Good news – For the rest of this week Employee Health will be offering H1N1 vaccines on a first come, first serve, basis to all PSPH staff (no restrictions), PSHCH and PPN clinic staff (no restrictions — other than clinic must be located in Thurston or Mason County).
No appointment needed just [...]

For the last three weeks the number of patients coming to the hospital with flu-like symptoms has been declining, going from 32% on October 25 to less than 5% this past weekend. This is consistent with state and national data indicating that the number of people with the flu may have peaked for now and [...]

REVISED
Health Officer Directive on Use of Public Stock Tamiflu and Relenza
(Please note that this directive is only for the use of Tamiflu and Relenza received in this community from the Federal Strategic National stockpile)
Thurston County PH&SS has access to a supply of antiviral medications (80% Tamiflu, 20% Relenza) from the Federal Strategic National Stockpile, The [...]

Starting today, visitors to Providence St. Peter Hospital will be screened for flu symptoms before they can visit hospitalized friends and family.
Children younger than 18 will be allowed to visit only immediate relatives or terminally ill patients.
Providence is adopting the protocol at its Olympia and Centralia hospitals to prevent the spread of the H1N1 influenza [...]

Visiting Policy
To protect our patients, we ask that you do not visit if you are ill. Currently, the Emergency Center and Family Birth Center are screening all patients for potential illness. The Family Birth Center is also screening visitors.

PSPH INTERNAL PANDEMIC INFLUENZA LEVELS
LEVEL 1: AWARENESS – Increase in community with respiratory or other influenza symptoms
LEVEL 2: STAND-BY – Increased PSPH admissions with influenza like symptoms
LEVEL 3: ACTIVE – Increased need for PSPH Emergency Center, ICU, or inpatient level of care. Code Brown may be [...]

Highlights of Department of Health Pan Flu (H1N1) workgroup activities from the past week:
Preparing for large-scale vaccinations – The Department of Health has distributed guidance for pre-registering providers to administer H1N1 vaccine this fall. Those interested in being an H1N1 provider can now go to our department’s Web site www.doh.wa.gov/swineflu/h1n1reg.htm and pre-register on line. [...]

Pandemic H1N1
Diana T. Yu, MD, MSPH
August 20, 2009
Download Here

Three deaths: Two in Thurston County and one in a Mason county resident have been reported recently. All had been admitted to local hospitals with suspicion of influenza, only one is confirmed as pandemic H1N1.

Please use clinical judgment in evaluation and treatment of alt cases of suspected pandemic influenza.
Rapid influenza tests are not [...]