It can be hard to accept Annette’s word for it, amid declarations of a public health emergency, the first reported swine flu-related death in the US, and five probable cases in New Jersey.
However, a call to Mountainside Hospital’s Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Natalie Thigpen assured us that so far, all’s well in Baristaville. Mountainside’s emergency preparedness team has been meeting daily since the outbreak began to review emergency procedures and coordinate with major actors within the hospital. The hospital has also been a part of New Jersey’s Initiative on Pandemic Flu Planning for two years, so the staff is already familiar with this sort of emergency framework.
Likewise, local drugstores report that all is calm – “not much panicking yet,” says Larry of Grove Pharmacy. “There have been a couple of requests for Tamiflu, but not the expected rush.” Keil’s Pharmacy likewise reported relative calm, but noted an increase in purchases of surgical masks and hand sanitizers.
Meanwhile, Nj.com reports that the New Jersey will be setting up a flu hotline, and Health Commissioner Heather Howard will be making an announcement about it today.
For more information on symptoms of swine flu (now being redubbed ‘North American Influenza,’ at least by dealers of swine), updates, and tips for staying healthy, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Driving past the CVS near the Allwood Circle in Clifton, I noticed a number of signs indicating that the CVS pharmacy is now open 24 hours. I wonder if this is related to the anticipated pandemic or just a coincidence.
ONE death, people! We’ve known about this thing for one month and there has been 1 (one) death in the US. Now tell me how many things you can die of that only one person per month dies of in this country.
I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future any more than any one else does. I’m just saying that people need to get it together and stop making idiots out of themselves over this, at least as long as it’s still more rare to die of Swine Flu than to die from a lighting strike!