There is a lot of information in this month’s issue of Health-E-News discussing the Novel H1N1 flu, also known as swine flu. I want to take this opportunity to assure all of our residents and others who read this publication that we will always do our best to share what we know when there is a rapidly changing health situation such as the current H1N1 Influenza epidemic. Almost as important as letting you know that we will share what we know is letting you know that if we do NOT know something we will tell you that as well. An example is the frequently asked question, “When will the H1N1 vaccine be available?” The answer is that we are assuming from what we’ve been told by the CDC that it will probably be available in limited quantities in late October. However, we don’t know when we will have enough to cover all of those at risk. When we do find out, we will say so without delay.
All of us in the health department live and work in this community. We have families and friends affected by the same health concerns as all of you. We understand the concern, confusion and sometimes anxiety that you feel because we feel the same thing. Our best way of “helping” is to give you and our community partners the best information available as soon as we have it to give.
So, keep checking back because we will continue to try to provide accurate and reliable information. In the meantime, we recommend that you get your regular seasonal flu shot even though there is no shot at the moment for H1N1. By getting your seasonal shot, you will protect yourself from three influenza viruses that are expected to be around this fall and winter. That’s three fewer things to be worried about!