Influenza-like Illness Now Widespread in Texas

The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) has issued the following Provider Alerts or Bulletins:

Influenza-like Illness Now Widespread in Texas.


Reports of confirmed influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) have increased in Texas during the past two weeks, and are now considered to be "widespread" by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). See DSHS news updates at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/updates.shtm

The current flu activity report can be accessed at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/influenza/surveillance/2011/.

Information on the control of influenza in various settings may be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/.

The CDC continues to recommend that every person over the age of six months get a flu vaccination. Other recommendations to prevent the spread of the infection are frequent hand washing and coughing and sneezing into your shoulder, elbow or into a tissue.

A Tool for Locating a Flu Shot Near You

In addition to free airport Wi-Fi, Google has another gift to you this holiday season — aka this flu season. They’ve been working with the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services to develop a tool for locating flu shot providers near you, located at google.com/flushot.

How sick is too sick to go to work?

Advice on when you should just stay home.

CDC Podcast on Fighting the Flu

New CDC Podcast explains steps you can take to help you fight the flu. Take 3 Actions to Fight Flu: http://is.gd/48ybA

H1N1 and Seasonal Influenza Guidance from The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has prepared a web page with links to important influenza information provided by DSHS and CDC.

You can access the page, which is frequently updated, at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/default.shtm

Information essential to congregate facilities can be found at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/Guidance-CongregateFacilities.shtm

The following link is to assist professionals in the decision-making process as it relates to the flu:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/DCHHS-H1N1.pdf

Under “Families and Individuals,” please read the following web page:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/flu-families.shtm

Under “Related Links,” at the bottom on the left-hand column, please refer to the following links for a listing of local health departments with their addresses and phone numbers:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/lhds.shtm
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/nonlhd.shtm

The CDC has several pages of information on seasonal flu, H1N1 and infection control:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol

Give a Senior Swine Flu Prevention Package

Let's all take care of our Senior family members and friends during this flu season:

Experts urge families to protect elderly after seniors left off vaccination priority list. Almost 10% of U.S. Swine Flu deaths occurred in people over age 65.

Holly Springs, NC, September 17, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Remember all those care packages your parents sent you to heal a broken heart, feed you at college or make your birthday memorable? Now children/grandchildren can send aging relatives a care package of their own with the Senior Swine Flu Prevention Package. Some senior groups complain senior citizens did not make the government's priority list for Swine-Flu vaccinations. So senior care experts warn relatives it's their job to keep elderly loved ones safe.

"This season's flu outbreak is a constantly changing dynamic situation and families must be vigilant, especially with seniors," says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers. "If you have aging out-of-town relatives, send them a prevention care package and/or hire a caregiver to go into their home and help them take precautions. In- home caregivers are trained to spot symptoms and get seniors immediate help."

This year, The White House advised Swine Flu could infect half the U.S. population, hospitalize 1.8 million people and lead to as many as 90,000 deaths. The government's vaccination priority list that left off seniors did include pregnant women, health care workers, people caring for infants, children and young adults from 6 months to 24 years and people age 25 - 64 with underlying medical conditions such as asthma or diabetes. Seniors are not as likely to get Swine Flu because they have some immunity, having been exposed to multiple flu outbreaks. Still, since April, the CDC reports more than 9 thousand U.S. hospitalizations from Swine Flu (not broken down by age). Swine Flu has killed 593 people - 171 deaths in adults age 50-64 and 57 deaths in adults ages 65 and older. So Senior Helpers, the fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors, says families should not take chances.

"In this massive outbreak, we don't want families to get lackadaisical about looking out for elderly loved ones," says Ross. "If your aging relative gets really sick from Swine Flu, you'll wish you had done something. The kit is one way to help protect seniors from Swine Flu and even seasonal flu, especially if you live apart from your aging relatives."

You can assemble the Senior Swine Flu Prevention Package for less than $20. For other prevention suggestions, go to www.Flu.gov.

The Senior Swine Flu Prevention Package includes:

• Senior Swine Flu Tip Sheet (available to download at www.seniorhelpers.com)
• Latex gloves - to wear when opening doors, shopping, etc. to avoid picking up germs.
• Vitamins
• Hand Sanitizer - Pocket size bottles can easily be kept in purses, cars, briefcases and desks.
• Baby Wipes - Seniors should wipe down hands, door knobs, car doors, pens, etc..