Flu tests find H1N1 all over the Flathead

Flathead City-County Health Department officials say influenza testing shows novel H1N1 'swine) flu throughout the valley, but school efforts to send sick children home have helped to slow its spread.

Jody White, director of community health, said Friday that surveillance shows no area has escaped this flu strain.

"It's in all age groups and throughout the valley," she said. "This week we have no hospitalizations that I'm aware of."

White said the department still expects to receive the first shipment of H1N1 vaccine in mid-October. She said the department is making plans to distribute the first doses to top-priority groups: health-care providers (including first responder emergency workers); pregnant women; caregivers of children under six months; and children ages six months to 4 years.

White said she expects to receive weekly shipments through November or until the demand is met. She added that getting vaccinations is voluntary. No vaccinations will be given in the schools.

White said school nurses and other staffers have done an exceptional job of identifying sick children and sending them home.

"We're seeing disease but the rate of spread is not as much as might be expected," she said. "I just had a meeting with school nurses and they are getting a really good response from parents."

Nurses report that they have met less resistance from parents than normal about keeping their children out of school for 24 hours after they are free of all symptoms.

White said the department has heard varying reports about employer response when employees come down with flu symptoms. She said some have been requiring notes from doctors, which raises the problem of people spreading flu at the doctor's office.

"People need to call their doctor's office first if they have influenza-like symptoms," White said.

This allows health-care providers to have masks available or guide the patient to an alternative entrance to protect others from exposure.

White encouraged the public to call the department's flu hotline at 751-8188 or visit www.flatheadhealth.org for more information.

She said the department has received a deluge of calls from people asking for information on the symptoms of flu.

The symptoms include fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and possibly vomiting and diarrhea.

The hotline and Web site have information on both H1N1 and seasonal flu symptoms, vaccines and clinic times.

A seasonal flu immunization clinic is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

United Way has sent out a request for volunteers to work at that community clinic. Help is needed with parking, food services, traffic direction and processing forms for people coming to the clinic for immunizations.

To volunteer, call the United Way volunteer center at 752-7266.

Other seasonal flu vaccination clinics are:

n Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls, 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 1.

n Whitefish Community Center (Golden Agers), 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 1.

n Bigfork Bethany Lutheran Church, 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 13.

The department also offers immunizations at the health department located at 1035 First Ave. W. White said the department staff would prefer that people use the community clinics for the flu immunization if possible.

The county has no reports of seasonal flu in the valley. Normally, flu season starts in late winter and peaks in the early months of the year.

"The only influenza circulating now is H1N1," she said.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.