Local health officials have seen fewer patients recently with flu symptoms but still are asking people to take precautions, such as using hand sanitizer and getting vaccines.
Recently, Bayhealth Medical Center placed a trailer in its parking lot to provide extra space to treat people with flu symptoms but has not needed to use the facility yet.
“We set it up in anticipation of huge influx of flu symptoms, but we missed our peaks a couple of weeks ago,” said Dr. Craig Hochstein, medical director of emergency room department at Bayhealth Medical Center. “It was like a wildfire that ran through the community and kind of burned itself out.”
Hochstein said the flu and H1N1 virus immunizations likely helped stem the outbreak of people with the illness and noted that a lot of people may have already recovered from the H1N1 virus, which is also known as the swine flu.
“It can be a fairly minor sickness, and some people may have already had it and just not realized it,” Hochstein said.
So far, the state has given approximately 15,300 H1N1 inoculations to children across Delaware through its school vaccination program, which will continue until January.
The state was scheduled to administer vaccines to students that have been given parental permission at Allen Frear and W. Reily Brown elementary schools Nov. 16; vaccinations are planned at Fred Fifer III Middle School and North Dover Elementary Nov. 18, Caesar Rodney High School Nov. 19, and Dover High School Nov. 20.
Delaware’s Division of Public Health also is aiming to inoculate another 3,000 people against the H1N1 virus during clinics Nov. 20, 21 and 22.
Jennifer Wooleyhand, spokeswoman for the state DPH, said these clinics are only for people who made appointments Nov. 16. For those at a high risk of contracting the illness and did not make an appointment, the vaccinations are available at the Williams State Service Center, 805 River Road, Dover.
Before showing up at the Williams Center, Wooleyhand said people should call first to make sure the vaccine is available and that they fall into one of the categories for being at a high-risk of contracting the H1N1 virus.
High-risk factors for contracting the H1N1 virus include being pregnant, having a weakened immune system because of cancer treatments or HIV/AIDS, and having a chronic disease, such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease.
Infants and children who are 6 months to 4 years old also have a high risk of contracting H1N1. Wooleyhand said people also can contact their primary care physician if they’re concerned about getting the vaccine.
