Showing posts with label Swine Flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swine Flu. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
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
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
Senior Helpers on the Local Austin TV News
For the work we are doing locally on Swine Flu prevention:
Watch the TV News Clip
Watch the TV News Clip
Free flu prevention might help seniors
Kits were distributed in Round Rock
Updated: Wednesday, 30 Sep 2009, 5:39 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 30 Sep 2009, 4:38 PM CDT
ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) - Senior Helpers have been providing in-home assistance to seniors across 38 states since 2002. Now they have added a new service in senior care.
They are offering free flu prevention kits, that include a tip sheet with precautions, latex gloves, multivitamins, hand sanitizer and baby wipes. Anyone may procure a kit for the senior citizen in their life.
The kits were passed out Wednesday at the Alan Baca Senior Activities Center in Round Rock, where Flora Sule was grateful.
"For somebody to give this out for people freely, is quite appreciated," said Sule.
Folks at the center are taking the flu threat seriously, wiping down every public area every day and leaving sanitizer on every countertop. For more on the kits, go to the Senior Helpers Web site.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Distributing Swine Flu Prevention Packets
at The Round Rock Senior Center Today. And talking about prevention methods and precautions for the upcoming flu season. We want to make sure that every senior gets the word to take extra precautions as we enter a 'predicted' violent flu season.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Swine Flu Prevention Tips
At Senior Helpers we care about every senior and their well-being. Here are some tips we have to help seniors better understand what the swine flu is and how to prevent infection to you and your loved ones.
Q: What is swine flu?
A: It's a common respiratory disease in pigs that doesn't usually spread to people. When pigs catch this flu, many get quite sick, and 1% to 4% die, according to the World Health Organization. In the past, people have sometimes caught swine flu if they worked directly with pigs.
Q: How is this swine flu virus different?
A: This strain appears to be a subtype not seen before in humans or pigs, with genetic material from pigs, bird and humans, according to experts. Unlike most cases of swine flu, this one can spread from person to person. One of the confirmed cases in the USA caught swine flu from a spouse, who had been to Mexico.
Q: Were pigs the carriers of this virus?
A: It's closer to say that pigs were the mixing bowl for this virus. Birds can't pass bird flu to people. But pigs are uniquely susceptible to getting flu viruses that infect birds. Experts have long worried that a pig would catch a bird strain of the flu and then the virus would mutate inside the pig to a form that could also infect other mammals. That may be what happened in this case. Pigs can also be infected with more than one influenza virus at a time, allowing the viruses to share genes, called "genetic re-assortment," creating new and potentially much more virulent viruses.
Q: Can you catch swine flu from eating pork?
A: No, according to experts. Pigs coming in to slaughter facilities are monitored for flu symptoms, and those that are ill are not allowed to enter the food supply. Cooking also kills the virus. People who work with pigs, however, can catch the virus. The Department of Agriculture is conducting tests to confirm that the food supply is safe.
Q:Is there a vaccine against swine flu?
A:No, but government scientists could try to create one. They've identified the virus, should they decide to create a vaccine they can work toward that goal very quickly. CDC scientists don't know if this year's flu vaccine offers any protection.
Q:What about anti-virals? Can they prevent swine flu?
A:This strain of swine flu does appear sensitive to the antiviral drugs Relenza and Tamiflu, but not to amantadine, or Symmetrel, and rimantadine, or Flumadine, Besser said. With normal seasonal flus, if taken within the first 48 hours after symptoms appear, anti-virals can help people recover a day or two sooner. Doctors sometimes prescribe anti-virals to household members of people with the flu to prevent them from getting sick.
Q:What are the symptoms?
A:The most common symptoms are fever, fatigue, lack of appetite and coughing, although some people also develop a runny nose, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea, according to the official diagnosis.
Q:What should you do if you have these symptoms?
A:Stay home from work or school, to avoid spreading your illness to other people. Don't get on an airplane. People should call their doctors to ask about the best treatment, but should not simply show up at a clinic or hospital that is unprepared for their arrival.
Q:How can people protect themselves?
A:As always, people should wash their hands frequently. In the past, there isn't conclusive evidence to support using face masks. Surgical masks are designed to prevent the wearer from spreading germs, but may also catch large respiratory droplets if someone sneezes nearby.
All seniors should be constantly aware of any sickness that is spreading around them since they are the most prone to becoming more ill than most. Senior Helpers can provide clean and efficient services to sharply reduce the chance of you or your loved ones attaining the swine flu virus.
Q: What is swine flu?
A: It's a common respiratory disease in pigs that doesn't usually spread to people. When pigs catch this flu, many get quite sick, and 1% to 4% die, according to the World Health Organization. In the past, people have sometimes caught swine flu if they worked directly with pigs.
Q: How is this swine flu virus different?
A: This strain appears to be a subtype not seen before in humans or pigs, with genetic material from pigs, bird and humans, according to experts. Unlike most cases of swine flu, this one can spread from person to person. One of the confirmed cases in the USA caught swine flu from a spouse, who had been to Mexico.
Q: Were pigs the carriers of this virus?
A: It's closer to say that pigs were the mixing bowl for this virus. Birds can't pass bird flu to people. But pigs are uniquely susceptible to getting flu viruses that infect birds. Experts have long worried that a pig would catch a bird strain of the flu and then the virus would mutate inside the pig to a form that could also infect other mammals. That may be what happened in this case. Pigs can also be infected with more than one influenza virus at a time, allowing the viruses to share genes, called "genetic re-assortment," creating new and potentially much more virulent viruses.
Q: Can you catch swine flu from eating pork?
A: No, according to experts. Pigs coming in to slaughter facilities are monitored for flu symptoms, and those that are ill are not allowed to enter the food supply. Cooking also kills the virus. People who work with pigs, however, can catch the virus. The Department of Agriculture is conducting tests to confirm that the food supply is safe.
Q:Is there a vaccine against swine flu?
A:No, but government scientists could try to create one. They've identified the virus, should they decide to create a vaccine they can work toward that goal very quickly. CDC scientists don't know if this year's flu vaccine offers any protection.
Q:What about anti-virals? Can they prevent swine flu?
A:This strain of swine flu does appear sensitive to the antiviral drugs Relenza and Tamiflu, but not to amantadine, or Symmetrel, and rimantadine, or Flumadine, Besser said. With normal seasonal flus, if taken within the first 48 hours after symptoms appear, anti-virals can help people recover a day or two sooner. Doctors sometimes prescribe anti-virals to household members of people with the flu to prevent them from getting sick.
Q:What are the symptoms?
A:The most common symptoms are fever, fatigue, lack of appetite and coughing, although some people also develop a runny nose, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea, according to the official diagnosis.
Q:What should you do if you have these symptoms?
A:Stay home from work or school, to avoid spreading your illness to other people. Don't get on an airplane. People should call their doctors to ask about the best treatment, but should not simply show up at a clinic or hospital that is unprepared for their arrival.
Q:How can people protect themselves?
A:As always, people should wash their hands frequently. In the past, there isn't conclusive evidence to support using face masks. Surgical masks are designed to prevent the wearer from spreading germs, but may also catch large respiratory droplets if someone sneezes nearby.
All seniors should be constantly aware of any sickness that is spreading around them since they are the most prone to becoming more ill than most. Senior Helpers can provide clean and efficient services to sharply reduce the chance of you or your loved ones attaining the swine flu virus.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
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..
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