HUERFANO- LAS ANIMAS- The Las Animas and Huerfano County Health Department has received confirmation for the Novel H1N1 (Swine Flu) Virus. They have also been in daily contact with Mt. San Rafael Hospital in Trinidad and Spanish Peaks Regional Hospital in Walsenburg.
Evidence is clear that Novel H1N1, also known as the Swine Flu, is in our communities. The Health Department encourages people with Influenza Like Illness to
• stay home,
• take care of yourself,
• rest, and
• drink lots of fluids.
Health care providers can prescribe medicines to help fight the flu. For these medicines to work well, you must take them within 48 hours after the symptoms of flu appear.
Influenza-Like symptoms include : fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea. You should stay home and avoid contact with other people. CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.
Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, social events, and public gatherings.
You can find additional information about H1N1 or Influenza A and B at www.flu.gov, www.la-h-health.org, or you can call CO HELP 1-877-462-2911.
Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• Stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick.
• Keep sick children at home. You will help prevent others from catching the illness.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Washing your hands and the hands of your children often will help protect you from germs.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, becasue germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Answer these questions every morning before sending your child to school or daycare:
1. Does your child have a fever (100º F or 37. 7ºC)? If you do not have a thermometer, feel your child’s skin with your hand. If it is much warmer than usual your child probably has a fever.
2. Does your child also have a sore throat, cough, headache, runny nose, body aches, vomiting, or diarrhea?
If your child has a fever and some of these symptoms, your child might have the flu. Keep your child home from school until the fever is gone for at least 24 hours without the use of fever lowering medications such as Tylenol® or Ibuprofen.
The Health Department has been to local schools with educational materials which are available for parents, and have been sent home with students. As soon as the H1N1 vaccine is available, the Health Department has arranged with local schools to vaccinate students at the school site.
We have also set up additional "Seasonal
Influenza" Clinics:
• Tuesday 9-29-09 4-8 pm.
•Saturday 10-10-09 9 am to 1 pm in Walsenburg
•Tuesday 10-13-09 4-8 pm.
•Saturday 10-224-09 9 am to 1 pm.
•Tuesday 10-27-09 4- 8 pm. in Walsenburg
•Saturday 11-07-09 9 am. to 1 pm in Walsenburg
•Tuesday 11-10-09 4-8 pm.
•Saturday 11-21-09 9 am to 1 pm.
• Tuesday 11-24-09 4 – 8 pm.
These clinics are being held at the Health Department building at 119 East 5th Street in Walsenburg.
When the H1N1 vaccine arrives, both vaccines will be available to target populations.
