Complications of Flu Clinics

Public health officials on the Island, as elsewhere, have been working feverishly in recent months to devise a plan to vaccinate Islanders against seasonal flu as well as the novel H1N1 flu virus before the winter, as theses viruses thrive in cooler temperatures and lower humidity. Both viruses can be life-threatening, though the course the flu will take, particularly the H1N1, remains unknown.

These are the same public officials who regularly meet to plan for possible emergencies, including a pandemic. They have decided that two purposes — one specific to this season’s shots and the other more general — will be combined to test emergency procedures. So the Islandwide seasonal flu clinic (it is unclear whether H1N1 vaccines will be available at the same clinic) will also be a sort of community fire drill, for lack of a better comparison, directing us all to go through the unusual step of registering in one place before proceeding with paperwork to the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School for the vaccine. The idea is to help show, in an orderly and nonurgent situation, what systems may and may not work in the event of a large public health emergency.

On the downside, this exercise will complicate the normal annual vaccination clinic, just at a time when the public already is hyperaware and perhaps overly anxious about the flu viruses and the vaccines. So first to these issues.

It is imperative that local health providers continually communicate the facts, and that each of us makes educated decisions about our health. Seasonal flu kills tens of thousands of Americans each year, hitting the elderly and those with fragile immune systems worst. The well-tested vaccine is administered to millions across the country each year.

The H1N1 virus is preying on children, young adults and pregnant women. In the past six months, seventy-six children have died. Though the spring outbreak was less virulent than expected, it is not a Mickey Mouse virus. The vaccine is made and tested using the same methods as the seasonal flu vaccine. Today’s parents have a general uneasiness about vaccines; they must make the time and effort to consult their doctors, school nurses and health officials about any safety concerns they may have about the H1N1 shot, as most of these concerns are assuaged by the overwhelming evidence in favor of insuring against the virus with the vaccine. The plan to vaccinate school children against H1N1 is separate from the Islandwide seasonal flu clinic, and that process has its own complications yet to be resolved. If you’re a parent, make yourself a constructive part of your school’s plans and make your choices deliberately.

Now back to the plan to make this seasonal flu vaccination a practice run for emergency preparedness. This will inevitably be met by grumbling by many Islanders who will be inconvenienced. But many Islanders were alarmed and complained, with good reason, about the poor performance of Oak Bluffs officials when they needed to communicate an emergency message about contaminated town water this month. Those tempted to cry overreaction might consider whether it would have been better had New Orleans officials overreacted to warnings about its levees before Hurricane Katrina. It is easy to say, after the intervention, “but nothing happened.” That does not negate the need for smart planning and strategic intervention.

Aside from how to behave in a fire drill, everyone would be wise to remember another school rule: keep washing your hands, because it’s the age-old and best way to avoid infection.