H1N1-flu shot would make good gift, health chief saysSFlb

By Ed Runyan

WARREN — The Ohio Department of Health’s director says he thinks getting vaccinated against the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu, and the seasonal flu this month would be “a good yuletide gift” to those we visit this Christmas.

“If you immunize yourself so you’re not passing on the virus, that’s a nice yuletide gift,” Dr. Alvin D. Jackson said during a stop Friday afternoon. at the Trumbull County Health Department

Dr. Jackson acknowledged that there is debate about whether the H1N1-virus outbreak that hit the United States starting in the spring has been milder than anticipated, but he believes it makes sense for Ohioans to get the vaccination.

It will be available to all Ohioans without regard to age or medical condition starting Tuesday.

Dr. Jackson recited some statistics: 10,000 Americans have died from the virus, 48 of those in Ohio; and 200,000 Americans have been hospitalized with it.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that about 15 percent of the American population will eventually get the virus.

Those numbers are similar to the number of deaths and hospitalizations that would be found during an entire year of the normal flu, and the worst flu months of winter haven’t arrived yet, he said.

It’s true that the H1N1-flu numbers peaked the week of Oct. 18 and then dropped every week since then. But there’s no way to know what the presence of H1N1 will do to the incidence of normal flu in the coming weeks, he said.

“As we move into peak flu season, get vaccinated for regular flu and H1N1 because we don’t know what to expect,” he said.

He recommends continuing with the recommendations that have been given for several months — cover your cough, wash your hands, and stay home when you’re sick.

As for people who don’t think they need the vaccination, Dr. Jackson noted that the life expectancy of Americans was 47 years in 1900 and has climbed to 77 in 2009.

Twenty-five of those 30 additional years are the result of advances in public health, such as vaccines used to prevent measles and mumps.

Additionally, every day we come into contact with E. aerogenes, a type of bacteria that causes illnesses such as pneumonia and gastrointestinal infections.

Dr. Jackson said the H1N1 vaccination is less harmful than the E. aerogenes we come in contact with on a daily basis.

Dr. Jackson said he knows some people believe they can just wait to see whether they get the virus and then treat it medically.

“Treatment is clearly more expensive than prevention,” he said.

Dr. Jackson also met Friday with officials at the Girard Health Department.

runyan@vindy.com