Hy-Vee Now Offering Flu Shots

Hy-Vee, Inc. announced Monday that the flu vaccine is now available inside its more than 270 Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations, with no appointment or prescription necessary. Drive-thru flu clinics will also be offered at Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations throughout the company’s eight-state region on select days. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends individuals 6 months of age and older get a flu vaccine each year to prevent getting and spreading the flu virus.

Australia is nearing the end of its worst flu season in five years, according to a report from the country's Department of Health and Aged Care1, a sign that flu activity in the U.S. could reach pre-pandemic levels during the 2022-2023 season. 

Hy-Vee pharmacists conduct a screening process prior to vaccination to ensure each individual is receiving the most beneficial flu vaccine for their health. Both regular- and high-dose flu vaccines are available at Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations. Medicare and most insurance plans cover the flu vaccine and other immunizations at no charge. At this time, all vaccine patients must wear a mask during their vaccination, according to CDC guidelines.

Currently, flu vaccines are available without a prescription during regular pharmacy hours to patients 6 months and older at Hy-Vee’s Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota locations; or 3 years and older in Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin locations, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ PREP Act.

Patients 12 years and older may also receive their COVID-19 vaccine or booster at the time of their flu shot at their local Hy-Vee Pharmacy. Patients seeking both a flu and COVID-19 immunization should notify their Hy-Vee pharmacist upon arrival.

Each patient who receives a flu vaccine at a Hy-Vee Pharmacy can earn a 20-cent Hy-Vee Fuel Saver + Perks reward, which can be redeemed at any Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh Express or Dollar Fresh Market fuel location. See www.Hy-Vee.com for details. Restrictions apply. 

Hy-Vee will also be offering workplace vaccination clinics using its fleet of Hy-Vee Healthy You Mobiles and Hy-Vee Health mobile trailers. Employers who wish to schedule an onsite clinic for their employees can email vaccineclinic@hy-vee.com for more details. Clinics are typically held September through November.

CDC Revises COVID-19 Guidance

On Thursday, CDC streamlined its COVID-19 guidance to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus. COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, however, with so many tools available to us for reducing COVID-19 severity, there is significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death compared to earlier in the pandemic.

“We’re in a stronger place today as a nation, with more tools—like vaccination, boosters, and treatments—to protect ourselves, and our communities, from severe illness from COVID-19,” said Greta Massetti, PhD, MPH, MMWR author. “We also have a better understanding of how to protect people from being exposed to the virus, like wearing high-quality masks, testing, and improved ventilation.  This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives.”

In support of this update CDC is:

–Continuing to promote the importance of being up to date with vaccination to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Protection provided by the current vaccine against symptomatic infection and transmission is less than that against severe disease and diminishes over time, especially against the currently circulating variants. For this reason, it is important to stay up to date, especially as new vaccines become available.

–Updating its guidance for people who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines on what to do if exposed to someone with COVID-19.  This is consistent with the existing guidance for people who are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines.

–Recommending that instead of quarantining if you were exposed to COVID-19, you wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.

–Reiterating that regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19.

–You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results.

–If your results are positive, follow CDC’s full isolation recommendations.

–If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.

–Recommending that if you test positive for COVID-19, you stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home.  You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days. Wear a high-quality mask when you must be around others at home and in public.

–If after 5 days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.

–Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.

–You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10.

–Recommending that if you had moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing) or severe illness (you were hospitalized) due to COVID-19 or you have a weakened immune system, you need to isolate through day 10.

–Recommending that if you had  severe illness or have a weakened immune system, consult your doctor before ending isolation. Ending isolation without a viral test may not be an option for you. If you are unsure if your symptoms are moderate or severe or if you have a weakened immune system, talk to a healthcare provider for further guidance.

–Clarifying that after you have ended isolation, if your COVID-19 symptoms worsen, restart your isolation at day 0. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about your symptoms or when to end isolation.

–Recommending screening testing of asymptomatic people without known exposures will no longer be recommended in most community settings.

–Emphasizing that physical distance is just one component of how to protect yourself and others.  It is important to consider the risk in a particular setting, including local COVID-19 Community Levels and the important role of ventilation, when assessing the need to maintain physical distance.

Actions to take will continue to be informed by the COVID-19 Community Levels, launched in February. CDC will continue to focus efforts on preventing severe illness and post-COVID conditions, while ensuring everyone have the information and tools, they need to lower their risk.

This updated guidance is intended to apply to community settings. In the coming weeks CDC will work to align stand-alone guidance documents, such as those for healthcare settings, congregate settings at higher risk of transmission, and travel, with Thursday’s update.

