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Swine, Pandemic and Seasonal Flu ACTION PAGE

Protecting At-Risk Public Health Workers is Critical to Fighting Pandemic Flu Outbreaks, Witnesses Say

Protecting health care workers, first responders, and other employees on the frontlines of a pandemic outbreak is key to strengthening the nation’s ability to fight viral outbreaks and keep the public safe, experts told the Committee at a May 7 hearing. “This outbreak has proven that a pandemic can have a ripple effect on our communities,” said Chairman George Miller. “In many cases, our morphing public health needs simply don’t align with our education and business needs. Especially in this economy, it’s critical to ensure that when an outbreak hits, students can keep learning and businesses and workers can continue to help move our economy forward.” More»

(4/22/2009) Bureau of National Affairs REPORT: One Third of Facilities not ready for pandemic flu

(4/28/2009) [FACT SHEET] Swine, Pandemic and Seasonal Flu: What’s the Same, What’s Different?

(4/28/2009) [FACT SHEET] Infection Control to Prevent the Spread of Swine Flu in Health Care Settings

(4/28/2009) [CHECKLIST] Swine Flu Response Plan

HIGH ALERT: Nurse Alliance Health & Safety
Committee Meets to Recommend Precautions

[4/27/2009] In response to the public health emergency declared by U.S. health officials, the Nurse Alliance Health & Safety Committee, chaired by Wendy Laprade, RN, met last night for a briefing by SEIU Health & Safety Director Bill Borwegen who is participating in CDC calls. The Committee is updating its fact sheets on pandemic flu for dissemination to worksite leaders and rank and file members. Revised fact sheets will be posted on SEIU.org within the next 24 hours.

In New York City, it was an alert school nurse may have helped stop an outbreak of swine flu when she alerted the city after about 75 students at St. Francis Preparatory school showed similar symptoms. SEIU members are frontline workers who, properly informed, could be responsible for setting appropriate responses in motion - responses that could limit an outbreak and could prevent their own illness.

Symptoms

- Dry cough and/or sore throat

- Headache

- Joint pain

- Nasal congestion

- General fatigue

- Vomiting and diarrhea are possible

- In rare cases, flu virus attacks the lungs, a complication that can be fatal

Swine Flu Alert Center

Swine Flu Cases Rising in US, World
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090427/swine-flu-cases-rising-in-us-world
WebMD Health News, April 27, 2009

Expert Video Commentary

Swine Flu - A Fast-Moving New Flu
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/701961?src=rss
(if link doesn't work, google, "Swine Flu - A Fast-Moving New Flu")
Paul G. Auwaerter, MD, MBA

CDC REPORTS ON SWINE INFLUENZA INVESTIGATION AND GIVES INTERIM
RECOMMENDATIONS; MANY CONTINUALLY UPDATED RESOURCES AVAILABLE
FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND THE PUBLIC

On April 25, CDC issued an official Health Advisory titled "Investigation and Interim Recommendations: Swine Influenza (H1N1)." See excerpts below. The investigation is ongoing, and many continually updated resources are available from CDC, WHO, and others. To access an overview of resources on this fast-moving situation, browse through the CDC's Swine Influenza (Flu) web section at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu For a listing of useful links to specific information, see the end of this IAC Express article.

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CDC, in collaboration with public health officials in California
and Texas, is investigating cases of febrile respiratory illness
caused by swine influenza (H1N1) viruses.

At this time, CDC recommends
the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment of
infection with swine influenza viruses. The H1N1 viruses are
resistant to amantadine and rimantadine but not to oseltamivir
or zanamivir. It is not anticipated that the seasonal influenza
vaccine will provide protection against the swine flu H1N1
viruses.

Clinicians should consider swine influenza infection in the
differential diagnosis of patients with febrile respiratory
illness and who (1) live in San Diego or Imperial counties,
California, or Guadalupe County, Texas, or traveled to these
counties or (2) who traveled recently to Mexico or were in
contact with persons who had febrile respiratory illness and
were in one of the three U.S. counties or Mexico during the 7
days preceding their illness onset.

Patients who meet these criteria should be tested for influenza,
and specimens positive for influenza should be sent to public
health laboratories for further characterization. Clinicians who
suspect swine influenza virus infections in humans should obtain
a nasopharyngeal swab from the patient, place the swab in a
viral transport medium, refrigerate the specimen, and then
contact their state or local health department to facilitate
transport and timely diagnosis at a state public health
laboratory.

Persons with febrile respiratory illness should stay home from
work or school to avoid spreading infections (including
influenza and other respiratory illnesses) to others in their
communities. In addition, frequent hand washing can lessen the
spread of respiratory illness.

CDC has not recommended that people avoid travel to affected
areas at this time. [Editor's Note: During an April 27 press
conference, CDC announced it would be releasing a new travel
advisory for Mexico, recommending that non-essential travel to
Mexico be avoided, and offering steps people can take to avoid
infection if they need to travel to Mexico during this time. For
developing information on this topic, go to
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu] Recommendations found at
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluUS.aspx will help
travelers reduce risk of infection and stay healthy.

Clinical guidance on laboratory safety, case definitions,
infection control, and information for the public are available
at: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm

* Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Biosafety Guidelines for
    Laboratory Workers:
    http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidelines_labworkers.htm

* Interim Guidance for Infection Control for Care of Patients
    with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus
    Infection in a Healthcare Setting:
    http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidelines_infection_control.htm

* Interim Guidance on Case Definitions for Swine Influenza A
   (H1N1) Human Case Investigations:
    http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/casedef_swineflu.htm

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports Dispatch (April 24)
provide detailed information about the initial cases at
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm58d0424a1.htm

For more information about swine flu:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu

Additional information is also available by calling (800) CDC- INFO [(800) 232-4636]

******************

To access the 4/25/09 Health Advisory, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/HAN_042509.pdf

To access CDC's Swine Influenza web section, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu

To access a page of listings of online resources for healthcare
professionals and the public titled What's New on the Swine Flu
Site, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/whatsnew.htm

To access a page of information and links titled Guidance for
Clinicians & Public Health Professionals, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidance

To access links on CDC's Reports & Publications page, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pubs

To access CDC Press Briefing Transcripts page, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/press

To access a page of general information for the public titled
Questions & Answers: Swine Influenza and You, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

To access a page of more in-depth information for the public
titled Questions & Answers: Key Facts about Swine Influenza
(Swine Flu), go to: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

To access a page of information for the Spanish-speaking public
titled Datos importantes sobre la influenza porcina (gripe
porcina), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/espanol/swine_espanol.htm

To access a two-page brochure for the public titled Swine
Influenza in Pigs and People, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/brochure.pdf

To access information from the American Academy of Pediatrics
about swine flu, go to:
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/may09swineflu.htm

For international information from the WHO web page titled
Disease Outbreak News, go to: http://www.who.int/csr/don/en

To access a WHO press release titled Swine Flu Illness in the
United States and Mexico--Update 2 (dated 4/26/09), go to:
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_26/en

To access a press release issued by HHS titled HHS Declares
Public Health Emergency for Swine Flu, go to:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/04/20090426a.html

HIGH ALERT: Nurse Alliance Health & Safety
Committee Meets to Recommend Precautions

HIGH ALERT: Nurse Alliance Health & Safety

Committee Meets to Recommend Precautions