Local agencies launch flu call center and website
Local officials, functioning as the Whatcom Pandemic Unified Command, are preparing for the potential for local outbreak of swine flu or Swine-Originated Influenza Virus (SOIV).
As of this afternoon, Friday May 1, no cases of SOIV are confirmed in Whatcom County. The Whatcom County Health Department is investigating several cases where people have traveled to areas with known cases; the majority have been determined not to be swine flu. Four samples were sent to the state lab for further testing. Results of those samples are pending.
Today (May 1) the Whatcom Pandemic Unified Command announced two local information resources available to people who have questions about their health or the possibility of a flu outbreak:
Whatcom County Swine Flu Call Center Opens 9 a.m. Sat. May 2 ,778-8170 A call center, staffed by public health personnel, has been established to take calls from the public and health care providers who have questions about the flu. The center will be open beginning 9 a.m. Saturday May 2, and will operate 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 2, 3 and 4.
Whatcom Pandemic Joint Information Center Website www.em.whatcomcounty.org
Whatcom County government, health and education officials are coordinating their efforts to provide timely, accurate information on the current impact of the Swine Originated Influenza Virus (SOIV) in our area through a central website launched Friday, May 1.
Unified Command officials say this website will be a one-stop place for local, state and national updates about the spread of SOIV, educational resources for preventing and dealing with illness, and more. News releases and updates from multiple local agencies will be available through this website.
Help prevent the spread of flu
The Health Department urges area residents to prevent the spread of flu by following these simple but very effective steps:
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Dispose of the used tissue in the trash. Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water, or use hand sanitizer.Avoid contact with sick people.Stay home if you are sick, and limit your contact with other people.
Anyone who is sick and has traveled to Mexico, or elsewhere in the U.S. where cases of swine flu have been confirmed, should contact their health care provider and inform the doctor of their travel history as well as their symptoms.
About the Whatcom Pandemic Unified Command
Earlier this week, representatives from the Whatcom County Health Department, the City of Bellingham and St. Joseph Hospital formed a Unified Command group to prepare for the possibility of local flu cases. This group is working together, using agreed-upon emergency procedures and pandemic plans, to prepare for and respond to the possibility of local flu cases.
These representatives are working with schools, the medical community and other public and private organizations to monitor influenza progression, share resources and coordinate community response. The effort is based on the community’s pandemic flu plan, developed in 2006, and is laying the groundwork for implementing portions of the plan.
Officials are monitoring the developing situation and will continue to provide information to the community as it becomes available.
Prepare now
This is also an important time for families to review their preparedness plans. Make sure you have supplies of food, drinking water and medication to last 72 hours, in case of emergency or extended illness. Businesses are also encouraged to review their business continuity plans to ensure they are prepared to continue operations if their workforce is reduced due to illness.
For the most up-to-date information about the swine flu outbreak:
Whatcom Pandemic Joint Information Center www.em.whatcomcounty.org
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/
Washington State Department of Health http://www.doh.wa.gov/
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