Editorial -- Joe Biden’s Failure on COVID

On Wednesday, the Nodaway County Health Department announced 13 new cases of the Coronavirus. As of Wednesday, there were 60 active cases in the county, including three current hospitalizations. This mirrors a national trend. After dropping to as low as 50,000 new cases a day, the number of cases per day has risen to 100,000 a day, plateaued for a while, and has now plateaued at around 130,000 per day.

No reasonable person can argue that Joe Biden’s policies on COVID have been anything but a catastrophic failure. More people have died under Biden than Trump. When he became President on January 20th, 2021, we were supposed to have Dr. Fauci in charge, and a whole of government effort deployed in order to eradicate the virus and get everyone vaccinated. But now, COVID continues to rage on. 

It doesn’t do any good for Joe Biden to blame Donald Trump for the present situation. Sure, Donald Trump failed to protect us from the virus, didn’t help us enough, surrounded himself with grifters and virus deniers, and encouraged science denial. But Joe Biden has had 1½ years now to clean up Donald Trump’s mess.

Now, the Biden Administration is engaging in the same failed policies that Donald Trump engaged in against the monkeypox virus. His CDC failed to expand testing until late June. They tested 2,000 people for the monkeypox from mid-May to the end of June, when an optimal response necessitated testing 15,000 people a week. The Biden Administration had on hand 2,400 doses of Jynneos, a vaccine for monkeypox. The FDA is dragging its feet on approval of a vaccine plant in Denmark that has 780,000 doses.

The Biden Administration is showing the same kind of incompetence in its response to the Monkeypox virus that the Trump Administration showed in its response to the Coronavirus – lack of coordination among federal agencies, the fact that the CDC refuses to recognize a crisis when it’s right under its nose, the fact that it makes excuses when it can’t compile data, and a complete lack of engagement at the top.

We were told that Joe Biden had a wealth of experience in government, and that Trump’s incompetence would be replaced by his competence. That did not happen. And then he wonders why nobody likes him.

Opinion -- FDA Urges Flu Shots

The FDA wants to remind the millions of men and women on the front lines of growing, processing, preparing, selling and delivering food for both people and animals, to get their seasonal flu shot.   

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the healthcare community are preparing for flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 that will spread this fall and winter. Both are contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. One of the most important differences is that there is a vaccine already available that can protect you against the flu. While getting a flu shot will not protect against COVID-19, a flu shot will protect you by reducing your risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and possibly death. Protecting yourself from the flu will also help save medical resources for the care of COVID-19 patients. 

People who have flu often feel some, or all, of these symptoms:

–fever or feeling feverish/chills

–cough

–sore throat

–runny or stuffy nose

–muscle or body aches

–headaches

–fatigue (tiredness)

–some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

The best time to get a flu shot is now before the flu begins spreading in your community. It takes about two weeks after getting a vaccine for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection. 

The same factors that contribute to workplace and community spread of COVID-19-- including prolonged close contact with coworkers, congregate housing, shared transportation, and frequent community contact among workers—likely contribute to the spread of the flu. 

When an essential worker gets a flu shot, they protect themselves, their families,  co-workers, and their communities. Healthy workers help to ensure the availability of a safe and nutritious food supply. 

To learn more about how and where to get a flu shot, contact your employer or visit: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/.

Vaping Poses Major Health Risks for Teens

The CDC has found that vaping, or smoking electronic cigarettes, is dangerous for kids, teens, and young adults. Like regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which harms brain development, which continues into the early to mid 20’s. E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine. And studies show that young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air. They come in many shapes and sizes; many are made to pass for everyday items. Another term besides “vaping” is JUULing.

These devices produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. Users inhale it into their lungs; like regular cigarettes, bystanders can breathe in second-hand particles. These devices can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

The reason these devices are dangerous is because nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain. The brain keeps developing until around 25; nicotine affects the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Nicotine can also alter the way the brain learns things, and increases the risk for future addiction to other drugs.

The CDC says scientists are still learning about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes. Some of the ingredients can cause long-term damage to the lungs. Defective batteries can cause fires and explosions, which can cause serious injuries. Children or adults can be poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes.

The aerosol that users breathe can contain harmful substances, including nicotine, ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, diacetyl (linked to a serious lung disease), volatile and cancer-causing compounds, and heavy metals.

The website smokefree.gov is a free resource to help people who wish to stop smoking. They provide a chat to people who can help you get started. They say the most effective way to stop smoking is a combination of medication and counseling; however, no single solution is right for everyone. Other effective methods of quitting smoking include Varenicline (also known as Chantix), Nicotine patches such as Nicoderm CQ or Nicorette, or a nasal spray like Nicotrol. Self-help guides, online programs, and other materials can be effective in helping one quitting smoking if one is motivated and confident about quitting.

There is no proof that laser therapy, hypnosis, or acupuncture helps smokers quit successfully according to smokefree.gov.

Medications that help people quit smoking can produce side effects such as bad taste, heartburn, upset stomach, nausea, heartburn, and coughing. Use as directed to avoid many of these side effects. Chantix can produce mood swings, depression, and suicidal thoughts in rare instances; stop taking and talk to your doctor if you have serious mood swings. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is (800) 273-8255.

How people quit is never the same. For instance, the talk show host Larry King said that he was a chain smoker; however, after he had a heart attack at a very young age, he said he never wanted another cigarette. Joe Stark, long-time editor of the Quad River News, joined a support group to quit smoking, wrote extensively about his attitudes towards it, and successfully quit back in the early 2000’s. Subsequently, he started up again until he met his second wife, Viveka. She told him to choose between her and the tobacco; he chose Viveka.

A common perception among older people is that it is too late to quit if you are old. However, our grandmother, Velna Zimnoch, successfully quit smoking in 1986 after her late husband passed away in 1982. She told us she started because she mistakenly thought she would be more sophisticated if she did. However, she successfully quit and lived another 30 years before she passed away in 2017.

Flea, Tick Bites Triple Since 2004

University of Missouri Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch urges Missouri residents to take precautions to ward off mosquitoes, ticks and fleas this summer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in May that diseases from the bites of these insects tripled from 2004 to 2016. Also, CDC reported that nine new germs spread by mosquitoes and ticks were introduced or discovered in the United States since 2004.

Funkenbusch says people should take precautions to avoid these pests:
• Spray an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent on your body and clothing before going outside. Follow label instructions. Reapply often. CDC recommends that you apply sunscreen before insect repellent, if using both. Do not use insect repellent on children under 2 months old. If applying to children’s faces, spray on your hands first and gently rub on the child’s face, avoiding contact with eyes.
• Wear long sleeves and long pants to reduce the amount of exposed skin. Cover strollers, carriers and playpens with mosquito netting if you have to be outside.
• Control ticks and fleas on pets by using veterinary-approved products.
• Check yourself, family members and pets for ticks daily.
• Avoid grassy areas, overhanging brush and places with standing water. Mow grass regularly and empty any containers, including objects such as toys and tires, that have standing water where mosquitoes can breed.
• Use screens on doors and windows. Remind children to close doors quickly. Repair holes in screens. Use air conditioning when possible.
• If you suspect you are sick because of a tick, flea or mosquito bite, consult a medical professional.

Affordable Care Act funds will create jobs and target health improvement, local capacity building

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today awarded up to $137 million, partly supported by the Affordable Care Act, to states to strengthen the public health infrastructure and provide jobs in core areas of public health. Awarded in nearly every state, the grants enhance state, tribal, local and territorial efforts to provide tobacco cessation services, strengthen public health laboratory and immunization services, prevent healthcare-associated infections, and provide comprehensive substance abuse prevention and treatment.

“More than ever, it is important to help states fight disease and protect public health,” said Secretary Sebelius. “These awards are an important investment and will enable states and communities to help Americans quit smoking, get immunized and prevent disease and illness before they start.”

The grants will fund key state and local public health programs supported through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Most of these grant dollars come from the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the Affordable Care Act. Additional SAMHSA dollars supplement this investment.

“CDC supports state and local public health departments which are key to keeping America safe from threats to health, safety, and security from this country or anywhere in the world,” said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden. “With these funds, CDC is strengthening our ability to prevent and combat diseases and keep Americans safe against expensive and dangerous health threats.”

“These funds will allow us to bolster public health services to communities and build on successful programs that have helped people lead healthier lives. Today’s investments will help us prevent future health care costs from problems such as tobacco-related illness and substance abuse,” said Pamela Hyde, administrator of SAMHSA.

