Influenza Hitting Hard
Residents Are Urged To Take Precautions
GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA
January 11, 2013
Influenza hitting hard
By James Niedzinski
Staff Writer
---- - GLOUCESTER - The flu is in season. And it's dealing a
heavier than usual hit to people across Cape Ann and beyond.
Both Gloucester and area health officials are urging residents
to take stiff precautions, with staff and space at Addison Gilbert
Hospital stretched thin.
Dr. Lucas Wolf, chief of infection control at Beverly and
Addison Gilbert Hospitals, said that, as of Thursday, every room in
both of the Lahey Health facilities - 44 at Addison Gilbert and 227
in Beverly - were occupied, and a majority of patients are those
with flu or flu-like symptoms.
Because of that, Wolf said, some elective surgeries - those not
seen as urgent - have been postponed in Beverly until more rooms
are available.
With every room in use, hospital staffers at both facilities are
taking precautions to isolate patients with the flu, in an effort
to stop the spread of the virus within hospital walls.
"We are filling them (beds) as fast as patients are discharged,
sometimes faster," Ruth George, the nurse manager of the emergency
department at Addison Gilbert Hospital said. She said that, when
possible, influenza patients are being paired in the same room, and
two-bed rooms are being made into single rooms in an attempt to
limit influenza patients' exposure to others without the virus.
Also, in an effort to make vaccinates more accessible to
residents, another free clinic has been scheduled for Addison
Gilbert Hospital. On Tuesday, from 9 to 11 a.m., Gloucester Health
Department officials will be hosting the free clinic inside the
cafe of the hospital. The clinic is available to anyone age six
months old or older, and there is no pre-registration required.
The clinic is open to everyone, not just residents of
Gloucester, officials said.
At the hospitals, quick swab tests are being done on most
patients, but if somebody has a manageable case of the virus, he or
she is being discharged if deemed healthy enough to return
home.
Addison Gilbert Hospital officials also changed the visitation
policy as of Wednesday to limit exposure to hospital patients. Any
visitor who is a minor cannot visit inpatient units, while any
visitors with flu-like symptoms are being prohibited from entering
inpatient units as well.
Also, all healthy visitors are limited to entering a patient's
room at two at time, and patients going to visit an outpatient with
flu-like symptoms will be required to wear a protective mask.
Wolf said there are two major aspects which make this intense
flu season stand out.
Last year, he said, was an "exceptionally mild" year for flu
cases throughout Cape Ann. "We were lulled into complacency," he
said about the flu concerns last year, adding that this year's
numbers are only slightly above average.
However, the influenza A strain know as H3N2 is resulting in
more hospitalizations due to worsening symptoms, said Gloucester
Public Health Nurse Chassea Robinson.
According to Robinson, about 20 cases of influenza have been
recorded at the hospital, but she said that number is just the tip
of the iceberg. She said that, more often than not, people with
flu-like symptoms will just stay home and take care of themselves
rather than go to a hospital.
Robinson said that, through working with health departments,
school departments and neighboring towns, about 3,000 vaccines have
been issued to Cape Ann residents.
Wolf said vaccinations are key to steering clear of the virus,
adding that the origins for a vaccine start with the World Health
Organization.
WHO officials look at influenza strain patterns in different
countries, then make a match between viruses that are likely to hit
the area and a vaccine preventing them.
Wolf said the current vaccine protects against three separate
strains of the virus and has been very effective.
Wolf said "herd immunity" is a big aspect in any community
especially with the elderly and young children being susceptible to
the virus. Heard immunity, he explained, is when enough people are
vaccinated so that even those without vaccinations have less of a
risk of getting H3N2.
Those who do not get vaccinated are lessening the strength of
heard immunity, therefore putting more people at risk, Wolf
said.
He said the flu season is not over yet and he expects another
spike in cases throughout the winter.
Robinson said that typically, cases are high in February, a
spike this early was surprising.
zin Manchester, Public Health Nurse Pamela Ciccone said about
350 vaccinations have been handed out during the eight flu clinics,
which started in the fall.
The Manchester Board of Health made an announcement on the
town's website Thursday stating there will be no more flu clinics
in Manchester.
Essex officials have been hosting clinics throughout the year as
well, and have handed out about 400 vaccines, some still remain
said Public Health Nurse Kim Paskalis.
For statewide information about the 2012-2013 flu season, visit
mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/.