Sep. 7--CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginians could start getting vaccinated against the H1N1 virus by mid-October, the state's health officer says.
"It's going to be a flow," Dr. Cathy Slemp said last week. "I think you will see a gradual increase in the availability of the vaccine, and we project that by late October, early November you're seeing more large scale clinics as more vaccine becomes available."
Initial target groups for the H1N1, or swine flu, vaccine would include people at high risk of complications from infection, as well as their caregivers, Slemp said.
Those include pregnant women, as well as parents, siblings and day care providers of babies less than 6 months of age, who are too young to be vaccinated, she said.
Other target groups for vaccination are health care and emergency medical service workers and young people between 6 months and 24 years of age.
Adults ages 25 through 64 with underlying medical conditions, including lung disease, asthma and weakened immune systems, are considered a priority for vaccination as well, Slemp said.
West Virginia confirmed its first swine flu-related death on Friday. The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department reported that a 51-year-old Kanawha County man with underlying chronic health conditions died from complications of pneumonia.
"While tragic, his death reminds us that even though most of the H1N1 cases in the state have been mild or moderate, all flu viruses can be deadly and everyone should remain vigilant in helping to prevent the spread of H1N1 and the seasonal flu," the department's health officer, Dr. Rahul Gupta, said in a news release.
Nationally about 593 swine flu-related deaths had been reported this year as of Friday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, about 109 were children or young adults up to age 24, the CDC reported.
People 65 years and older accounted for about 57 deaths, the center reported.
While typically a priority group for the seasonal flu vaccines, the older population group was not included on the initial target list for swine flu vaccination.
"People over 65, interestingly, are not seeming to be infected at the same rates of younger individuals," Slemp said. "We think that sometime in the past, folks of that age group may have been exposed to a similar or related virus and seem to have some underlying immunity."
While most people who either get seasonal or swine flu recover, flu can be very serious, Slemp said.
Seasonal flu results on average in 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States, she said.
"At present the H1N1 virus seems to cause similar disease severity as seasonal flu," Slemp said.
There seems to be more focus on swine flu currently because it is new and less predictable and also because it has more of an effect on younger people, Slemp said.
"The good thing here is that we haven't seen an extreme mutation in the virus that has caused the severity of each case to worsen a great deal," said Rachel Morgan, senior health policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures.
But "it is unpredictable," Morgan said. "That is why you're seeing some children dying without fever or without underlying health conditions."
Parents should follow normal, everyday recommendations of watching children for health or behavior changes, such as not playing as much, she said.
"Some children don't complain in the least that they're not feeling well," Morgan said. "They don't say anything."
Ask questions, such as "Are you feeling alright? Does your head hurt? Are you tired? Does your body ache?" Morgan said.
"Being aware of what's going on with your child is very important," Morgan said.
Other tips are making sure children get plenty of rest, eat well-balanced meals and take vitamins, wash their hands and avoid sharing bottles, she said.
Parents whose children develop breathing problems or a spiked fever may want to seek medical care, especially if the child has asthma or other underlying health conditions, Morgan said.
"If you're looking at treating a child who has a condition like this it's important to seek medical care within a short timeframe," Morgan said.
Anti-virals to treat swine flu typically are effective within a window of 48 to 72 hours from the onset of symptoms, she said.
People in the U.S. typically try to wait it out at home for a few days after getting sick and then go see a doctor if symptoms persist.
"We kind of need to change our mindset a little bit," Morgan said.
While healthy people with mild symptoms may not need medical attention, they may want to at least call a doctor.
"It's always good maybe to ask your own physician, 'What do you recommend?' especially if you have underlying health conditions," Morgan said.
The severity of the flu virus as a general rule is not extreme and has not worsened, she said.
"But we are going to see a lot of people getting sick because it is very contagious," Morgan said. "So it will be disruptive."
The hope is that fewer infections will occur as more people get vaccinated, she said.
"Unfortunately the virus is hitting before the vaccine is," Morgan said.
The majority of people who get swine flu are able to recover at home with fluids and rest and over-the-counter medications for fever and muscle aches, just like with seasonal flu, Slemp said.
Seasonal flu viruses tend to increase in the fall and winter as people congregate more in schools, universities and other settings, Slemp said, and the same is expected for swine flu.
"While no one has a crystal ball we wouldn't be surprised and expect we'll likely see an increase in H1N1 cases over the fall," Slemp said.
Swine flu has been identified in most West Virginia counties, she said.
The swine flu vaccine is being manufactured through the same process used to make seasonal flu, Slemp said.
"Both vaccines will be important over the season," Slemp said. "Seasonal flu vaccine is not expected to protect against swine flu."
Or vice versa, she said.
Meanwhile, common sense -- and common courtesy -- is recommended.
"It's really important to think about covering your cough and sneeze, washing your hands, staying home if you're sick or keeping your child home from school and getting vaccinated," Slemp said.
For more information about swine flu, visit the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department's Web site at www.kchdwv.org/h1n1 and the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health's Threat Preparedness site at www.wvflu.org.
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