The Maricopa Emergency Management System (MEMS) team is actively following a number of issues. Here you will find updates on these topics of heightened awareness:
H1N1 (Swine Flu) - July 20, 2009
Public health officials are preparing for the resurgence of H1N1 (Swine Flu) this fall. At a public stakeholders meeting on Monday, July 20, 2009, Maricopa County Public Heath Director, Dr. Bob England, warned “the thing that people need to know is that it will come back.” England explained that although there are many variables at play, which makes specific predictions impossible, a recurrence of H1N1 is likely to hit the community hard. “In the past one in four people have become sick in that second wave,” England said.
While there is no vaccine yet available for the prevention of H1N1, health officials are urging citizens to take precautions:
- Stay home if you are ill
- Wash hands thoroughly and frequently
- Cover coughs and sneezes
- Get seasonal flu vaccine
The Maricopa Community Colleges are preparing for the fall. It will be important for faculty to share concerns and prevention measures with students and urge them to report illnesses in an effort to prevent the spread of H1N1.
A downloadable H1N1 Response Checklist and H1N1 Response Flowchart are designed to outline and facilitate important communication and reporting mechanisms.
The MEMS team is working with District PIO’s and Wellness Coordinators to distribute factual and consistent information on prevention.
Additional resources:
http://www.maricopa.gov/Public_Health/HotTopics/h1n1flu/
