Cherokee Nation officials prepare for H1N1 virus

While simple hand washing doesn't sound like an impressive strategy for battling a flu pandemic, studies show that hand hygiene is an important way to lower your risk for getting sick and can significantly reduce missed school and work days during cold and flu season. (Photo by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times)

By Christina Good Voice

Staff Writer

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The H1N1 virus has arrived to the Cherokee Nation, and cases of the influenza virus have been confirmed at some CN health facilities, CN Medical Director Dr. Gloria Grim said.

The H1N1 virus is commonly called “swine flu,” but the virus is actually a mixture of swine, human and bird flu strains, Grim said.

“It differs in the sense that it’s a combination of several different viruses, but the main way it differs and affects humans (is) humans have never been exposed to this virus before so we don’t have the built up immunity to it that we may have to just seasonal-type flu,” she said.

The virus, which first appeared in March, is transferred by human-to-human transmission and has made its way into the CN, Grim said.

“There are (cases in the Cherokee Nation.) We’ve had quite a few that have already been confirmed at several of our clinics, and so it’s starting in a lot of the schools – primary and secondary schools,” she said. “And we really noticed it last week and we had a few cases the week before. We’re definitely starting to get quite a few cases around.”

Grim said that CN health facilities have flu plans in place, and CN officials and health officials have created a steering committee with CN Health, Human Resources, Emergency Management and Facilities groups.

“We already have an influenza plan – a pandemic flu plan,” Grim said. “This is just making sure we have everything in place that we need.”

She said the tribe has been working on brochures, external communication and internal communication to CN staff, citizens and patients to let them know what they can do to prevent the spread of the virus.

“We’re making sure that we have all our policies in place so that all our health care facilities know what to do,” Grim said.

She said that includes ensuring health facilities have protective equipment and medications.

The CN has already requested the H1N1 virus vaccination, but it won’t be made available throughout Oklahoma until mid-October. Once the vaccination is available, CN health facilities will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s priority list, which has pregnant women at the top of the list, followed by caregivers of small children, health care providers, children younger than 5 and people with chronic health conditions.

“We’re going to do a campaign to let people know who are in that very top priority to come in and get their vaccine first,” Grim said. “And if we get more vaccine then we’ll just keep going down the list of who gets it.”

Sequoyah Schools is one school that is increasing cleaning frequency to prevent the virus and the spread of other illnesses.

“We’ve definitely stepped up our cleaning efforts,” Sequoyah spokeswoman Tera Shows said. “To try to protect our kids here at Sequoyah, our facilities staff is sanitizing the rooms now on a nightly basis now instead of a weekly basis to try to make sure we can get rid of the flu bug on the surfaces so that the desk tops are sanitized, the door handles are sanitized, the light switches – those commonly touched areas.”

The school is also stepping up cleaning efforts in its dorms, where dorm residents have morning chores cleaning their rooms and restroom facilities.

“In the past the dorm students have been responsible for their own cleaning of their living areas and restroom facilities,” Shows said. “They’re still responsible for that (but) the dorm staff is taking it an extra step and cleaning behind them.”

“The kids are being made aware,” Shows said. “(Ogden’s) passed out information to the kids (and) we’ve sent home flyers to the parents and to all the staff so they know how to prevent the flu and also know how to recognize it.”

The CN has also made alcohol-based hand sanitizer, gloves and face masks available at entrances to tribal buildings, Grim said.

“We’re recommending that hand sanitizer be readily available,” she said. “It’s things you would just do with seasonal flu that you need to be very careful to clean surfaces. We’re advising our facilities to do a little bit more extra type cleaning, that they have masks available for people that come in. (We’re) trying to keep sick people at home and not around the general population.”

Symptoms of the H1N1 virus are similar to that of the seasonal flu and include:

• fever more than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• body aches, headache
• chills
• fatigue
• A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and 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 or sanitizers are also effective
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth because germs spread this way
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

– Centers for Disease Control