H1N1 cases still rising in Vermont

Neal Goswami

Nov. 6, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- BENNINGTON -- State officials said the incidences of swine flu in Vermont continue to rise, but most afflicted with the virus are experiencing minor flu-like symptoms.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Wendy Davis said the H1N1 virus,widely known as swine flu, is showing up in higher numbers. Hospital visits and admissions continue to rise, she said Thursday in a weekly briefingwith reporters. Schools are also continuing to report a high number of absences, Davis said.

A total of four schools have now been closed for at least a day because of the virus. Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester was the first to close, late last month. Since last week, three other schools have shut down to try to prevent the virus from further spreading among students.

Davis called the swine flu virus "a young person's disease," because it continues to impact younger people in greater numbers. Health officialsbelieve younger people are more susceptible to the virus because they haven't lived long enough to have exposure to similar viruses.

The decision to close schools is still up to local school districts, but the state departments of Health and Education are providing guidance to school officials, according to Davis.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Patsy Kelso said closing schools is more a matter of maintaining school days for students, rather than stopping the spread of the virus. According to Kelso, keeping kids from each other by closing down schools does not necessarily

cut down on transmission of the virus.

Several hospitals, including Burlington's Fletcher Allen, the largest hospital in the state, have altered or enhanced their visiting policies to help protect vulnerable patients. The idea is to restrict visitors in some areas, such as maternity wards and intensive care units.

"We support the hospitals in these policies," Davis said. "Caring for someone sometimes means not visiting."

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center spokesman Kevin Robinson did not respond to an e-mail inquiry Thursday. He has said in the past that SVMC is not planning to change its policy.

North Adams Regional Hospital in North Adams, Mass., began restricting patient visits because of the flu this week.

The good news, according to Davis, is that the virus has not mutated, and the vaccine appears to be very effective. Distribution of the H1N1 virus vaccine, although "a complex process," is continuing throughout the state.

"We are ordering vaccine and we are receiving vaccine every week," she said.

As of Thursday, more than 23,000 doses out of 55,000 available doses had been administered to Vermonters, she said. The vaccine is being given first to people most at risk.

More than 5,000 doses were administered to school children at 27 separate flu shot clinics last week. Another 40 clinics are expected to be held by the end of this week resulting in 6,000 more children receiving the vaccine, according to Davis.

She said Thursday that some prison inmates could receive the vaccine if they are part of a high-risk group. "Our approach has been to respect the priority groups," Davis said. "It is being made available to corrections inmates in those groups."

Meanwhile, a public clinic in Middlebury this week ended with at least 100 people who waited in line not receiving the vaccine.

The Health Department plans to hold about 40 more clinics, however.

Kelso said people want the vaccine, but have been patient as the Health Department works to distribute it.

"There is some concern, but people are being very patient and dealing with their frustrations appropriately," she said.

Kelso said she did not want to speculate if the state has reached the peak of swine flu infections because the numbers appear to be on the rise. Also, past flu pandemics have shown that a virus can dip and rise again.

Contact Neal P. Goswami at ngoswami@benningtonbanner.com

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