May 1, 2009
Did you know...?
The World Health Organization announced Thursday it will would stop using the term "swine flu" to avoid confusion over the danger posed by pigs. The policy shift came a day after Egypt began slaughtering thousands of pigs in a misguided effort to prevent swine flu.
WHO spokesman Dick Thompson said the agriculture industry and the U.N. food agency had expressed concerns that the term "swine flu" was misleading consumers and needlessly causing countries to ban pork products and order the slaughter of pigs. "Rather than calling this swine flu ... we're going to stick with the technical scientific name H1N1 influenza A," Thompson said.
The swine flu virus originated in pigs, and has genes from human, bird and pig viruses. Scientists don't know exactly how it jumped to humans. In the current outbreak, WHO says the virus is being spread from human-to-human, not from contact with infected pigs.
WHO raised the pandemic flu alert to phase 5 on Wednesday, one step away from the highest level indicating a global outbreak.
To move from pandemic alert level 5 to level 6 means that WHO believes there is evidence of big outbreaks in at least two world regions and a pandemic is under way. WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda said Thursday there were no indications in the past day that would prompt the U.N. body to raise the alert further.
In response to questions received this week from our clients, we wanted to provide some questions to ask when you have concerns about employees who may experience symptoms or have traveled recently. Those questions you want to ask your employees when concerns are raised are as follows:
Have you been exposed to anyone in the last seven days with flu like symptoms including fever, body aches, coughing, sore throat, respiratory congestion, vomiting or diarrhea?
Have you yourself experienced any flu like symptoms in the last seven days including fever, body aches, coughing, sore throat, respiratory congestion, vomiting or diarrhea?
Have you traveled to any areas that have had confirmed diagnosis of H1N1 in the last ten days?
While traveling (bus, plane, taxi, boat etc) were you exposed to anyone who was coughing or sneezing around you?
If you or one of your employees experience symptoms, please see your health care provider or stop in at any of our Adult Quick Care locations for diagnosis and treatment. AQC has rapid influenza test kits available. All patients testing positive for influenza A will also have a nasopharyngeal swab specimen obtained and sent to the health department for further testing. Patients who have a high suspicion for influenza by history (including travel history) and physical examination but who do not test positive, will also have a nasopharyngeal swab specimen obtained and sent to the health department for further testing.
Patients who test positive for influenza A should begin treatment as soon as possible after getting sick. The CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications.
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. However, there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it then WASH YOUR HANDS.
- WASH YOUR HANDS often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
For more information about Swine Influenza visit the CDC web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu.
If you or an employee have symptoms or feel you need treatment, visit Adult Quick Care at one of our convenient locations:
1650 Broadway, Kansas City MO 64108 ♦ Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm
19000 E. Eastland Center Court, Suite 300, Independence MO 64055 ♦ Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 8am – 10pm
10415 Lackman Road, Lenexa KS 66219 ♦ Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm
1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200, Kansas City KS 66102 ♦ Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm
904 Edmond Street, St. Joseph MO 64501 ♦ Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 7am – 5pm
6501 E. Commerce Ave, Suite 110, Kansas City MO 64120 ♦ Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm
13830 S. US Highway 70, Grandview MO 64030 ♦ Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm
No appointment is necessary at Adult Quick Care.
816-559-6320♦ www.AdultQuickCare.com ♦ 816-559-6318 (fax)
*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*
To view the Tip of the Week in Spanish please visit our Tip of the Week library at http://www.ohscompcare.com/totw/. Please allow a few days for the current Tip of the Week to be translated and placed in to the library.
To learn more about
services OHS-COMPCARE has to offer, contact our Client Services
Team at (816) 561-2105 option 1 or by e-mail at customerservice@ohscompcare.com. You can also visit us at www.ohscompcare.com.
Why choose us? Because OHS-COMPCARE has a physician on call 24/7/365 days a year to respond to our client's needs.
OHS-COMPCARE has seven (7) area clinical facilities:
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Independence Clinical Facility |
Johnson County Clinical Facility |
St. Joseph Clinical Facility |
Grandview Clinical Facility |
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19000 E. Eastland Center Crt, St. 200 |
10415 Lackman Road |
904 Edmond Street |
13830 S Us Highway 71 |
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Independence, MO 64055 |
Lenexa, KS 66219 |
St. Joseph, MO 64501 |
Grandview, MO 64030 |
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816-478-9299 |
913-495-9905 |
816-233-7702 |
816-761-4664 |
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After Hours Available |
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KCMO/Broadway Clinical Facility |
KCMO/Front Street Clinical Facility |
Wyandotte County Clinical Facility |
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1650 Broadway |
6501 East Commerce, Suite 110 |
1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200 |
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Kansas City, MO 64108 |
Kansas City, MO 64120 |
Kansas City, KS 66102 |
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816-842-2020 |
816-483-5550 |
913-596-2774 |
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