Information on HINI

The H1N1 Flu Vaccine will be available in about two weeks. One shot or aerosol for those aged 10 and above; two shots for those 6 months to 10 years. It is recommended especially for healthcare workers, pregnant women, and those caring for infants under 6 months. Ultimately, everyone should consider getting this vaccine.

The vaccine is being offered for free by the Federal Government. Your provider may charge your insurance an administration fee. Your city will have locations to get the vaccine for free if you do not have a provider.

Go to www.Flu.gov for the most up-to-date information. There is “Locator” link on the website to help you find a place near you to get the shot.

Note that H1N1 Flu is different from the seasonal flu, which kills thousands of people each year. The vaccine for the flu shot is already available and is recommended in addition to the H1N1 Flu shot.

Federal Health and Community Leaders Join Forces to Provide Critical Information to Asian American & Pacific Islander Communities on the H1N1 Flu

The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF); the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health (OMH); the National Council of Asian and Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP); and the Association of Asian and Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), have joined together to inform Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities about the H1N1 flu virus and precautions they can take to minimize the spread of the virus.

H1N1 (previously referred to as “swine flu”) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people.  This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.  OMH, APIAHF, NCAPIP, and AAPCHO are working together to ensure timely, accurate, and appropriate information about the H1N1 flu is effectively communicated to AAPI communities .

Dr. Garth Graham, Director of OMH explained that symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to symptoms of seasonal flu with fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue.  Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting. Individuals who experience severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest or abdominal pain, sudden dizziness, or persistent vomiting, should seek immediate medical attention. “The H1N1 flu can be transmitted through coughing and sneezing, or touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching the mouths, eyes, or noses.  Individuals are not at risk for the H1N1 virus through food transmission or by eating pork products,” said Dr. Wilson Ko, President of the Chinese American Medical Society and member of NCAPIP.
 
OMH, APIAHF, NCAPIP, and AAPCHO are working closely together to monitor the situation and convey critical information to not only AAPI health care networks, but also to community social networks.  This is an important step given that AAPI communities experience linguistic and access to care barriers.  Census 2000 revealed that 73% of Asian Americans and 35% of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders spoke a language other than English at home.
 
Having limited English proficiency tremendously impacts access to health information and services.  Nonelderly AAPIs are more likely to be without a usual source of care compared to non-Hispanic Whites; while rates differ among AAPI populations, 20% of Asian Indians lack a usual source of care.  “We want to let our communities, health care providers, community health leaders, and all individuals who are in contact with AAPI communities know that appropriately translated materials are available in a number of Asian and Pacific Islander languages including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Punjabi, among others,” said Dr. Ho Luong Tran, President and CEO of APIAHF.  “We are working with AAPI organizations throughout our local networks to compile and disseminate linguistically appropriate information about the H1N1 flu.”

The HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) goals during this public health emergency are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to assist health care providers, public health officials and the public in addressing the challenges posed by this newly identified influenza virus.

Mr. Jeff Caballero, Executive Director of AAPCHO, urged everyone to follow the CDC prevention guidelines and take these everyday steps to protect their health and lessen the spread of this new virus:
Ø      Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. 
Ø      Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. 
Ø      Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. 
Ø      Try to avoid close contact with sick people. 
Ø      If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.  This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further. 
Ø      Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Ø      If you don’t have one yet, consider developing a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of extra food, medicines, facemasks and other essential supplies.

Dr. Ho Luong Tran commented that there are two influenza antiviral medications that are recommended for use against H1N1 influenza.  These are oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu ® and zanamivir (Relenza ®).  The priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during this outbreak is to treat severe influenza illness.

For more information on the H1N1 flu and what can be done to protect against it, visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).

For information on translated educational materials, contact APIAHF at 415-954-9988.

H1N1 Information Available in Different South Asian Languages

For more information regarding the 2009 H1N1 Flu in Tagalog, Punjabi, or Tamil, please visit: http://www.toronto.ca/health/cdc/h1n1/index.htm

For more information regarding the 2009 H1N1 Flu in Bengali or Urdu, please visit: http://schools.nyc.gov/Home/Spotlight/swine.htm

2009 H1N1 Flu "Swine Flu"

In response to the recent outbreak of the "2009 H1N1 Flu", the following message provides additional information about the situation and offers steps you can take to help prevent the spread of the influenza.

There are currently eight suspected cases of swine flu in the MD/DC/VA region, although cases have been identified in several other states in the United States as well as in other countries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are diligently investigating the outbreaks to better understand the disease and its transmission.

The following is a brief summary of information released by public health officials:

What do we know?

*The 2009 H1N1 virus is a new influenza virus that contains genetic pieces from four different virus sources. Today (5/3/09), CDC has reported 226 human cases, more hospitalizations and one fatality. The more recent illness and the reported death suggest that a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the U.S. The WHO has raised its alert level to 5. Most people will not have immunity to this virus, and as it continues to spread, more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths are expected in the coming days and weeks. 

*Symptoms of the 2009 H1N1 flu are nearly identical to those of regular seasonal flu - fever, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, and occasionally vomiting and diarrhea. 

*The 2009 H1N1 virus is susceptible to two major prescription antiviral drugs (Tamiflu and Relenza).

*As a result of intensive investigation and monitoring by CDC and WHO, numbers may expect to increase

*Cases in the U.S. have been relatively mild as compared to those in Mexico. The reason for this difference is are unknown at this time.

*Because this strain is new, there is no vaccine against the H1N1 flu. The past year's flu vaccine does not provide protection against the new strain. 

*Initial steps are being taken to begin development of a vaccine to provide protection against this strain, but a decision to do so has not been made yet. If this is done, it likely will take at least six months before the vaccine would become available. 

*The 2009 H1N1 flu is spread from person-to-person like other flu viruses. The virus is NOT spread by eating pork.

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself And Your Family?

There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illness like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

*Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have a tissue, please shield your nose and mouth with your arm and not your hand.

*Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, especially after you cough or sneeze, or before you eat. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective when used properly.

*Whenever possible, avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Viruses can be spread this way.

*Avoid close contact with individuals with respiratory infections, if feasible.

*If you become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, stay home from work and/or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Contact your healthcare provider and they will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

For the most up-to-date information available from the CDC, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov.