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Healthcare Provider Information |
Address:
Garrett Co. Health Dept.
1025 Memorial Drive
Oakland, MD 21550
Main Phone:
301-334-7777
or 301-895-3111
FAX: 301-334-7701
See department pages for individual phone numbers
E-Mail Webmaster
Alerts: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Previous Alerts
Notes: October 2007 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Previous Notes
Community Influenza Clinics are Under Way!
Oakland Clinic is today, Thursday, October 4, and we'll be here again in two weeks, Grantsville next Friday, senior centers scheduled from next Tuesday, and School-based immunization clinics start Monday October 15, 11 days from today. We are offering either injectable or nasal-spray flu vaccines, and adult pneumococcal vaccine.
Medicare-eligibles need only show their card and give a signature. For all others, $25 is asked per vaccine. Persons with Medicaid and private insurance are directed to their primary care provider for covered services.
The New England Journal of Medicine, Oct. 4, 2007, reports a record-review study of "community-dwelling" individuals >65 years of age (excludes nursing home residents), 700,000 pooled person-seasons in 18 HMO cohorts over a 10-year period, demonstrating a 27% reduction in hospitalizations for pneumonia, and a 48% reduction in death from all causes for the vaccinated group. Their editorial goes on to emphasize the importance of getting immunizations to health care workers and to children to further limit the exposure of at-risk persons to this disease.
The Garrett County Health Department will again have a special program to encourage elementary school children to receive influenza protection this fall. Last year only the live attenuated influenza vaccine (FluMist) (LAIV) was offered, and the clinics were held during school hours. 43% of our target group of children was reached. The level of infection in our community was very low last year, as it was in the rest of the state and nation.
This year we will have a clinic at each elementary school after school hours and offer both the LAIV, and the injectable trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) . All children K-5 will receive vaccine at no charge. Vaccine will be offered free-of-charge to "under-insured" children*, age 6 months through 12 years of age, presenting at these clinics; a parent or guardian must be present to give consent and identify each child. Information about the clinics will be distributed through the schools; the clinic details have not yet been set. Follow up clinics will also be set for those children under age 8 who haven't previously received two doses in a previous year.
*Children with insurance covering these vaccines will need to receive them from their physicians, or pay full-fee ($25) at the clinics.
The last case of human infection reported was September 18 in Indonesia, again after exposure to chickens, a seller of chicken eggs. Indonesia has now reported 31 cases in 2007, the highest number for one country. Egypt has reported 20 cases in 2007.
A pre-pandemic vaccine for humans for an avian influenza strain (H5N1) is now being stockpiled with a goal of supplies to immunize 20 million in the critical workforce.
Medications for pandemic influenza are also being stockpiled for initial use in containment, but then the priority would be for treatment of persons with symptoms of disease. Prophylaxis for healthcare workers is not the highest priority. Garrett County would expect to receive courses of treatment for 25% of its permanent population, or 7,600 courses.
This infection continues to affect pigs, but two handlers of ill pigs acquired the infection at a county fair in Ohio this summer. They (the humans) have subsequently recovered.
GCMH now has a Certified Nurse Examiner, and two health department nurses will soon be also certified, and assisting to fill out the on-call schedule. These exams are now being offered by our hospital. Additional training is required for examination of children 12 or younger, which may constitute 20% of complaints.
Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is continuing to respond to the on-going outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in the Province of Kasai Occidental with the support of a wide range of international partners. A total of 25 out of 76 suspected cases have now tested positive for the disease. A further 187 contacts are currently under medical observation and will remain so until each has reached the end of their respective potential incubation periods without developing any symptoms of the disease.
Regular Reports: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -Previous Reports
Infection Reports:
WMHS - updated Oct 2007, GCMH updated Oct 2007
WMHS August 2007 Clinical Newsletter: Emerging Pathogens
References:
Advanced Directives/Living Wills
Quick Guideto Protecting Yourself and Your Family
Four Simple Things You Can Do to Protect You and Your family
Immunization Schedules and State Regulations
Maryland Lead Follow-Up Recommendations