The awards include:

• $1 million to further enhance the nations’ public health laboratories by hiring and preparing scientists for careers in public health laboratories, providing training for scientists, and supporting public health initiatives related to infectious disease research.
• Nearly $5 million to help states and territories enhance and expand the national network of tobacco cessation quitlines to increase the number of tobacco users who quit. Quitlines are the toll-free numbers people can call to obtain smoking cessation treatments and services.
• More than $42 million to support: improvements to the Immunization Information Systems (registries) and other immunization information technologies; development of systems to improve billing for immunization services; planning and implementation of adult immunization programs; enhancement of vaccination capacity located in schools; and evaluations of the impact on disease of recent vaccine recommendations for children and adolescents.
• $2.6 million to the Emerging Infections Programs around the country to continue improvement in disease monitoring, professional development and training, information technology development, and laboratory capacity.
• $9.2 million to eight national non-profit professional public health organizations to assist state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments in adopting effective practices that strengthen their core public health systems and service delivery. They will also enhance the workforce by providing jobs in critical disciplines of epidemiology and informatics, thus attracting new talent to public health.
• $1.5 million to evaluate and prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia to reduce cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and protect Americans from healthcare-associated infectious diseases.
• Up to $75 million to fund nine Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment programs over the next five years. These programs will allow communities throughout the nation to provide more comprehensive substance abuse screening, secondary prevention, early intervention and referrals to treatment for people at higher risk for substance abuse. The actual award amounts may vary, depending on the availability of funds and the performance of the grantees.

Today’s announcement is another part of the Obama Administration’s broader effort to improve the health and well-being of our communities through initiatives such as the President’s Childhood Obesity Task Force, the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign, the National Quality Strategy, and the National Prevention Strategy. Similar to the Obama Administration’s Partnership for Patients which aims to make hospitals safer, more reliable and less costly, today’s announcement is also an important step in improving the quality of health care for all Americans.

A full list of grantees is available at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/08/state_prevention_grants.html

Approximately $40 million in Affordable Care Act funds for statewide chronic disease prevention programs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today the availability of approximately $40 million to strengthen and better coordinate activities within state and territorial health departments aimed at preventing chronic diseases and promoting health. Created by the Affordable Care Act, this initiative targets the nation’s five leading chronic disease-related causes of death and disability: heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis. “Chronic diseases are responsible for 7 out of 10 deaths among Americans each year, and they account for about three-fourths of the more than $2.5 trillion our nation spends annually on medical care,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Fortunately, many chronic diseases are preventable, and these new resources will assist states and territories in the implementation of proven prevention and wellness programs that will save lives and lower health care costs for all Americans.”
This announcement is one part of the first-ever Prevention & Wellness Month, as the Obama Administration is highlighting announcements, activities, and tips that will help Americans get healthy and stay healthy. The new initiative will support the implementation of public health programs, surveillance of chronic diseases, translation of research into public health practice, and development of tools and resources for health workers and other leaders at the national, state, and community levels.
State and territorial health activities will focus on reducing age-adjusted mortality due to chronic diseases and reducing the prevalence of disabling chronic diseases. In addition, the initiative will aim to improve health and quality of life by promoting environmental and policy changes related to nutrition, physical activity, and clinical preventive services and by promoting education and management skills for people diagnosed with or at high risk for chronic diseases.
“Many chronic diseases share common risk factors, afflict similar population groups the hardest, and can be effectively addressed by the same public health strategies,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which oversees the initiative. “That’s why it’s so important to help state and territorial health departments develop the organizational capacity and management approaches to deal with chronic diseases holistically, not just as separate conditions.”
CDC expects to award funds for 3-year coordinated statewide chronic disease programs to all 58 U.S. states and territories, with approximately $40 million available for the first 12-month budget period. As a critical requirement, successful grantees will create or update statewide plans that demonstrate coordinated approaches to addressing the leading causes of chronic disease deaths and their associated risk factors, including but not limited to heart disease, cancer, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, nutrition, physical activity, and obesity. Tobacco use, a leading risk factor for chronic diseases, is not part of the initiative but will continue to be addressed through CDC’s other statewide prevention programs.
State and territorial health departments interested in submitting proposals for the Prevention and Public Health Fund Coordinated Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Program can find more information at www.grants.gov. The application deadline is July 22, 2011.

