Swine Flu Update

It appears that Swine Flu has hit Milwaukee. There are now at least 2 likely cases in the Milwaukee area, and many more suspected. As a result, the Milwaukee Health Commissioner has recommending closing 4 schools (Riverside University High School, Mitchell Street School, Clement Avenue School, and Rogers Street Academy).

Nationwide, there has now been one death associated with Swine Flu-- an infant. The World health organization has raised the Threat level to 5 out of 6-- indicating that a pandemic is immanent.

Your best advice for getting through this period of concern is

• Wash your hands frequently-- either with soap and water, or with antibacterial gel.
  
• Avoid contact with sick individuals.
  
• Begin to Make plans for what you will do if your child's school or daycare closes.
• If you do develop symptoms (see previous blog for description), STAY HOME. Call your health care provider EARLY. There is medication which can lessen the severity and duration of your illness, but you have to get it as early to the onset of symptoms as possible.

Stay tuned for updates.

Pandemic Flu: A cause for concern?

Why all the concern about Pandemic Flu? Well, few of us are old enough to remember the Influenza epidemic from September 1917 through June 1918, which killed 675,000 Americans (a number far greater than the total number of Americans who died in World War I, World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam Wars COMBINED). With few exceptions, "the Flu" has become an inconvenience for most people, causing us to miss work or school for a few days. Even so, the CDC estimates that about 36,000 Americans die of flu related illness every year.

Fortunately, one of the things which helps to defend people against a dangerous, germ infested world is the fact that animal infections, generally, tend keep to their specific species, and human specific viruses stick to humans. This means pig viruses infect only other pigs, and human viruses infect only humans. Furthermore, we are protected from developing life-threatening Flu infections every year because our immune system is already partial immunized against Influenza, from previous exposure. However, every now and then, a rogue virus, such as influenza, mutates, and acquires the ability to infect human beings as well as their natural host (e.g. pigs [swine] or birds [avia]). And when this happens NO ONE has immunity to this new virus.

What appears to have happened with this new Mexican Swine Flu is that an Influenza virus that previously infected only pigs, mutated, and now has the ability to infect human beings. Influenza is generally highly contagious. Typically flu viruses spread from one person to another via respiratory droplets (a sneeze or cough), or more likely, though touching an infected object such as a hand or doorknob, and then your own nose, mouth, or eyes. That being the case, people get infected from other infected people, not from touching or eating infected pork.

One difference with this type of Flu from the ones we normally see from year to year, is that this Flu seems to attack young healthy people, not just the very young, very old, and the sick. It is also striking that this infection is appearing later than the normal Flu season. At the time of writing, about 149 flu-related deaths have be limited to Mexico, with about 2000 people being hospitalized. Thus far, the few suspected US cases have not been deadly. There have been no confirmed cases in Milwaukee. As you can imagine, with an illness as common as the flu, it is difficult to get accurate numbers. This infection is often referred to a "pandemic" because it has the potential to spread across the whole world, but it is important to note that at this time the numbers of deaths are small; FAR smaller that those seen in a normal flu season, so there is no need for panic.

What are the symptoms of influenza? A sudden onset respiratory infection, with a fever (greater than 100.5 degrees F), and severe body aches and/or headache. You might also have a cough, sore throat, or diarrhea/vomiting. If you develop theses symptoms, contact your health care provider by telephone. Sometimes it is better for someone to screen your symptoms over the phone rather than come in and infect an entire waiting room. Your provider will probably want to get a viral culture at this early stage to confirm the presence of Swine Flu. Your provider might also want to prescibe a medication called Tamiflu, or Relenza. If you are sick, stay home from work or school.

How do you protect yourself from getting infected? First, and most importantly, wash your hands frequently. You might want to invest in a portable hand gel sanitizer. Avoid rubbing your eyes or nose. Also, keep away from sick individuals. Wearing face masks is probably over-kill unless you are in close contact with someone infected. It has also been suggested that masks potentially trap and collect the virus, causing you to inadvertantly carry it around with you.

For further information about this Swine Flu outbreak, follow this link to the City of Milwaukee Health Department.
Also see the community resources links below to contact the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Welcome Wisconsin BadgerCare Plus Core

As of January 1, 2009, the Milwaukee County General Assistance Medical Program (GAMP) ceased to exist. Its directive, to provide medical care to the indigent in Milwaukee County, was taken over the State of Wisconsin, as its patients were folded into the BadgerCare Plus Core program (also known as the "BadgerCare Plus Core Plan for Childless Adults", or more accurately, the "BadgerCare Core Plan for Adults without Dependent Children". In fact, these former GAMP recipients became the pilots for this new program.

BadgerCare came about in 1999, in the midst of the dismantling of the Wisconsin welfare system. When Governor Tommy Thompson moved to eliminate welfare in deference to the W2 (Wisconsin to Work) program, critics bemoaned that low income residents would be forced to work low end jobs lacking health care benefits, a position worse that that already provided by the state's medicaid program (Aid to Families with Dependent Children). In response, the BadgerCare program was to developed to cover low income residents WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN whose jobs did not offer affordable health insurance. Those without dependent children were out of luck.

The BadgerCare Core program expands upon that program by extending limited to low income families WITHOUT DEPENDENT CHILDREN, the largest demographic of people previously covered by GAMP in Milwaukee county. In essence, this provides a GAMP-type safetynet program for the rest of the state, at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. It is expected that the program will open to the rest of the sate July 1, 2009. (Follow link for enrollment requirements: badgercareplus.org/fpl.htm)

One noteworthy feature of the new program is that it covers both preventive and sick care. In fact, patients will be required to have an annual preventive care exam. The program will also cover prescription medictions, BUT ONLY GENERICS, with rare exception, for up to $5 per prescription, or total of $20 for all prescrions from a single provider. Furthermore, participates will be required to enroll in a state contracted HMO to manage services.

Follow the link to enroll in the BadgerCare Core Program online: access.wi.gov; or by phone at 1-800-291-2002.