By Kristen Tribe | Published Thursday, November 5, 2009
The H1N1 virus, commonly called swine flu, began spreading rampantly through Wise County, the state and much of the nation in August. Vaccine for this strain of the flu is now available, and Dr. Roger Leaton, Wise County's health officer, recommends it for protection from possible upcoming outbreaks.
There will not be a large vaccination clinic for priority groups as seen in neighboring counties, though. Wise County did not order H1N1 vaccine.
"Wise County chose not to do a mass inoculation for everyone because your provider should have it," said Caryn Dunn, the county's assistant emergency management coordinator.
She said 24 providers, including doctors and pharmacies, ordered more than 22,000 doses, and as of Oct. 23, 1,470 doses have been sent to the county and more should follow weekly.
She said underinsured patients or those whose doctor did not order it should call the state help line by dialing 211 for information on how to receive the vaccine.
DSHS recommends the H1N1 flu vaccine be made first available to pregnant women, caregivers of children younger than six months old, everyone age six months to 24 years, and people age 25 to 64 with health conditions that could cause a higher risk of medical complications from the flu.
Dr. Leslie Hollis, a pediatrician in Decatur, said there is no reason to be scared of the flu shot.
"It was made with the same technology as the regular seasonal flu shot," she said. "(H1N1) is a different strain of flu virus, but the technology [used to make the vaccine] is the same. The safety profiles should be about the same."
The county's health officer said parents should not be concerned any more than with the regular flu vaccine risks.
"People are having reactions to the swine flu vaccine just like to the regular flu vaccine but with more media attention and hype. The reaction is not widespread at all," Leaton said.
Hollis said she saw her first confirmed H1N1 case in August.
"That was extremely early, and through the whole month of September, the levels of patient calls and visits were at levels that are normal for January. It's slowed down in the last three weeks," she said.
There were days in September when Hollis had 10 positive flu tests, and Hollis said they "may have one a day now."
She said the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 99 percent of the flu that was circulating in August and September was H1N1.
Local school districts said absentee rates skyrocketed in September but seemed to have decreased.
"There's not nearly as many sick kids as there were," said Judy Brown, director of health services for Decatur Independent School District. "We're holding pretty steady. I don't know if there's truly not as many that are sick, but our absences ... have leveled off."
Bridgeport, Northwest and Slidell ISDs reported similar trends.
Last May all Wise County schools closed for a period of time, some up to a week, due to the perceived threat of H1N1, but Leaton said he does not anticipate that happening again.
"Right now, the H1N1 strain does not appear more deadly than the regular flu. We are just immunologically immature to it, and hence, it is very contagious," he said. "We know better now that the virus does not seem to be any worse than the regular flu."
He said the only way schools would close is if the virus shifts to a more deadly strain.
Leaton expects another wave of H1N1 after Thanksgiving and Christmas that will last until one or two months after students' winter break.
He does not expect it to slow until late spring or early summer. In the meantime, seasonal flu usually hits in December and January as the temperature drops.
Hollis said it is important to recognize that total avoidance is going to be exceedingly difficult, and she advises regular handwashing and staying away from those who are obviously sick.
Children who have been sick must stay out of school or daycare until they have been fever-free for 24 hours, she pointed out.
For information, visit http://www.texasflu.org a Web site set up by the state with Texas-specific information and http://www.cdc.gov the Centers for Disease Control site. The CDC gives recommendations for how to treat flu patients, but each doctor decides independently how to incorporate those into his or her practice.
