2009 H1N1 Virus Presentation Takes Place at Marshall University

Harry K. Tweel, Director of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, said on Monday that the 2009 H1N1 virus, also known as "Swine Flu", is a true pandemic.

"A true pandemic is one that is worldwide, with little or no immunity, and this strain of the virus fits both of those descriptions." Every year, people everywhere rush to get the seasonal flu vaccine, but that vaccine will do nothing in helping fight the H1N1 virus.

"This strain of the virus is predictably unpredictable", Tweel said. Every year 200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized from the seasonal flu, with 36,000 of those hospitalizations resulting in death. Most of those that are affected from the seasonal flu are older, usually over 60 years of age. The difference with this strain of the H1N1 is that is mostly affects people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old.

According to Tweel, "22.9% of the cases in Cabell County were with people between the ages of 0-4 years old and 26.7% were with people between 5-24 years of age." He stressed the importance of people under the age of 25 getting the vaccine, saying that its "safety profile is identical to the seasonal flu vaccine."

There are six main target groups for the vaccine, and the federal government has purchased all of the vaccines from the manufacturers to try and help contain and control the spread of the virus. Pregnant women, parents or caregivers of children younger than 6 months old, health care workers, all people between 6 months and 24 years of age, and people over 25 who have other health complications such as heart disease, diabetes, or asthma are all eligible to receive the vaccine.

There have been over 10,000 vaccines given in Cabell County this year, with more to come in the upcoming months. Tweel said that there are things everyone can do beyond the vaccine to help prevent the spread of H1N1 as well. "Simple things like washing hands, coughing into your sleeve, and using hand sanitizers are all important."

There has been a decline in the amount of cases in Cabell County in the past month, but Tweel said that this is just the "end of the beginning", and that all eligible people should get the vaccine if it is available to them.

The Cabell-Huntington Health Department will conduct H1N1 clinics for high-risk individuals who live or work in Cabell County or the City of Huntington Dec. 1-2 at Marshall University. The clinics will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 1-2, at Cam Henderson Center on Marshall’s Huntington campus.