[BHS etree] BUSD: H1N1 Vaccine Update

[bhs at idiom.com]

Please do not contact the e-tree; contact Mark Coplan [mailto:Mark_Coplan at berkeley.k12.ca.us]

The City Of Berkeley Department of Public Health continues to keep us informed with updates on the H1N1 virus, and has provided the H1N1 vaccine update below, both in English and Spanish. Packets of documents including this update from Public Health will go home to parents this week. They have also provided "Frequently Asked Questions by Parents," a "Home Care Guide" and authorization forms for the H1N1 vaccinations, and a letter from Berkeley's Health Officer and the Superintendent. All documents are in English and Spanish. Watch for these in your child's backpack. We will also provide them along with further updates on the BUSD Website:
www.berkeley.k12.ca.us

We know that parents and children are worried about this virus, and that information is going to be an important part of addressing everyone's concerns. We will be sharing updates as quickly as we receive them, and parents should know that Superintendent Bill Huyett and Assistant Superintendent Neil Smith are in regular contact with Berkeley's Health Officer Dr. Janet Berreman, and schools are in regular contact with Victoria Lopez, the School-Linked Health Services Program coordinator.

Dr. Berreman has made it clear that it is highly unlikely that we will be closing any schools, and that any closures would only happen if the number of students and teachers out sick would impact our ability to perform the educational mission. The virus is already widespread beyond any benefit in containment measures. We will continue to treat any cases of H1N1 virus just as we would treat a case of seasonal flu, and we will not make any special announcements or alerts when a case is confirmed. Parents may want to know so they can take special precautions, but the fact is that we should all treat it as though we have been exposed, and in addition to creating unnecessary panic, such notifications could cause others to ignore the warnings. More cases are expected in the near future, and for the most part are expected to remain pretty mild. The best thing we can do is to follow the "WHACK the Flu" guidelines repeated below.

Mark Coplan, BUSD Public Information Officer
============================================================================================================================
Update from Berkeley's Department of Public Health:
THE H1N1 VACCINE UPDATE
Shipments of 2009 H1N1 vaccine have begun here in Berkeley and around the country. Supplies have been smaller and are coming in later than originally projected.  Contact your doctor (or Kaiser if you are a member) for vaccine availability. Currently, the Berkeley Public Health Department has not received enough vaccine to offer H1N1 vaccine clinics. We expect to receive more in the upcoming weeks so please check our website for updated information [http://www.cityofberkeley.info/publichealth].

The Public Health Division will be offering H1N1 vaccinations in all Berkeley public schools K-12 during the week of Nov. 16th. Vaccination is entirely voluntary.

Vaccines are targeted primarily for high risk groups: 
The following groups should be vaccinated first: 
-pregnant women
-people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age 
-healthcare and emergency medical services personnel 
-persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old 
-people 25 through 64 years of age with chronic health conditions or compromised immune systems

We anticipate that eventually there will be plenty of vaccine so that everyone who wants it can be vaccinated, but shipments and quantities are unpredictable. We understand that many are eager to receive this vaccine and we ask for the public's patience as additional vaccine is produced and shipped. 

In addition to getting your flu vaccines, you can protect yourself and your family, by taking the following WHACK the flu steps:
Wash your hands often
Home is where you stay when you are sick
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Cover your coughs and sneezes.
Keep your distance from sick people

Also remember to make plans with your employer to prepare if you or your children get sick. For more information, or help finding immunizations, medical providers, and health insurance including Medi-Cal – call the City of Berkeley Public Health Division at (510)981-5300 and ask for Nurse of the Day.

AHORA PREPÁRESE PARA LA VACUNA H1N1
En un principio, la vacuna contra el H1N1 se dará a los grupos prioritarios. Estos grupos son más propensos a enfermarse y tener complicaciones de la gripe H1N1 que podrían causar una enfermedad grave y la muerte. Los siguientes grupos deberían vacunarse primero: 
-las mujeres embarazadas 
-las personas que viven con o cuidan infantes menores de 6 meses de edad 
-personal de servicios de salud y médicos de emergencia
-las personas entre las edades de 6 meses y 24 años 
-personas de 25 a 64 años de edad con condiciones de salud crónicas o sistemas inmunes comprometidos 

Una vez que la demanda de la vacuna a todos estos grupos prioritarios se haya cumplido a nivel local, los programas y los proveedores deberían comenzar a vacunar a todas las personas de edades comprendidas entre 25 y 64 años. 

Además de obtener sus vacunas contra la gripe, usted puede protegerse y proteger a su familia, al seguir los siguientes pasos WHACK (por sus siglas en inglés) de la gripe: 
seguro de salud incluyendo Medi-Cal - llame a la División de Salud Pública de la Ciudad de Berkeley (510) 981-5300 y pregunte por la enfermera Day
==========================================

Mark A. Coplan
Public Information Officer, BUSD
510-644-6320 Cell: 510-472-3811
Mark_Coplan at berkeley.k12.ca.us
Berkeley Unified School District
2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, Ca 94704-1180