STATEMENT: H1N1 Influenza Preparedness

“Newton Memorial Hospital has been working closely with county health officials, the Centers for Disease Control, the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services and NMH Infection Control Adviser Donald Allegra, M.D., to ensure existing national, state and local protocols regarding flu pandemics are followed, “ Vice President of Medical Affairs/Chief Medical Officer David Lazarus, M.D., said. “All agencies expected the H1N1 Influenza to spread and are fully prepared for any eventuality as it relates to the World Health Organization’s recent declaration that the virus is now a global pandemic.

“A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, begins to cause serious illness and then spreads easily from person-to-person worldwide. A Phase Six pandemic declaration such as this is based on the sustained worldwide spread of H1N1, not the number of fatalities or severity of illness.

“Many times, someone who is positive for H1N1 Influenza will experience typical flu-like symptoms and should stay home, rest, drink fluids and cover their coughs and sneezes. More vulnerable populations, such as children, senior citizens or people with serious, underlying medical conditions, could be at a greater risk to experience more severe complications after contracting H1N1 Influenza.

“As was the case before the WHO declared a global flu pandemic, if you experience flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, chills and conjunctivitis, and believe you have had potential exposure within 7 days of to someone with H1N1 Influenza, please contact your physician.

“If your physician feels you have significant enough complications from this illness to refer you to the Emergency Department, NMH physicians will screen patients who come to the hospital with flu-like symptoms to determine who will receive additional testing and/or admission into the hospital.”

For More Information on H1N1, please visit the Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu