Clinics close as swine flu goes into decline

| 27/02/2010

(CNS): Government health officials have announced the closure of the specialist flu clinic on Monday as a result of a steady decline in the number of swine flu cases. All indications are that in the western hemisphere the peak of the H1N1 pandemic may have passed. However, officials warned that people should still remain vigilant as recent scientific data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates continued transmission elsewhere. Since 21 January, the vaccine has been available at HSA facilities, certain public venues and private physicians’ offices. This availability will continue at all HSA facilities and some private doctors’ offices but the speciality clinic will close.

The HSA says the country now has, after a long wait, adequate supplies of the vaccine for anyone who wants to be vaccinated to get the shot free of charge. Since the start of the pandemic, 129 cases of the H1N1 virus were confirmed in the Cayman Islands but the last case was reported on 11 January. The HSA stated that surveillance data of persons visiting its facilities indicate that flu-like illness cases during the past four weeks are largely the same as before the pandemic, with approximately 80-100 persons being seen weekly with flu-like symptoms. Most of the cases were mild and many persons were without fever.

As a result, the designated flu clinic which was set up for H1N1 cases will be closed, effective Monday 1 March. However, priority will be given to patients with flu-like symptoms at the General Practice clinic, district health centers, Faith Hospital and the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Cayman Islands Hospital. Patients are advised to report to the registration officer or nurse regarding their flu-like symptoms in order to receive priority care. 

For more information on H1N1 visit www.CaymanPrepared.ky or www.hsa.ky. The Health Services Authority also offers the public direct responses to their flu queries through its flu email and message system – flu@hsa.ky. This complements the 24-hour flu hotline (926-2812) manned by HSA staff.

 

 

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  1. noname says:

    These posts are encouraging! I strongly encourage as many of you as possible to refuse vaccines. The world is overpopulated already so the more of you anti-vaccine nuts there are, the better for the rest of us in the long run.

  2. Victor E says:

    We took too long to prepare for H1N1 at a time when credible authorities were predicting a substantial risk of a serious pandemic of a killer disease.  Better safe than sorry is a good approach on this type of issue.  All you naysayers are just jumping on the hindsight bandwagon.  Cayman did not do enough to respond to this threat rather do too much.

  3. Shock and Awe says:

    One thing can be said for "swine" flu.  Gilead Pharmaceuticals and it’s major shareholder Donald Rumsfeld made a fortune.  Ka-ching

    By persuading W.H.O. to change it’s definition of pandemic.

  4. whodatis says:

    Question.

    The health authorities of the USA has publicly stated that the H1N1 "vaccination" will be automatically added to the official flu shot as of the next flu season.

    Will this be the case for the Cayman Islands as well?!

    In light of the (covered up) controversy that has surrounded the H1N1 "vaccine" and its in several instances proven dangerous side effects – I strongly believe that we should be paying close attention to these developments.

    I for one refuse to be a pawn and victim of a "copy and paste" sheep-like health authority if this in fact the case.

     

  5. Anonymous says:

     Most of you were giving the Minister of health hell about this,not getting enough vaccine in and on time.You all wanted action now,spend big money on airlifting it in if necessary.I personally didn’t take the vaccine,but do you know that more people die from the common yearly cold strain that from the H1N1.

  6. Oh Shoot says:

    And how much did that little farce cost the Islands?

    • A Noni Mouse says:

      To be fair they were in a no win situation…. Imagine the public outcry if they were seen to be doing nothing in the face of a W.H.O declared pandemic….