Jan. 27--Cases of H1N1 influenza have dipped in the state in recent weeks, but state and local health officials still urge residents to get vaccinated against the illness, if they haven't done so already.
Connecticut Department of Health spokeswoman Diana Lejardi said the H1N1 pandemic is technically still in its second wave, which started Aug. 30. Since then, there have been 3,386 laboratory-confirmed cases of the illness in the state -- almost double the 1,996 cases that occurred in the first wave, which ran from April to Aug. 29. Lejardi said the second wave peaked in mid-November, and the number of cases has been declining ever since. However, swine flu hasn't disappeared and it's unknown whether a third wave will surface. "Though there's a decrease in cases, we're still seeing cases," Lejardi said.
She also pointed out that we're heading into prime time for seasonal flu, so everyone should still be mindful of their health and take proper precautions. "Flu is a serious illness, and people should take it seriously," Lejardi said.
Margee Keegan, nurse and infection preventionist at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, echoed Lejardi's cautious optimism. Keegan said she has seen a dip in cases at the hospital over the past few months, but she isn't sure that H1N1 won't return for another round. The hospital is continuing to offer vaccines for employees and for the public through its immediate health care center.
"We're going to make sure we stay ahead of the game," she said.
To help prevent a resurgence of H1N1, many health departments in the region are still providing vaccination clinics. Unlike the clinics held when the state first received doses of the vaccine, these sessions are open to everyone. Initially, health care providers were asked to reserve vaccine for groups at high-risk for H1N1, including children and health care workers.
Now, many health care providers have enough doses of the vaccine to distribute to anyone who needs it. That includes groups like seniors, who previously were told not to seek out the vaccine.
The Naugatuck Valley Health District is actually holding most of its weekly vaccination clinics at senior centers. On Tuesday, it sponsored a walk-in clinic at the Derby Senior Center and, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 17, it's sponsoring a seniors-only clinic at the Shelton Senior Center. There will also be a walk-in from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 4 at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish in Shelton.
Debbie Horvath, assistant director of community health for the Valley Health District, said attendance at the clinics has fluctuated depending on the location, but interest in the vaccine is still strong. Though cases are tapering off and "the peak has passed," Horvath said those who haven't been vaccinated should at least consider it, particularly as health departments are doling out the vaccine for free. "It's the predominant virus circulating right now," Horvath said.
Staff at other area health departments also said they're continuing to host H1N1 clinics, including Stratford. Town health director Lisa Pippa said the town holds periodic free clinics, and was planning to host one from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the health department office, 468 Birdseye St. Like others, Pippa said fervor over the disease has faded and the department doesn't receive as many calls about the vaccine as it did a few months ago. However, she said it would be a good idea for anyone who hasn't gotten the vaccine yet to seek it out.
"We don't know H1N1 all that well, and we're kind of split on whether there will be a third wave," Pippa said. "I would always err on the side of caution."
Elizabeth Rodriguez, Bridgeport's public health emergency preparedness coordinator, echoed that statement. "It's not as prevalent as it was prior," she said of H1N1. "But we maintain that we want people to get vaccinated."
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