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Below is an announcement from the Hamilton County Department of Health regarding the Swine Flu outbreak. Just last week, City staff  had training on the Point of Distribution process if an epidemic, or pandemic, would hit Hamilton County.  The City's Point of Distribution of drugs in the event of a pandemic is the Wyoming Civic Center at 1 Worthington Avenue.  The City would work closely with Hamilton County, and State and Federal Officials in the event of a national health emergency.

Swine Flu Information
While swine flu is concerning, people should not be overly concerned. There are simple things all of us can do to prevent the spread of this disease:
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Pork Consumption
Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products are safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.
Symptoms
Symptoms of swine flu include:
• Fever
• Body aches
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Sometimes also nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea
People experiencing such symptoms may want to contact their health care provider. Health care providers will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

Ill people who experience any of the following warning signs should seek emergency medical care. 

 In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

Travel
There are no CDC recommendations for U.S. travelers to restrict travel plans to Texas, California, New York City, Ohio, Kansas or Mexico.
 
• CDC issued outbreak notices to travelers to Mexico and the United States. These notices are available on the CDC Swine Flu web page at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm

• If you are traveling to Mexico, you should be sure you get a seasonal flu vaccination.  It is not expected to protect against swine flu, but it will protect you against seasonal flu. Flu season runs through May in the northern hemisphere, and is just beginning in tropical and southern hemisphere countries.
• As always, persons with febrile respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections, including influenza and other respiratory illnesses, to others in their communities. In addition, frequent hand washing can lessen the spread of respiratory illness. Interim guidance on infection control, treatment, and chemoprophylaxis for swine influenza is available at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu