THE H1N1 FLU THAT SICKENED THOUSANDS OF MISSOURIANS LAST FALL STILL PRESENTS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS HEALTH THREAT, DESPITE THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION THAT THE FLU PANDEMIC IS OVER.
WHILE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS ARE NO LONGER BEING OVERWHELMED WITH FLU PATIENTS, PEOPLE ARE STILL BECOMING ILL WITH THE FLU. SO FAR THIS FLU SEASON, OVER 28 THOUSAND MISSOURIANS HAVE HAD THE FLU, ABOUT 42 TIMES AS MANY AS LAST YEAR. NEARLY 66 PERCENT OF THIS YEAR'S FLU PATIENTS WERE CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 14 YEARS OLD.
BECAUSE YOUNG CHILDREN ARE AMONG THOSE HARDEST HIT BY THE H1N1 FLU, STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE URGING PARENTS TO MAKE SURE THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE RECEIVED THE H1N1 VACCINE. CHILDREN UNDER 10 YEARS OLD REQUIRE TWO DOSES OF THE H1N1 VACCINE GIVEN ABOUT 30 DAYS APART.
NATIONALLY, THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION REPORTS THAT AS MANY AS 80 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH H1N1 FLU AND AN ESTIMATED 11 THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED. MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND OF THOSE DEATHS INVOLVED CHILDREN AND THE TOLL CONTINUES TO RISE, WITH NINE MORE CHILDREN SUCCUMBING TO THE H1N1 VIRUS LAST WEEK
CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN FIVE YEARS OLD HAVE HIGHER RATES OF HOSPITALIZATION CAUSED BY H1N1 THAN ANY OTHER AGE GROUP, AND SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES OF INFECTION, THE CDC SAYS.
THE H1N1 VACCINE IS NOW WIDELY AVAILABLE AND FREE OF CHARGE IF OBTAINED FROM A LOCAL HEALTH AGENCY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OR CALL THE H1N1 INFOLINE AT 877-358-4141.
