Swine Flu Declared National Emergency

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press Writer Philip Elliott, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – "President Barack Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect noninfected patients.

The declaration, signed Friday night and announced Saturday, comes with the disease more prevalent than ever in the country and production delays undercutting the government's initial, optimistic estimates that as many as 120 million doses of the vaccine could be available by mid-October.

Health authorities say more than 1,000 people in the United States, including almost 100 children, have died from the strain of flu known as H1N1, and 46 states have widespread flu activity. So far only 11 million doses have gone out to health departments, doctor's offices and other providers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials.

Some hospitals have opened drive-thrus and drive-up tent clinics to screen and treat swine flu patients. The idea is to keep infectious people out of regular emergency rooms and away from other sick patients.

Hospitals could modify patient rules — for example, requiring them to give less information during a hectic time — to quicken access to treatment, with government approval, under the declaration.

On April 26, the administration declared swine flu a public health emergency, allowing the shipment of roughly 12 million doses of flu-fighting medications from a federal stockpile to states in case they eventually needed them. At the time, there were 20 confirmed cases in the U.S. of people recovering easily. There was no vaccine against swine flu, but the CDC had taken the initial step necessary for producing one.

"As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic," Obama wrote in Saturday's declaration.

He said the pandemic keeps evolving, the rates of illness are rising rapidly in many areas and there's a potential "to overburden health care resources."

"Many millions" of Americans have had swine flu so far, according to an estimate that CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden gave Friday. The government doesn't test everyone to confirm swine flu so it doesn't have an exact count. He also said there have been more than 20,000 hospitalizations."


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Hospitals Open Drive-Thrus

From the associated press, Sept. 30, 2009: Hospitals open drive-thrus

"Fast-food places have them. Banks and pharmacies do, too. Now hospitals are opening drive-thrus and drive-up tent clinics to screen and treat a swelling tide of swine flu patients.
Call it McTriage. And, yes, you can get Tamiflu with that--if you're sick enough to need it. Most people aren't.
The idea behind these efforts is to keep coughing, feverish people out of regular emergency rooms, where they can infect heart attack victims and other very sick patients. The need has soared in recent weeks as flu has spread among schoolchildren before vaccine is available."

What a fabulous idea!! This will help keep highly contagious people away from those who visit the emergency room for other reasons such as broken bones.

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MRSA at Beaches

An associated press article from San Francisco, published in my local newspaper on Sunday Sept. 13, 2009 states "staph germs found on beaches."

"Dangerous staph bacteria have been found in sand and water for the first time at five public beaches along the coast of Washington, and scientists think the state is not the only one with this problem."

"The germ is MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-- a hard-to-treat bug once rarely seen outside of hospitals but that increasingly is spreading in ordinary community settings such as schools, locker rooms and gyms."

"The germ causes nasty skin infections as well as pneumonia and other life-threatening problems. It spreads mostly through human contact. Little is known about environmental sources that also may harbor the germ."

Marilyn Roberts, a microbiologist at the University of Washington is quoted as saying "We don't know the risk... but the fact that we found these organisms suggests that the level is much higher than we thought."

The article further says "People should not avoid beaches or be afraid to enjoy them, scientists say." This is where I have to disagree! I have dealt with this germ with my own family and it absolutely terrifies me. MRSA is a very agressive germ. All it needs is the tiniest of scratches or pinpricks and it gets under your skin and causes a huge abscess! It is very hard to get rid of and the whole experience is a nightmare. Everything has to be sanitized constantly because you don't know where it could be lurking.

My advice is: Avoid any place that is known to have MRSA!

Coming Soon!

Watch for my "How To Be A Germophobe" book soon to be released!

Inside you will find 36 different categories of germophobia complete with pictures.

Here is a sample of what's inside:

"Drinking Fountains:

If at all possible, avoid the drinking fountain. They get a lot of backwash from a lot of people and, generally, are not sanitized. Carry a water bottle with you instead. If you absolutely must drink from a fountain, let the water run a little while first. As a back up, take an immunity-boosting supplement as soon as possible after drinking from a fountain."

These tips and many more will be available in my book. It pays to be extra careful about avoiding germs in this day and age. Cold and flu season is just around the corner.

Ordering information will be posted as soon as it's available.