Movin’ On with Nellie — Vaccinations, social networking, hygienic strategies are best defenses against the H1N1 flu

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is projecting that the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus will be intense; scientific advisors of President Obama are recommending flue vaccines be available next month — not in October.

The Associated Press reported Monday: “The government should speed availability of at least a little swine flu vaccine next month instead of in October, the president’s scientific advisers recommended Monday. The report also urges that federal health officials do more social networking to put the young people targeted by the virus on notice; clarify who should use anti-flu drugs and how; and improve tracking of the fast-moving virus.”

The CDC’s website (http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/) is giving weekly updates and reported that in April 2009 some 43,771 were confirmed with the H1N1 infection. This figure includes 5,011 swine flu hospitalization as well as the death 302 people as a result of H1N1.

The San Luis Valley schools and districts are taking precautions.

Trinidad State Junior College is taking precautions including requesting students stay home if they have the common signs of flu. Additional steps will include encouraging hand and respiratory hygiene like hand washing and use of other disinfectant wipes. TSJC faculty are to report to the campus administrator when a student is sent home because they are sick.

The CDC reports that the highest rate of this virus appears in young people between 5 years to 24 years of age. These should be inoculated against the H1N1 virus, the CDC recommends.

People with diabetes or with compromised immune systems should also get the shot. The elderly may also need to secure a vaccine.

In the CDC guide for public schools and higher education (i.e. TSJC, and ASC), recommendations include updating student, parents and staff phone, email, and mailing addresses. A lot of students use social networking like MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, so those sites should help to keep this population informed.

TSJC, like many community colleges since the tragic events at Virginia Tech, have implemented procedures for emergency situations, which includes notifying students of closures, or other crises via txt messaging, cell phone calls, home calls and email. The CDC recommends that students and staff keep their contact information updated for just such a situation.

As a TSJC instructor, I try to provide online resources for students through our WEBCT and Desire to Learn learning systems; this semester, I will again provide these tools and resources for students in the event that they are sick and cannot join their classmates on campus. When feeling better, they might be able to keep up with the course work.

It may take a village to raise a child, but it will take social networking, hygienic strategies and influenza inoculations to help us combat this virus.