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Swine flu: Now not the time to panic
Published Thursday, April 30, 2009
Now is not the time to panic when it comes to swine flu, Chilton County Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security Director Bill Collum said Thursday. But that doesn’t mean the county shouldn’t be prepared.
Fortunately, officials have taken steps to ensure that local needs will be met in the rare case of a pandemic.
Chilton County is part of a nationwide preparedness plan — the Strategic National Stockpile — in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
“The plan addresses how we identify if there’s a pandemic occurring, as well as how to receive, store, secure and dispense medication,” Collum said.
In a pandemic, medication would be flown in from the CDC to Montgomery, offloaded on pallets, and transported to different counties under the supervision of law enforcement officials. Each resident would then be directed to one of several PODs (points of distribution) where they would fill out a short form and receive medication.
While all this might sound alarming, Collum said many things have to happen before the plan is initiated. This would include the closing of schools and businesses.
“None of this will happen until there is an emergency declared by the Alabama Department of Public Health,” he said. “People shouldn’t expect this to happen next week.”
The EMA has been in communication with school officials, the health department, hospitals and first responders to make sure all of its bases are covered. They are also getting daily reports from the state health department and state EMA.
As the CRI (City Readiness Initiative) Coordinator, local RN Teresa Marcus is taking the lead role on the medical side of the plan. She has compiled teams of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other first responders to man the PODs.
Although the primary purpose of CRI is to prepare for an anthrax pandemic, the plans work hand-in-hand.
“This plan says we have to be able to medicate 100 percent of our population within 48 hours,” Collum explained. “We’ve dovetailed that into our SNS plan so we can make it work.”
Last week, Chilton County received $4,000 in cots that were state surplus property. Special kits explain how the cots can be placed inside a school bus and used for mass transport in case of a pandemic.
For now, Collum advises people to stay calm and use common sense.
“Take sensible precautions,” he said. “Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and don’t go to school or work if you’re sick.”
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Comments
Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 6:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Now is not the time to panic"
So, just let us know when it is time to panic.
Posted by jughead (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 6:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I know when you can panic!!! When you actually get the Flu!!! WOW, have you never been sick before? Same way you live your life everyday should be the way you approach this small outbreak. Wash your hands, cough away from someone, and don't lick doorknobs. It is not hard, just need a little commom sense.
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 8:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This story reminds me of a scene from that great American cinematic icon Airplane!
"There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane? "
:rolleyes:
Posted by bama1870 (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 10:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ha! Note to self..... "Stop licking doorknobs" That's hilarious.. The media has gone crazy with this.
Good one jughead! LOL
Posted by psychologistdmp (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
REK1138, it's always good to hear a quote from Airplane. That movie overflows with hysterical one-liners.
Posted by getbizi (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Stewardess, Are you telling us everything? Oh, and by the way, we're out of coffee!" PANIC!!PANIC!!
Posted by CrimusK8T (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you Google "Swine Flu" it returns some 50,000 recent news articles.
I'm confused....
Should we ignore the "don't panic" articles,and read between the lines that we "should" panic because it is receiving so much coverage?
I'll be waiting to find out what I should do next....
Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WSFA says: "Montgomery, AL (WSFA) - It is breaking news you saw live on WSFA 12 News Thursday night. The state's third probable case of swine flu is in Montgomery. While that is a serious concern, state and city leaders warn there is no reason to panic."
Looks like we're not supposed to panic yet.
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on May 1, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, Earth ... "The state's third probable case of swine flu is in Montgomery. You sayin' Riley is responsible? DOH!
Posted by getbizi (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Of course not, George Bush is responsible for swine flu, as well, DUDE.
Posted by CrimusK8T (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The WSFA story mentioned that the Montgomery woman's case is not related to travel....
While I'm not going to "panic", I am going to say that's "concerning".
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That's funny - Good one, KW!
Surely, this swine flu thing isn't going to turn into something to panic about. Yeah, I know...."And don't call me Shirley!" ☺
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's the Alabama Department of Public Health's Swine Flu info page:
http://www.adph.org/influenza/index.asp?...
