Linda Hattaway, Sequoyah County Health Department director said, the H1N1 virus is widespread. She said the number of cases in Sequoyah County is undetermined.
“We know that has been a lot of people sick but right now its unclear how many reported cases there are of H1N1.”
Hattaway said the health department will be shutting down the normal routine and holding just the H1N1 clinic to help staff keep up with the demand.
The vaccine will be available to the following groups:
•All children ages 6 months through 18 years.
•Pregnant women.
•Healthcare workers with direct patient contact to acutely ill persons.
•Custodial parents of infants less than 6 months of age.
•Persons 19 to 64 years old with chronic medical conditions such as chronic pulmonary disease, renal dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and immunosuppressive illnesses.
Local county health departments will continue to target delivery of the vaccine to healthy school-aged children, pre-K through grade12, at school locations that are experiencing elevated absenteeism rates due to children and staff out with influenza.
“There have been more deaths with the H1N1 virus than with the regular seasonal flu virus,” Hattaway said.
“Last week in Oklahoma six deaths were reported from the H1N1,” Hattaway said, “and some of those were young children.”
It’s not that people wait too long to go to the doctor to seek help. The virus hits and overwhelms. The infected person’s lungs are compromised and organs can start shutting down. It affects people differently.”
For more information about the availability of H1N1 influenza vaccine, call the Sequoyah County Health Department at (918) 775-6201 or visit www.health.ok.gov.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health will be answering questions regarding the H1N1 influenza. Call the toll-free H1N1 hotline from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1-866-278-7134.
