April 29, 2009
To: Marion County Employees
From: Karen Landers, MD,MPH, Marion County Health Department
Many of you have heard about Swine Flu. As of 3:00 p.m. on April 29, 2009 there were no confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Oregon or the state of Washington.
The Health Department staff wants to provide you with the most current information to keep you healthy and safe as you continue to work and serve the citizens of Marion County. The Centers for Disease Control says:
1. Protect yourself and others by washing your hands often
2. Cover your mouth with something other than your hand when you cough
3. If you are sick, go see your doctor but otherwise try not to go out and expose others to your illness
Swine Flu Info:
Swine Flu is a respiratory illness related to seasonal flu. Swine Flu is commonly seen in pigs, although occasionally human infections also occur. Although this new strain of flu is called “Swine Flu”, you do not need to have physical contact with pigs to get infected, and you do not get Swine Flu from eating pork or pork products. Regular flu vaccines do not generally protect against Swine Flu.
Symptoms:
It is important for you to know the symptoms of Swine Flu:
What You Can Do:
Hand washing is something everyone can do to help prevent the spread of Swine Flu. To protect yourself when working with the public you should also: