U.S Prepares for Flu Hospitalizations

By Rachel Stockton -rachel at foodconsumer dot org

I have it on good authority that the trees in the upper Midwest and along the eastern seaboard are beginning to tinge from a lush summer green to a more mellow hue.  For all our technological savvy and ability to control our surroundings to the greatest extent  since the history of mankind, human beings are still charmingly in tune to the elements.  This is the time for children to go back to school, and for adults to turn inward as the earth prepares for the Autumn Equinox.

So it's no surprise that September has been deemed National Preparedness Month, a time when we are reminded that natural disasters can strike when we least expect them.

This year we may actually be more keenly aware for preparation, as we gird ourselves for the upcoming swine flu season.  The CDC has announced that the United States is expecting and preparing for 1.8 million flu hospitalizations, with as many as 90,000 deaths in the ensuing months.

Typically, the flu season begins when fall is more fully entrenched; this time, however, August has already seen a surge in the number of swine flu cases thus far.  The University of Arkansas has prepared its faculty and staff for quarantine should the need arise; certainly this is a pragmatic move, since so many cases have been reported in neighboring Kansas.

The CDC is providing citizens with a weekly synopsis (FluView) of flu activity throughout the nation.  For the week of August 23-29, hospitalizations from the swine flu rose to 9,079, up from 8,843 the prior week.  97% of all flu cases reported to the CDC were the H1N1 virus.

Although the CDC advises that the best way to avoid the flu is to become vaccinated, it also provides the following list of health habits to help mitigate the spread of the illness:

*Avoid close contact with those who are ill

*Stay home when you're sick.  This means don't be a martyr.  If you are ill or are running a fever, be considerate and don't go out into the public.

*Cover your mouth and nose.  Make sure you have an adequate supply of tissue expressly ready in case you need to cough or sneeze

*Clean your hands

*Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

*Practice good health habits.  This suggestion covers the gamut from eating nutritious, immune system building foods, to maintaining an exercise routine and getting enough sleep.