Alameda County has declared a local emergency regarding the H1N1 or swine flu virus. The announcement came three days after the federal government declared a national emergency due to swine flu.
County health officials were quick to say that the declaration is not a response to an increase in reported infections or a low vaccine supply, but rather a way to facilitate getting state and federal funding to stop the spread of the virus if the situation worsens.
“These emergencies are declared for certain legal reasons to free up resources or funding or to expedite certain processes,” said Dr. Eric Kohleriter, medical director at Bay Valley Medical in Hayward. “It doesn’t necessarily reflect the health risk.”
Last week’s announcement was the second time in less than six months the county has declared an H1N1 emergency. Through Oct. 20, county health officials have reported 224 hospitalizations due to the virus and 17 deaths. Throughout the state, there have been 3,500 H1N1-related optimizations and 233 confirmed deaths.
When asked about the true threat that the flu represents, Dr. Kohleriter said, “The flu (H1N1) has been reported in all states – we may end up having two flu seasons – H1N1 and then a regular flu season. There’s no way to know how severe this will be.” According to Dr. Kohleriter, for most people who get H1N1, it’s like any other flu – they’re sick for a week and then recover.
Despite government campaigns and advice from medical professionals, the majority of Americans are not planning to get a vaccine for H1N1 due to fear about risks from the vaccine itself. “I don’t think there is any scientific basis for saying that vaccines are harmful,” says Dr. Kohleriter. “It’s a new vaccine but not a new process – the flu vaccine is relatively safe. Dr. Kohleriter does point out, though, that young children are supposed to be given vaccines that are mercury free. He adds that not everyone needs the vaccine, just those in high risk groups. Young children and obese people are among the high risk groups according to government officials.
Dr. Jeffrey Silvers, medical director of Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley and San Leandro says that the declaration of emergency is very appropriate. “H1N1 is in our area and is not behaving like seasonal flu – we really do need to take unusual action to handle this threat,” he affirms.
According to Dr. Silvers, the rapid test available is only 50 percent reliable for identifying flu in the body – and does not differentiate between H1N1 and regular flu. “It’s important for people to understand that if they feel like they have influenza or when people get short of breath, they should absolutely see a physician,” he says.
When asked about risks of getting the vaccine, Dr. Silvers says the H1N1 vaccine is being prepared exactly as other flu vaccines in the past. “They (vaccines) will typically behave the same. There’s a slight risk of neurological problems.” He adds that people who are allergic to eggs or components of eggs shouldn’t take the vaccine.