HHS agencies to provide ongoing support for communities impacted by Joplin disaster

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services personnel from the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) began returning to their home states today after deploying to assist in mass fatality operations in the aftermath of a devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo. HHS will provide ongoing assistance with additional aspects of response and recovery.
NDMS, within the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, provides medical, victim identification, and veterinary personnel, equipment and supplies to augment state and local resources in disaster response. Similar to military reservists, NDMS personnel come from private sector jobs around the country to respond as intermittent federal employees during disasters. In the tornado response, the state of Missouri requested NDMS support in victim identification.
This response represents the largest number of NDMS mass fatality personnel deployed to a domestic disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. More than 100 personnel from NDMS Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams and Family Assistance Center Teams assisted the local coroner’s office in identifying victims of the tornado. This NDMS support for 24-hour efforts in Missouri helped the coroner’s office reunite all victims with their loved ones as quickly as possible in a dignified, respectful manner.
“We’re honored to help state and local authorities bring some sense of closure to the families who lost family members to this storm,” said Dr. Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary for preparedness and response. “Although the situation in Joplin is still difficult, we’ve witnessed a tremendous amount of pride and resilience in the community. HHS will continue to work closely with state and local officials on the ongoing need for social services as the community recover.”
State, federal, and nonprofit partners are collaborating to meet the child care needs of Joplin families. The HHS Administration for Children and Families, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Social Services, convened a task force to address emergency child care needs as well as the recovery of the community's child care capacity. The tornado destroyed 19 child care centers with combined capacity to serve approximately 600 children.
The HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is working with the state to bring the National Crisis Counseling Program to the impacted counties. The program supports short-term interventions to help disaster survivors in their recovery process. Immediately after the tornado, SAMHSA provided stress and grief materials to state and local agencies for use in counseling programs, primary care sites and other areas from which survivors are likely to seek help. With 20 of the area’s 25 mental health facilities destroyed, SAMHSA is also providing technical assistance to the state in restoring this behavioral health infrastructure.
To ensure that sufficient health care items and services are available to meet the needs of Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries in the affected area, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is monitoring the status of health care facilities. CMS will waive or modify certain federal requirements as necessary and in accordance with the law for these facilities, such as allowing critical access hospitals to take more than the statutorily mandated limit of 25 patients and not count the expected longer lengths of stay for evacuated patients against the 96-hour average.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is supporting the Joplin health department on restaurant inspections and on-going public health monitoring. CDC is also providing information on how to prevent illnesses and injuries as the community cleans up and clears debris from the tornado.
To ensure the safety of products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA worked last week with state and local health departments to complete inspections of food processing facilities and pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers that were located in the affected area.
For information on HHS support for response and recovery efforts in Missouri, visit www.phe.gov.

Swine Flu in Platte County

Gov. Jay Nixon today reported that the swine flu (H1N1) virus already spreading in other states appears to have reached Missouri. The administration is responding by ensuring that anti-viral medications are distributed to the affected site and that the case is properly handled.
The first probable case of swine flu in a Missouri resident was discovered Wednesday afternoon during lab tests on specimens sent to the state health lab as part of the state’s stepped-up efforts to defend against the new strain of flu. Department of Health and Senior Services Director Margaret Donnelly, state epidemiologist Sarah Patrick, MPH, Ph.D and emerging infections coordinator Eddie Hedrick, BS, MT(ASCP) CIC joined Gov. Nixon to announce the discovery of the probable case.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will test the sample to make a final confirmation that the Missouri case is the swine flu. The time for the CDC to complete these tests is currently averaging about two days.
State officials cautioned that a single case of swine flu was a concern but not a cause for alarm. Gov. Nixon said the state has a plan to deal with flu outbreaks and local health agencies and state officials are following that plan.
"Since the first case was reported in the U.S., we have prepared for the possibility that the disease would reach Missouri," Nixon said. "Now that a probable case has been found here we are moving quickly to send anti-viral medications to the community and taking all appropriate steps to treat the problem and prevent its spread."
Gov. Nixon remarked that the state’s response plan includes aggressive outreach and notification of all local health agencies, as well as communication between the state epidemiologist and the Centers for Disease Control. Gov. Nixon also reiterated that communication with the public about influenza prevention and treatment would be a critical component of the state’s response.
"The most important thing we can do is make Missourians aware of the state’s response, of the best practices for avoidance of swine flu and facts about how the disease is treated. We want everyone to know how to keep themselves healthy and that the effects of a positive test will be controlled," said Gov. Nixon.
Missouri’s swine flu case involves a resident of Platte County. Because notification is pending, further information about the patient cannot be released at this time.
Health officials are working to determine who might have been exposed before the patient showed symptoms. Officials will be notifying anyone with whom there was close contact.
The patient will be asked to remain at home until seven days after symptoms first appeared to ensure the patient is no longer contagious. Typically, the patient’s family will also be given instructions in ways to avoid spreading the illness to family, including proper hand washing techniques and medical care, and family members will be monitored for signs of illness.
People who have been in close contact with the patient will be advised to go home at the earliest sign of illness and to minimize contact in the community to the extent possible.