another clinic is scheduled for Dec. 8, at St. Margaret Mary Church, Shelton.
One problem residents might face is that the priority list is updated weekly. According to Horvath, someone can call in the morning and not qualify for a vaccination, and by the afternoon that is no longer true.
At the time of writing the priority list includes pregnant women, household caregivers to children under 5 years of age, healthcare workers at risk and children between 6 months and 6 years. A new group will be added as of Nov. 19: anyone 7 to 64 with a medical complication that puts them at a higher risk from influenza.
Attempts have been made to create flu clinics at area schools, but Spargo said it won’t be possible until at least December.
Spargo also addressed the issue of school closures out of fear of the virus.
“Children who are sick should be at home,” she said. “Children who are well should be in school.”
According to Spargo, closing schools is unnecessarily disruptive to families and could create safety concerns over supervision and other issues.
Spargo encouraged people to check a set of Web sites for up to the minute information on H1N1 and the priority lists. Information can be found at www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch, flu.gov, www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu and www.nvhd.org.
Those without internet access can call 203 – 881-3262 for an automated system with the same information as provided by the NVHD Web site.
Appointments for flu vaccinations can be made with NVHD at 203 – 881-3255.
