Swine flu update - letter to employees
As of Monday, May 4, Oregon public health officials have confirmed 18 cases of the virus in five counties. The seven people with confirmed cases of H1N1 virus in Multnomah County are recovering.
We continue to monitor recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state officials on testing, treatment, and school and facility closures. Public health officials expect that the virus may be less severe than anticipated. As the situation evolves, our approaches and local response may also change and you will be notified.
One concern that has remained constant is that the virus may change and could affect the world population much more severely during the next flu season. As winter and flu season approach in the southern hemisphere, the World Health Organization and CDC will monitor developments closely. Health officials remind us that normal flu is quite serious – nationally, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with flu complications and 36,000 people die each year from seasonal flu.
We understand that you may be concerned about your safety at work. We want to assure you that local, state, and federal public health officials are monitoring this situation and we are not recommending any changes to our services or normal procedures at this time. All the following recommendations are for the protection of our staff and community and are consistent with swine flu or otherwise.
Here are the ways to stop the spread of influenza:
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If you are sick, please stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. (symptoms include fever over 100F, chills/feverishness, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea)
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Keep children who are sick at home. Do not send them to school, child care, or public gatherings.
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Wash your hands frequently.
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Cover your cough and sneeze with the inside of your elbow or your shirtsleeve, not your hands.
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If someone in your home is sick with flu-like symptoms contact your healthcare provider, especially if any of the following warning signs occur:
May 5, 2009
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Children Adults
Fast breathing or trouble breathing Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Bluish skin color Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Not drinking enough fluids Sudden dizziness
Fever with rash Severe or persistent vomiting
Child so irritable they do not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but return with fever & worse cough
At this time we are not recommending masks or antiviral medications for prevention. This is consistent with national and state guidelines and also reflects conditions we are seeing in our community. Our experience with H1N1 virus is an important reminder for county employees and departments to review or develop plans for business continuity in the event of a serious disease outbreak or natural disaster such as an earthquake. We should be confident we can maintain our county business for our most vulnerable community members even in the face of disruption. At home, we encourage you to develop a family plan for emergencies and have an emergency kit of food, water and other supplies on hand.
Please utilize the resources on Multnomah County Health Department website: http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/health/swineflu/index.shtml
(Posters for the worksite are available in multiple languages at the county website.)
Additional information can be found at www.flu.oregon.gov . The statewide flu hotline, staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm is 1-800-978-3040 and can accommodate English and Spanish-speaking callers.
We would also like to acknowledge the many county employees who are working with our state and regional partners in response to the H1N1 virus. This experience will help all of us to fine tune and improve the county response to emergencies.
Posted on May 5, 2009
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