By Denise Richardson
Telephones at local hospitals and clinics have been extra busy with calls from residents concerned about swine flu, according to hospital officials who emphasize prevention over panic.
Bassett Healthcare in Cooperstown has set up an answering line dedicated to connecting callers with information about seeing a doctor, how to prevent the spread of the H1N1 and vaccine availability.
Officials at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital in Oneonta urge patients to call their primary health care provider instead of the main switchboard for answers.
Meanwhile, Bassett Healthcare has administered more than 1,000 H1N1 vaccines, Bassett spokeswoman Karen Huxtable said Thursday.
Alisha Barbera, spokeswoman for Fox Hospital, said 1,220 vaccines for H1N1 have been given to employees and patients.
Otsego County has administered about 600 vaccines, Cynthia Moore, Otsego County public health emergency preparedness coordinator, said.
Unatego Central School District closed Thursday and today because of illnesses.
Worcester and Cherry Valley-Springfield were the two other school districts to close this academic year because of illnesses, Moore said.
The state Department of Health reported that during the week ending Saturday, 22.5 percent of emergency-room visits in the Capital and Northeast sectors of the state were for flu-like illnesses, up from about 4 percent in August. The total number of deaths associated with H1N1 flu reported in the state, not including New York City, since April 24, was 42 patients, the state Department of Health website said.
In June, the World Health Organization declared swine flu a pandemic after the new H1N1 virus was identified in April. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported the widespread flu activity in 48 states, including New York.
Locally, hospital and public health officials said they speak at least weekly about swine flu in a coordinated effort to prevent its spread. Hospital infection-control specialists said orders have been placed for vaccines, but supply is limited and they don't know the schedule, quantity or type of doses that will be delivered through the state from the CDC.
Ruth Blackman, director of infection prevention at Bassett Healthcare, said worried patients are stopping at health and urgent-care centers and telephoning, creating surges in demand more typical in emergency departments.
Bassett officials said one death has been referred to the state as having a possible link to H1N1. However, the patient was a woman in her 70s with many other high-risk medical conditions, they said, and the case is under review.
Russ Grant, director of infection control at Fox, said the Oneonta hospital hasn't had any swine-flu related deaths, but more cases of pneumonia have developed. Fatality rates for swine flu are now lower than for seasonal flu, he said.
But the factor that makes swine flu a greater public health concern, Grant said, is its transmission or ``attack rate'' of 25 percent to 30 percent of people exposed, which is higher than the 10 percent to 15 percent of people exposed to seasonal flu.
Health officials shared answers to some frequently asked questions:
Patients with chest pain or difficulty breathing should be seen in an emergency department. Chronic respiratory illnesses, dizziness and dehydration are among symptoms signaling it's time to visit an urgent-care center or physician.
Washing hands and coughing or sneezing into a sleeve are key components of preventing the spread of flu viruses. Wearing a mask in public isn't needed if these preventive measures are taken.
Stay home when ill. A patient who feels better then takes a turn for the worse should see a doctor.
A flu virus lives about 15 minutes when trapped on a porous material, Grant said. But the virus can survive 24 hours on hard surfaces, according to some studies, pointing to reasons to clean doorknobs, telephone equipment and other touched surfaces.
