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Selma prepared for swine flu outbreak
Published Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Although there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu in Alabama, some local residents figure it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the virus that resulted in seven confirmed deaths in Mexico before spreading across the border into the United States. As of Wednesday, there were 91 confirmed cases of swine flu in six states.
Pharmacy manager Susan Poe said people came into Walgreens on the corner of Broad Street and Highland Avenue this week to buy paper masks and ask about the pharmacy's flu vaccine supply. The pharmacy has plenty of Tamiflu, one of two vaccines, Poe said.
"Most people aren't fearing that they have it," she said. "But we've had calls regarding if we have enough medication to handle an outbreak. If we have any problem, we are able to meet the patient's needs."
Ashvin Parikh, health services administrator of the Dallas County Health Department, said there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu in the county. However, the health department received a number of phone calls Wednesday from people concerned about the spread of the virus.
"I talked to the clerk, and she said about 10-to-15 people called," Parikh said. "We don't have any cases in Dallas County though."
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, swine flu is a respiratory infection caused by influenza type A viruses that typically cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can occur. Human cases typically involve people who have had direct contact with pigs, but person-to-person transmission is suspected among recent cases in the U.S. and Mexico.
Callie Nelson, Dallas County Extension Coordinator, said her office has not received any phone calls regarding the swine flu. There are no major pork producers in Dallas County," she said.
"We don't have any major pork producers," she said.
The Alabama State Health Department tested eight specimens Tuesday, but none showed signs of swine flu or even of regular seasonal flu, according to health department officials.
Tim Williamson, a pharmacist at Carter Drug Company on Broad Street, said no one has come in the store asking about swine flu, yet. For the average Alabama resident, Williamson said he did not believe there was a whole lot to worry about. Like many flu strains, young and elderly people who have weak immune systems are more susceptible than others, Williamson said.
"The potential for everybody to be real contagious is what they're worried about," he said. "It's just a different strain of the flu, and it's going to be real easy for people to catch it."
The Alabama Department of Public Health released a list of recommendations to help prevent the spread of the virus: cover your cough or sneeze with a sleeve or tissue, wash your hands often with soap and water and avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose with your hands.
In a press release, State Health Officer Dr. Donald Williamson said following these recommendations would make a world of difference.
"The best way to prevent the spread is through following basic rules of hygiene," he said.
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Comments
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is the health department prepared for a possible outbreak? Mr.Parikh didn't answer that question.Also,this "novel" virus, they're calling it,has a combination of bird,pig,and human genes that's why it's spreading so easily it's also killed people in ther 20's,30's and,40's in Mexico.In addition to practicing good hygiene we better pray this thing doesn't mutate into something even more virulent.This also should be a wake up call to our public health agencies that we need to be better prepared and proactive against these new strains of bacteria and viruses...God forbid if something like Ebola becomes airborne we'd be in big trouble.It's not that far fetched,just read the book Hot Zone by Richard Preston.
Posted by gladimoved (anonymous) on April 29, 2009 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'ts here people. 2 cases in Madison County, Alabama have been reported
Posted by Bg (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
People do a little research on your swine flu vaccine before you start doing anything drastic. If your searching on the internet some keywords you might want to plug in are "swine flu 1976 debacle"
Death count for the US in '76
swine flu = 1
Vaccine = 25
Research
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We probably need to be careful about labeling public health emergencies "debacles",Bg.I agree that people need to put this in perspective and not panic by saying updated and practicing good hygiene,but to minimize this as a debacle is not wise either...viruses are dangerous and unpredictable and they command our respect.
Posted by Bg (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Leo: I was not labeling this out break as a bebacle. I was labeling what happened in 1976 as a debacle, do a little research on it and I think you might find what happened in 1976 was a gross mismanagement by the US govt, in response to the H1N1 flu (swine flu).
What worries me is that people are very quick to vaccinate themselves when something like this occurs and sometimes (NOT EVERYTIME) the vaccine does more damage than the actual virus. People need to educate themselves.
In the United States seasonal Flu (the one that you hear about EVERY year) affects an average of 60 million people with 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths EVERY Year! This is just in the US. looking at that I am concerned that people might over react to the to the media blitz that has been the 2009 swine flu PANDEMIC!!!! Just a word to the wise to be careful what you listen to and don't buy into the media, ratings machine. Fear SELLS.
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I see,and you're right. Is this the same scare that occured during Gerald Ford's administration,where he ordered mass vaccinations in response to a flu scare and some patients developed Guillain-Barre disease
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh how quick we forget Y2K. What a false national panic that created as well.
Posted by realdeal2 (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@eyeonyou - it's people like you that let things get out of hand and become a real problem. You can move to Mexico!
Posted by Bg (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Leo: Yes it was during Ford's admin. The Government launched a heavy media assault with scare propaganda (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASibLqwVb...) and urged EVERYone to get the swine flu vaccine. About 1/4 of the US population was vacinated resulting in over 500 cases of Guillian-Barre syndrome and 25 deaths.
The swine flu "epidemic" of that year concluded with around 200 cases resulting 13 hospitalizations and one death. All of the infected, the hospitalizations and the 1 death occured at Fort Dix army base in NJ, it has never been explained why it was so localized or what caused the outbreak.(http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/05-0965.htm)
Pari: I agree on beter safe than sorry but safe in this matter can be washing your hands frequently and using good hygene
Realdeal2: ? what are you saying?
Posted by realdeal2 (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@Bg - read the comment up 2 from mine.
Posted by I_saw_what_you_did_in_Selma (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
100 cases in the US over the course of a week does not a pandemic make. Like said above, "regular flu" kills 36,000/year just in the US. That's a little over 100 DEATHS per day each and every day of the year, not 100 getting ill, but 100 deaths. We've had 1 death in the US from this and a little over 100 people contract it? And, this is a pandemic? Perspective people, perspective.
I see on a lot of other boards where people are yelling "keep the illegals out," "close the boarder," "shoot to kill" and making all kinds of remarks about illegals crossing the border being the cause of this, but considering almost everybody in the US that has this has recently traveled to Mexico or has been in close contact with someone who has, we only have ourselves to blame for it entering the country.
Posted by marlwall (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh just for all you people buying paper masks. Don't. Because the particules are so small that they pass right through the mask. If you are sick STAY HOME,good hygenie, and COMMON SENSE!
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Realdeal, I don't quite understand how I am making things get out of hand? I simply said the government loves to play up events. Whether or not this is a real pandemic, only time will tell. YEs, I rather be safe than sorry though. They acted like Y2K was the ending of time, yet, wasn't a blip on the radar. Sounds like another ploy for people to run out and stock pile.....mmmmmm....rejuvenate the economy huh??????
Move to Mexico?? Now that was brilliant.
Posted by SonofKhabibulin (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 6:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am going to watch baseball in fayetteville tomorrow with the family( Lsu Tigers vs Arkansas Razorbacks) Should we all wear "The Mask"????
ROFLMAO!!!!!
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
YES.....run out nd stockpile water and toilet paper!!! hahahahah Don't eat bacon or porkchops either, pigs are rebelling. Too funny.
Posted by SonofKhabibulin (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess the soccer players will have their "NUMBER" on their mask so we can identify our favorite players!!!!!
Yuk Yuk
ROFLMAO!!!!
Posted by sel36703 (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 3:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
The CDC has not confirmed any case of the flu in Alabama
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They're "suspected" cases,sel36703.The Alabama Department Of Public Health has to send samples collected from these people to Atlanta to be confirmed for Swine Flu,if we're not on the list now we will be.
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