Avoid the H1N1 Virus
The events of 9/11 challenged our country to invest more effort into emergency preparedness. That investment paid off, and we quickly responded when the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the H1N1 virus had reached pandemic levels.
Collective measures, like Volunteers in Policing (VIP), Neighborhood Watch, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and BCHD’s Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), have strengthened our community’s resiliency. Through the efforts of these groups, a partnership has been created with Los Angeles County to provide vaccinations in the beach cities. While collective action is critical during public health emergencies, preparation always begins with individual actions. Residents should be aware of vaccination recommendations and should make an informed decision about whether or not to get vaccinated. Valuable information can be found at BCHD’s FluWatch page at bchd.org/resources/FluWatch.html.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is prioritizing the following groups to receive vaccinations: people caring for infants under 6 months, children and young adults from 6 months to 24 years, pregnant women, people ages 25 to 64 with underlying medical conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes), health care workers and emergency responders. Older adults (ages 65 and up) should be vaccinated once demand among target groups is met.
If you are not among the targeted vaccination groups, you can help prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus by washing your hands regularly, sneezing and coughing into the crook of your arm, not touching your eyes, face and nose, avoiding close contact with sick people and staying home when you are sick. Also, you can boost your immune system through diet, exercise and behavioral changes. Drink orange juice and decaffeinated tea with lemons (vitamin C is immunoprotective). Avoid excess alcohol to allow your liver to support your immune system through protein production. Increase your physical activity—it improves your circulation, strengthens the immune system and decreases stress. Finally, sleep at least eight hours a night and adopt relaxation techniques—sleep and stress relief can restore your immune system function.
Emergency preparation requires both individual and collective action. Learn more about actions to prevent seasonal and pandemic flu at bchd.org or flu.gov.