"State and city leaders WARN there is no reason to panic."
Ok.......We've been Warned.
Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on May 2, 2009 at 7:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A lady who works in my sister's office in Gardendale just became the first confirmed case of swine flu in the state, and my sister is sick.
Posted by ATC1962 (anonymous) on May 2, 2009 at 9:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Common sense helps protect us from getting sick. But as I have been known to say many times, if sense was common we would all be blessed. As with any flu season, keep your hands clean. Avoid people who are sick or better yet, if you are sick ... stay at home and do not infect the rest of the general population.
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on May 3, 2009 at 5:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
kw, quit pickin' yer nose and stand up ... should make you feel instant relief. DOH!
Posted by jughead (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes other things do kill people, other things are contangious as well, but the Governent and news media decided to put extra attention on this to try and make a wide spread panic. Like ACT 1962 said, if your sick stay your tail at home and take some medicine. Don't go out and get everyone else sick. Use your brain, even though that is kinda hard for most around here. People worry over the wrong things.
Posted by ATC1962 (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Debby, I am with you in that people should not make light of this flu. During any flu season, it is amazing how adults have to be reminded of ways to prevent from falling ill to the virus or how they should use sense in not exposing others. What is also amazing is the number of people who after being advised by the government not to visit Mexico during spring break due to the drug cartel and safety issues, elected to go ahead and visit. Some of those are the very persons who brought back into the United States this virus. Maybe the use of the words not Panic is due to the fact normally when people Panic, their sense and responsibilities fly right out the window. Panic causes mayhem and lack of any safety precautions. Concern on the other hand leads to positive actions to avoid. I agree this is not a time to take lightly the situation. We should all be concerned and following the precautions. Hopefully everyone with concern will remind others they come in contact with to follow precautions.
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on May 3, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Take heed, Dr ... Indiana kw has spoken. :P
Posted by ATC1962 (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay ... since you brought up the weather. It has been ugly here. FYI... just lost the top of my shop. Shingle damage on roof of house and had to remove tree limbs from my car which was parked about 150 ft or more from a tree. Thanks to the storm spotters and the weathermen who have been all over the television this afternoon. I did not hear our sirens at Fairview when it hit. I did however have enough sense to grab a 10 year old in a hurry. That is just how fast this weather system hit. Over-reaction? After the under reaction and the loss of lives at Enterprise High School in the case of weather,am glad that James Spann wasted my afternoon. Am sure the elderly in this community were proud of these weathermen and storm spotters as well.
Posted by ATC1962 (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 8:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL, nothing I could do. Just hope for the best. Hurricanes took the same roof off twice prior. But, am glad to have had some local news to let me know it was coming. Afraid the tree limbs that landed on the car were a whole lot bigger than a peach tree. No .. no time to panic. Might as well remain calm, however the windshield on the car would have been a lot cheaper then the roof on the shop. Glad you all did not have damage. Might need to go with those steel beams like the ones on CR7. This tin and lumber just does not seem to withstand it.
Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 9:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You know KW I normally agree with you. BUT .......
I just found out last night that a lady in my sister's office has a confirmed case of swine flu. My sister woke up sick yesterday morning, the night before (not knowing that she was sick) she visited with her 2 year old and 4 year old grandchildren.
Now let me be clear to you, we are NOT in a panic, but thanks to the media we are informed. My sister and her grandchildren are being tested, THANKS to our being informed. If this thing did get out of control and the media hadn't talked about it, people would be screaming "Why weren't we warned? Why didn't the news media tell us about this?"
Frankly I don't see anyone in a PANIC -- I see people being informed. People aren't running wild in the street tearing at their clothes and throwing ashes over themselves. But they are AWARE that there COULD be a problem.
THAT'S THE MEDIA'S JOB!
