CRH preparing for two rounds of flu

September 3, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Rebecca Winter, Marketing Coordinator
Crittenden Regional Hospital
870.735.1500

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Officials and the medical staff at Crittenden Regional Hospital are getting ready for what could be a double-whammy from two doses of influenza. According to CRH Chief Executive Officer Jamie Carter, the hospital placed its order for the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine Wednesday. He said the hospital has some vaccine for what is termed “seasonal flu” and is receiving additional doses now.
“The CDC (Center for Disease Control) said we
can start vaccination for (seasonal) flu right now,” Carter said. “We have always waited until the end of October so the shot will last through the season, but the CDC is saying the shot is good for one year.”
Blanche Hair, CRH’s infection control director,
said while the news is covering the H1N1 strain
of influenza, seasonal flu strains should be taken just as seriously.
“The medical staff and Dr. Vladimir Chachanidze
(infectious disease physician at CRH) recommends that people pay just as much attention to seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu,” she said. “People, especially those in high-risk groups, need to be pro-active with precautions and get vaccinated as they would any year.”
She said preventative measures are as simple
as good hand washing and using alcohol-based
hand sanitizers, coughing into a tissue or your arm to prevent spreading the virus, and see your private physician if symptoms develop and confirmation of the disease, and to stay at home until symptoms disappear.
High-risk groups for seasonal flu are all children
six months to four years old, all persons 50 years or older, children and teenagers from six
months to 18 years old who take aspirin daily,
pregnant women, adults and children with chronic lung (including asthma) or heart disorders, children two years old or older and adults with chronic metabolic diseases
(including diabetes), individuals with
kidney diseases, blood disorders or weakened
immune systems (including persons with
HIV/AIDS), and residents of nursing homes or longterm care facilities.
“The CDC said, with the flu season, timing is
everything. Early treatment and vaccinations
are very important,” Hair said.
Carter said the hospital will hold its drive through vaccinations again this year. Dates
have not been determined yet but will be announced soon.
He said the hospital has ordered more than 900
doses of the H1N1 vaccine. “We get weekly updates on the (H1N1) flu from the CDC,” Carter said.
“We ordered the vaccine today but we are not clear if there is to be two shots or one shot with a followup shot. The CDC is still coming out with the guidelines.”
He said it is especially important for children,
pregnant women and individuals between 20
and 50 years old to get the H1N1 vaccination.
“Everyone will be impacted by H1N1,” Hair
said. “So far, it is very mild from what was
expected. It is milder than what we see with
seasonal flu.”
“Our plan is, once we get the H1N1 vaccine, is to vaccinate those that the CDC recommends as high risk,” Carter said.
Carter said CRH is developing a plan to handle
a massive outbreak of either strain of the flu
“If we see a surge in the flu, say 100 people at the emergency room with symptoms, we will institute our surge policy,” Carter said. “That is
when we will set up a ‘flu clinic’ to separate those with the flu from the hospital staff so we can treat them. We are preparing for that possibility.”

By MIKE DOUGLAS
news@theeveningtimes.com
www.theeveningtimes.com