Barbara Alexander and her granddaughter, Alex, go over homework at Alexander’s home. In the event of a swine flu epidemic, older people may become emergency contacts and caregivers for ill younger people. Photo by Chip Mitchell

Summary:
• Older people may have more immunity to swine flu.
• Older people may become emergency contacts and helpers in a swine flu outbreak.
• The Virginia Department of Health urges everyone to get the seasonal flu shot as soon as possible.

Barbara Alexander lives four blocks from granddaughter Alex’s Richmond school, much closer than her daughter’s office across town.

In an emergency, Alexander can reach the school quickly. That’s important, because Alex and her classmates are at high risk for H1N1 influenza, or swine flu.

Alexander is just the kind of person Virginia Department of Health Commissioner Karen Remley, M.D., seeks: someone less vulnerable to swine flu who is willing and able to be the emergency contact to pick up and care for a sick child.

Among the best candidates? Grandmothers like Alexander.

Remley predicts older Virginians who normally need care for seasonal flu may become swine-flu caretakers. Why? “It appears the longer you’ve lived, the more likely you were to have been exposed to different parts of this virus, which confers you some immunity,” she said.

That means older Virginians are less likely to get swine flu and, therefore, more likely to be able to take care of those who do. That’s the reverse of seasonal flu.

As part of Virginia’s swine flu readiness plan, Remley has enlisted the help of AARP Virginia’s Grandmothers Campaign for Healthy Grandchildren, whose initial focus was on reducing the number of infant deaths in the state. In an open letter, she asked grandmothers for their help in preventing infections, providing support when family members fall ill and emphasizing the importance of vaccinations.

Adding swine flu awareness to the campaign is important, said Bill Kallio, AARP senior state director, “because our members’ children and grandchildren are most at risk here.”

Those at high risk for swine flu will get the vaccine first: pregnant women; those who live with or care for children younger than 6 months; health care and emergency medical personnel; those between 6 months and 24 years old; and those 25 to 64 with chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

Those over 65 are likely to be vaccinated last. That doesn’t mean anyone will be denied swine flu vaccinations, said Remley, who expects the state to receive a constant flow of the vaccine. For updates, check the AARP Bulletin Today Flu Season page.

Remley wants everyone to get both a seasonal flu and swine flu vaccine. Getting everyone vaccinated is part of the state health department’s swine flu readiness plan. She hopes Virginians 50 and older can persuade younger people to get swine flu shots. She’s concerned the younger group, which has not experienced polio, measles, mumps or chickenpox, may not understand what vaccinations can prevent.

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