The ongoing presence of the H1N1 flu virus in Colorado communities, as demonstrated by 28 outbreaks in local summer camps, will present challenges to Coloradans as our schools welcome back their students. The new H1N1 vaccine is not scheduled to arrive in the state until mid-October, and vaccine distribution also will present challenges. However, I am confident that our state will rise to these challenges as we work together to mitigate the impact of this new public health threat.
While there remain many questions about the severity and overall impact of the new flu strain, it is clear that it is at least as severe as seasonal flu, which already takes about 800 lives per year in Colorado. It appears that H1N1 differentially impacts children, adolescents and young adults, as well as pregnant women. It is certain that we will see cases of flu in school children and likely we will see transmission in schools and even outbreaks. However, at this time our guidance is to treat it as any other flu, keep schools open, and deal with it with common sense and personal responsibility.
There’s no secret to controlling the spread of the flu. We must keep those who are ill separated from those who are well. Parents of school and preschool students must plan for keeping their kids home if they are sick. We should have these plans in place now, as our schools are opening. Local public health officials are recommending that schools have policies in place to send sick students home, so parents must also have plans in place to pick up ill children.
While in school, we must stress the simple messages of good hand-washing and hygiene. Cover your cough and sneezes, use and properly dispose of tissues, and wash your hands with soap and water often. To quote Mary Pappas, a school nurse who presented at the national flu summit last month, “if it’s wet and it’s not yours, don’t touch it.” We must all take personal responsibility to minimize our own risk of getting ill.
The availability of the vaccine again will require us to work together to have an effective response. It may well be that early on, we will not have enough for all those who want it. Recognizing that the H1N1 flu will impact certain groups disproportionately harder, we must be willing to delay our own vaccinations to ensure those who need it most get it first. And, while vaccination will remain the single best means to mitigate the impact of H1N1, we must respect the decisions of those who choose not to be vaccinated.
The H1N1 situation remains fluid, and our plans may well change in response to the impact of the illness in our communities. But working together in the spirit of our Western tradition of community, we can successfully navigate through what this new flu will bring us.
Ned Calonge is chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
