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Fighting the Flu—One Child, or One State, at a Time

By Senator Richard T. Moore

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC), influenza activity during October continued to increase in the United States. Flu activity is now widespread in 41 states. Nationwide, visits to doctors for influenza-like illness continued to increase and are now about equal to or higher than what is seen at the peak of many regular flu seasons. In addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths are continuing to go up and are above what is expected for this time of year.

2009 H191 (sometimes called “swine flu”) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. First detected in persons in the United States in April of 2009, the virus is spreading from person to person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

The symptoms of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, including H1N1, and have respiratory symptoms without a fever. Severe illnesses and deaths have occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

In seasonal flu, certain people are at “high risk” of serious complications. This includes people of 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions. About 70 percent of people who have been hospitalized with the H1N1 virus have had one or more medical conditions previously recognized as placing people at “high risk” of serious season flu-related complications, including pneumonia. Medical conditions for placing people at “high risk” include pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and kidney disease.

Young children are also at high risk of serious complications from H1N1, just as they are from seasonal flu. While people 65 and older are the least likely to get infected with H1N1, in the event they become sick, they are nevertheless considered at “high risk” of developing serious complications from their illness.

People infected with seasonal and H1N1 flu may be able to infect others from one day before getting sick, to five to seven days after. This can be longer in some people, especially children and individuals with weakened immune systems, as well as people infected with the new H1N1 virus.

There is a seasonal flu vaccine to protect against seasonal flu, and a new H1N1 vaccine to protect against the H1N1 virus. People in high risk categories are strongly advised to consider vaccination. There are also simple, common-sense steps such as covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing with a tissue or sleeve, consistent hand-washing, and staying at home when flu-like symptoms are present.

Just as each of us has a responsibility to protect ourselves and others from spreading the flu, state governments are improving their public health emergency laws to protect everyone from serious illness and even death. Massachusetts is now updating its public health emergency laws to preserve individual rights without endangering society as a whole.

The proposed law does not mandate vaccination, nor does it invoke martial law to create “quarantine camps.” A great deal of false information has been spread by conspiracy theorists and right wing ideologues. Legislators trying to protect the health of our population have been called “traitors” and have been demonized with irrational charges and personal attacks. The simple truth is that the new law would protect us all through a responsible balance of our individual rights and the right of all our neighbors to health and life.

Most area legislators have been true “profiles in courage,” standing up to misinformed opposition and voting to protect the health of Massachusetts residents. In our area, State Senators Stephen Brewer, Harriette Chandler, Karen Spilka, Michael Moore and myself, as well as Representatives John Fernandes, George Peterson, Paul Frost, Jennifer Callahan, Geraldo Alicea, and Ann Gobi have voted for sensible public health emergency laws to give us protection necessary to staying alive and well, in the unfortunate event of an influenza pandemic striking our state.

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