Now, concerning the weather. I happen to like it when the weather guys let us know there's serious weather coming our way. You may be safe and sound in your steel framed house but there are thousands of people in this county who live in trailers or homes that aren't so solid as yours. I've never seen ANY weatherman attempt to incite panic. But I have seen them inform us of potential bad weather. And that's their job. And thank goodness they do it because they save lives. Think back to 1932, when the tornados tore through Chilton County, how many lives could have been saved then if James Spann was around to warn them of bad weather?
I guarantee you that if James Spann and his fellow weathermen didn't warn us of potential bad weather and a tornado hit then people would be up in arms screaming at them for not warning them about what they saw on their instruments.
My father had a saying he learned back in WWII and Korea during his Navy days as a member of the UDT with EOD training. If you panic you're lost. I NEVER panic. But I sure as hell like to be informed. So thank you news media for the information.
Daughter of William T. "Watertight" Southard .... out.
Posted by gonefishen (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 11:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"I guarantee you that if James Spann and his fellow weathermen didn't warn us of potential bad weather and a tornado hit then people would be up in arms screaming at them for not warning them about what they saw on their instruments"
KR - Your statement was 100% accurate. One reason that the local weather is so saturating was spawned from the deaths of 34 people in a storm that produced an F5 and F2 tornado in 1998. I remember the warnings being given and that was it, until the next morning when the scope of devestation was seen.
While the local weather coverage is informative, I do believe that they have cried "WOLF" alot (too much) here lately.
Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 11:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"And as I say about ifs, if frogs had guns there would be less snakes in the world."
Well I hate snakes and would be happy with a lot fewer of them. I like hawks, they can increase their population to take out the frogs that will be missed by the snakes.
I'm not worried about my sister's life, nor the life of the lady who she works with. That's not to sound cold but they are both adults. I am concerned about my nieces. Typically the flu (in all its varieties) does strike at children harder, the Spanish Flu of 1918 took the young more than any other group. And yes I know that it was a pandemic whereas this is a burp.
In case my work with cemeteries hasn't clued you in I am a historian by nature and a genealogist by addiction. Every genealogist knows the 1918 date, they see it by the ton in their databases. I know how many people died in comparasion to what is going on now.
I am extremely grateful to the news media that they alerted us to this danger, otherwise my sister's workmate might not have been tested, and my nieces' mother might have just thought they'd caught the common cold until it was too late (that is assuming they get sick the incubation period is 2-4 days).
As I said, we aren't in a panic, Daddy taught us too well the dangers of a panic, but we are informed and my nieces therefore are being tested. And I thank anyone, including the media, for that information.
Vampire -- too right. I was in Mexico City thirty-eight years ago when I was 12 (sigh... 38 years ago... damn I'm old) and it was a nasty overcrowded place then too.
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on May 4, 2009 at 6:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lawd, hep me ...
Posted by psychologistdmp (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Debbyrose, I agree that if someone can't make an argument for thier point without making a personal attack, they need to re-think thier argument.
However, although I've already made a comment regarding this subject about a previous article, I would just like to say that, yes, it is the job of the media to report on stories that affect our everyday lives, but when it gets to the point of causing mass hysteria.......
Posted by TheDude (Michael Wells) on May 4, 2009 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Scratch that ... Lawd, hep dem .... DOH!
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Has "mass hysteria" occurred?
Some people do, tend to overreact and when any topic is discussed repeatedly and by many different people--the urgency of the issue may seem exaggerated, however, I haven't witnessed any panic or "hysteria" in the circles that I travel. I must have missed it.
I hope everyone stays well! ♦♥♣♠
Posted by psychologistdmp (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay kittycreek, so I exaggerated. However, the attention this is receiving is rediculous and I wouldn't put it past the media on raising this to the "hysteria" level.
Good job on keeping the facts straight.
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on May 6, 2009 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, so that's why the paper has been so boring lately. What a bummer!
I hope you guys don't stop posting, as your posts are the most interesting part of this online version of the paper and they are sometimes more informative that the articles themselves. ☺
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