Planning For the Worst With H1N1
As the mass vaccination program begins ahead of schedule, we're getting a glimpse of how prepared the city's health authorities are for an outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus, which can't help but make you wonder how deep the preparations go, and how carefully they've planned for the worst.
Certainly, health care authorities have had a full season of the virus working its way through the southern hemisphere to draw on for precedents, and almost everyone agrees that SARS - probably a more disastrous experience for Toronto - left them prepared. "I think that since SARS has happened a lot has happened across the province when it comes to infection control," says Herveen Sachdeva, Associate Medical Officer of Health for Toronto Public Health. "There's a lot more awareness out there and a lot more resources dedicated to infectious diseases in healthcare environments."
Shona Milligan, chair of the Disaster Management and Recovery Committee for the Cardinal Funeral Home group agrees. "You look at a country that hasn't had a hurricane in a generation, and it's devastating to them because they're so unprepared. I do think that SARS has been beneficial to us in preparation."
"Our planning has always been to plan for the worst but to anticipate the best," says Dr. Charles Chan, Vice President of Medical Affairs and Quality at the University Health Network, which includes Toronto General, Princess Margaret and Toronto Western hospitals. He says they've been planning for years, with meetings every month since the summer began, and that while there have been some fatalities, they've had the effect of galvanizing the public's attention that the H1N1 virus is definitely here.
While there have been three major pandemics in the last century, the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu epidemic is the one that still galvanizes the public's imagination, and Toronto was hit as hard as any city. Thirteen hundred Torontonians died during that outbreak, and at one point during October 1918, the worst month of the pandemic, more than half of the city was infected, and hospitals were so swamped that the Hotel Arlington - now the site of the Bell Lightbox on King West - was turned into a hospital.
Chan says that as long as around forty or so new flu cases a day show up at Toronto General, they'll be able to function normally, but when the total reaches a hundred, contingency plans will kick in to draw beds, staff and resources from the hospital's many other activities. According to a plan released by Toronto Public Health in July, when the pandemic reaches a 1 per cent case fatality rate, it will be classed as severe, and plans will go into effect to close down schools and public gatherings, limit ridership on public transport, and even shut down a major airport like Pearson.
Milligan says that Cardinal employees have been issued with pandemic kits with rubber gloves and masks as well as flashlights and batteries in case of power outages; they've been told how to stock their homes with food in case of shortages, and their funeral homes have been stocked similarly in case they're forced to work overtime. "I think that we're like everybody else - we're watching the news and staying on top of it," she says. "We may not be, as an industry, be as panicked about it because we have been aware and talking."
"I'm not even sure we're even into week one of the surge, to be honest with you," says Chan. "When we talk about week one, we're talking about a significant number or patients showing up in the emergency rooms, but having to be admitted to the hospital. What we're talking about is maybe one admission or two admissions a day at some of the bigger hospitals in Toronto, and that's good news."
Comments (20)
wow. micheal cera and his hooded friend look like tools. I bet they're going to be first in line for the vaccine, camping outside in their aseptic tent, sterilized sleeping bags... I hope that photo was staged, or at least from the SARS era...
What ever happened to the regular flu that use to happen every winter season? Has that been banished? Are there shorter line ups for the ordinary 2009 winter season flu shot?
With all the frikkin Purell everybody's using, it stinks like a gin factory at my office.
Re: MelS's comment about "icheal cera and his hooded friend look like tools."
People gotta do what they gotta do. Call them tools, but if it makes them feel better/safe, let 'em do it. I guess you've never been on a plane in Asia, where lots of people wear masks in airports and on flights. Dorky? A bit. But who gives a shit.
I worry that this is going to end up being a Media crying wolf scenario. Many of us have gotten so accustomed to the media blowing things out of proportion for ratings that we might end up putting ourselves in harm's way when a real emergency occurs.
It really has become tough to distinguish something we should be concerned about with something we shouldn't as extensive media coverage can even affect the response of health care providers and government agencies, even if they know better.
I don't mind if anyone wears a mask or if anyone gets vaccinated. But it seems people are making themselves sick with "panic".
I wonder if the H1N1 Vaccination would provide some sort of protection for the seasonal flu. In which case, it almost makes sense to get the H1N1 shot. Not too often you get a Bogo deal with vaccinations.
I took that photo on Bay Street on April 29, 2009. Here's a link to my photo on flickr, with full caption.
Help! I can't find Morning Brew. And it is afternoon. Is this it? Has H1N1 taken over the news completely?
Its the fukkin flu, folks. THE FLU. People die from Influenza every year. This is a slightly different strain, but not life threatening like people are making it out to be. It's a money grab and it's fear mongering. People with Swine Flu are asked to not go to the emergency room. As in, it's not an emergency. As in it's not life threatening.
Look at this graph: http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelpaukner/4052849920/sizes/l/in/pool-16135094@N00/
It really isn't a big deal. Jeez.
I get migraines too - if you don't drink coffee regularly, it can sometimes work as a short-term treatment (nice and strong, and you have to drink it early on, either before the headache kicks in, or at the start of it). It constricts the blood vessels to the head.
If you do drink it regularly, well, you could *try* it, but I've heard from others that it doesn't work the same. In fact, coffee withdrawal (for regular drinkers) can sometimes lead to migraines.
I hope this helps. We miss you.
I work in one of the hospitals in Toronto,
our hospital and many other hospitals in Toronto have been bombarded by people wanting the vaccine. From what we've seen the past few weeks with the availabilty and what not, there has been widespread 'Hype'. Especially with that young boy who recently died.
Eventually things will die down and people will be like it doesn't work just like the regular flu shot.
I myself get my flu shot every year and have been for the past 4-5. Do I believe in it, I guess so. Have I ever gotten the Flu, Nope. But a co-worker of mine who hasn't had her flu shot ever hasn't reported ever having the Flu, at the same time risking not getting 'sick pay' if she does get infected.
It's kind of fun hearing both sides of getting the shot or not. You hear about all these 'Professionals' either standing beside it or condemning it.
If you can't get your shot yet always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if you can't and if you cough or see someone coughing tell them to do so in their sleeve. Yeah hand sanitizer can be obnoxious, trust me I hate it just as much as the next person, but it helps. Not only for Influenza(Sounds scarier!) but for things like C.Diff and heaven forbid NORWALK!
BTW, the H1N1 shot is seperate from the regular Flu shot.
are they prepared in Vancouver? what are they going to do if there is a massive outbreak of h1n1 among olympics athletes? will it paralyze the health care system there? what if the infected olympics athletes died? would they continue the game?
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