Additional Swine Flu Vaccines Are On The Way

By John Larson
SOCORRO – As the supply of flu shots are being used up in Socorro County, state officials report that more doses are on the way.
As of last week, the Department of Health has ordered 78,600 doses of novel H1N1 vaccine that will be shipped directly to healthcare providers and public health offices statewide. Both nasal and injectable vaccine has been ordered. The vaccine will arrive in stages, and the Department of Health expects to have about 1.2 million doses by the end of January 2010.
1.050 doses have been earmarked for Socorro County. Catron County will be receiving 60 doses.
Ruth Guin of the Socorro Public Health Office said the flu usually runs its course in three to five days.
“For most people just stay home and don’t go out in public. Keep your body hydrated,” Guin said. “Try and bring the fever down.”
The area schools have been seeing an increase in school absences.
Socorro Consolidated Schools Superintendent Cheryl Wilson told the Mountain Mail that the school nurses follow the guidelines from the Center for Disease Control.
“If a child has a fever of 100.4 they are sent home,” Wilson said. “Parents have already been keeping their children home who are exhibiting symptoms – a fever of 100 or higher and a cough. Right now we’re experiencing mid-winter flu absence rates. Absence rates we usually see in January.”
Wilson said the schools’ four Registered Nurses and nurses aids are tracking trends and comparing patterns with previous years.
“What the CDC figured is this; while it spreads easily it is not as dangerous as originally thought,” Wilson said. “The CDC is not recommending school closures unless we have too many staff or teachers out,”
She said if a child exhibits symptoms is kept home, a note from the family doctor will not be required.
“Doctors’ offices are already being flooded. If you’re out for any length of time a doctor’s excuse will not be required,” Wilson said. “Just keep them home until they’re fever-free.”
New Mexico Tech Public Information Officer Thom Guengerich said the emergency response team is meeting regularly to continually assess the situation.
“The university has placed dispensers of waterless hand sanitizers around campus, and has instituted policies asking employees to stay home if they believe they have the flu,” Guengerich said. “Guidelines we put into effect last spring to help stem the spread of the flu are still place. We’ve also sent letters to all students and employees detailing the best practices to minimize the spread of germs.”
An increase in traffic is being seen at New Mexico Tech’s student health center from students with flu-like symptoms.
The health department is encouraging the following people who are at a higher risk for developing serious complications from novel H1N1 to get vaccinated as soon as possible: pregnant women, household members/caretakers of infants less than six months old, children six to 59 months of age, children 5 to 18 years with certain chronic health conditions that increase their risk of complications from flu, and healthcare workers and emergency medical service personnel with direct patient care.

Additional Swine Flu Vaccines Are On The Way