FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 30, 2009

Area Health Departments urge continued response to H1N1 influenza

Metropolitan area Health Departments urge the public for continued H1N1 prevention and for those in the priority groups who have not been vaccinated to find a health department, clinic or physician’s office offering the vaccination.

Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated today that there has been a slight decline in flu activity, with only 32 states reporting widespread flu activity, flu is still active in the Kansas City aArea. The CDC also reported 27 new lab-confirmed swine flu deaths in children under 18. That's the largest one-week increase since the new virus was identified in April.

“Influenza viruses can be unpredictable and sometimes surface in two or three waves,” said Tiffany Klassen, director of the Cass County Health Department. “We are still not out of the woods yet, but we have vaccine available to help protect in those priority groups.”

The priority groups include:

• Pregnant women
• Children and young adults  from 6 months through 24 years old
• Adults 25 to 64 years old with significant chronic health conditions
• Household contacts and caregivers of children under six months
• Health care workers

Unfortunately, those 65 years old and older are not yet eligible for H1N1 vaccine according to CDC guidelines. Unlike with regular seasonal influenza, those over 65 have been less likely to become infected than the expanded priority group.

For more information, contact your local health department.

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