Contact: By: Congressman Mike Castle

Wilmington | October 27, 2009 - As the seasons begin to change from summer to fall, we draw closer to the annual flu season. The addition of swine flu, accurately referred to as H1N1, to the list of communicable influenza strains requires more diligence from all of us to keep our communities as healthy as possible. Despite the increased focus on H1N1 in the media, we must not forget about guarding against the seasonal flu as well.

The seasonal flu vaccine is widely available and Delaware received its initial batches of the H1N1 flu vaccine in the beginning of October, which will be made available according to criteria set forth by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Every year, I make it a priority to get the seasonal flu shot and encourage individuals, including my staff, to do the same. It is just as important that those who meet the CDC criteria also get the H1N1 vaccine.

Preventative measures play a critical role in limiting the spread of both seasonal flu and H1N1. While getting vaccinated is the best way to ensure you do not contract nor spread either flu, simple actions such as frequent hand washing, coughing/sneezing into your elbow, and staying home if you feel the least bit ill will greatly diminish the opportunity for the flu to spread.

As we all know, the seasonal flu affects people with varying degrees of severity, in some rare cases requiring hospitalization for more vulnerable individuals. According to the CDC, the individuals most at risk of the serious consequences of the seasonal flu are people above the age of 65, those below the age of 2 and those with chronic medical conditions.

Unlike the seasonal flu shot, the CDC has set criteria outlining who is eligible for the initial batches of the H1N1 vaccination. CDC guidelines target those who are particularly at risk of catching H1N1 and suffering serious consequences from it. These include pregnant women, people who work or live with infants under 6 months, children ages 6 to 24, people 25 to 65 who suffer from chronic diseases, and health care providers. People who meet the criteria are the priority for vaccinations currently being distributed by the CDC. It is my hope that eventually enough H1N1 vaccine supply will be available to people outside of this high-risk group. If you fall into any of these groups, I encourage you to get vaccinated at your earliest convenience.

At the moment, there are two different forms of the H1N1 vaccination. The first vaccine to be released is a nasal spray called FluMist. While this form is suitable for most people, it should not be given to pregnant women who should wait for the injectable vaccine. By the end of October, Delaware is expected to have 82,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine and that number will grow to 240,000 by the beginning of December. During the next few months, the Delaware Division of Public Health plans to combat both influenzas through prevention, education, and the distribution of vaccines. Despite our diligence in preventing the spread of both the seasonal flu and H1N1, there will be people who will get sick this fall and winter. Watch for symptoms of both variations of flu and if you become ill, call your health care provider and stay at home to recover fully. Symptoms of the seasonal flu you should watch for are a fever, coughing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, head aches, body aches, chills and fatigue. These symptoms are also indicative of H1N1, although vomiting and diarrhea are the additional symptoms to be on guard against.

I am confident in the ability of our state and health care providers to take care of people through this coming flu season, and hope that with some preventative measures we can all keep ourselves as healthy as possible.

For specific information on the flu in Delaware, visit the Delaware Division of Public Health's Web site, www.flu.delaware.gov. For general information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, visit www.flu.gov.