Small Town News

Health department declares emergency

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The Board of Grant County Commissioners declared an emergency due to the H1N1 pandemic on Nov. 3.

Aligned with this declaration, Grant County health officer Alexander Brzezny released a health officer order, which directs the health district, hospitals and local governments within Grant County to implement their pandemic influenza emergency plans. The emergency declaration and Brzezny's order gives public health officials, first responders and hospitals greater flexibility in controlling the spread of the virus. The directives allow hospitals to implement the measures they have prepared for public health threats and paves a way for certain emergency medical services workers the ability to administer the H1N1 vaccine.

"Over the past weeks we have seen an increase in patients hospitalized for influenza-like illness," Brzezny said. "The problem is being complicated by insufficient amount of available vaccine. As we seek to attend to those ever expanding needs, I trust we will remain cohesive, constructive and evidence-based in our decisions when facing these extraordinary circumstances."

From Sept. 19 through Oct. 31, there have been 19 deaths linked to influenza and at least 736 people statewide have required hospitalization in Washington.

"Unlike seasonal influenza, the new strain of influenza is infecting the younger populations in greater numbers," said Peggy Grigg, personal health administrator and personal health director.

"We understand that people are frustrated with the lack of H1N1 vaccine available in our community. Due to vaccine supply, the health district is constantly re-evaluating our H1N1 vaccination plans. Our planning is to determine vaccination needs based on which people in our community are most impacted by influenza."

The Grant County Health District will be in Quincy schools starting tomorrow to administer vaccine, according to the Quincy School District,

Grant County Emergency Management is also prepared to support public health efforts.

"We have closely monitored the local and national status of H1N1, and believe it is imperative we take the necessary steps to protect our citizens," said Grant County Emergency Management director Sam Lorenz. "The declaration of emergency gives us the ability to put needed resources in place to respond to what is likely to be a flu season that will impact our entire community."

Grant County Emergency Management recommends local employers prepare plans to sustain business operations should their employees fall ill and are unable to report to work. Links to continuity of business planning resources can be found on the Grant County Emergency Management Web site, www.co.grant.wa.us/EM.



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© 2010 The Quincy Valley Post-Register Quincy, California. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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