USUALLY FEBRUARY AND MARCH ARE PEAK MONTHS FOR THE FLU, BUT THE CURRENT FLU SEASON, WITH THE ARRIVAL OF H1N1 SWINE FLU, HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT USUAL. THIS YEAR CASES SEEMED TO HAVE PEAKED IN THE FALL, ACCORDING TO KENTUCKY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER DOCTOR WILLIAM HACKER, WHO NEVERTHELESS WARNS THE FLU THREAT IS NOT OVER:
DESPITE A MASSIVE EFFORT TO IMMUNIZE KENTUCKIANS AGAINST H-ONE-N-ONE SWINE FLU AS FEW AS ONE IN FOUR HAS BEEN VACCINATED. HACKER SAYS VACCINE IS NOW IN GOOD SUPPLY AND URGES THOSE WHO HAVEN’T BEEN IMMUNIZED TO DO SO AT A DOCTOR’S OFFICE OR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND HE SAYS HABITS LIKE COVERING COUGHS, NOT SNEEZING INTO HANDS AND FREQUENT HAND WASHING SHOULD CONTINUE.
HACKER SAYS HISTORICALLY A NEW FLU STRAIN LIKE H1N1 SWINE FLU WILL SUPPLANT A SEASONAL FLU STRAIN AND THAT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING THIS TIME. HE EXPECTS SWINE FLU TO BECOME THE SEASONAL FLU. FOR THAT REASON HE SAYS THERE IS CONCERN THAT 70 TO 75 PERCENT OF KENTUCKIANS HAVE NOT BEEN IMMUNIZED AGAINST SWINE FLU:
DOCTOR WILLIAM HACKER SAYS THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED AGAINST H1N1 SWINE FLU STILL NEED TO DO SO:
CALL YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE H1N1
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