OSHA announced in a recent press release that it will soon issue a compliance directive to ensure uniform procedures when conducting inspections to identify and minimize or eliminate high to very high risk occupational exposures to the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus.
Although their appearance is often similar, respirators are designed and engineered for distinctly different functions than surgical masks. The amount of exposure reduction offered by respirators and surgical masks differs.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the use of a NIOSH-certified N-95 or better respirator for the protection of healthcare workers who come in direct contact with patients with H1N1.
Two different influenza vaccines are available this influenza season, and many people will be recommended to receive both the seasonal influenza vaccine and the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine (referred to in this document as 2009 H1N1 vaccine).
Below are some practical considerations for use of influenza vaccines. They are only intended to address the current pandemic situation and might change as the situation unfolds. They are not intended to be applied to routine use during future seasonal influenza vaccination efforts.
On September 22, 2009, CDC advised healthcare professionals that the oral dosing dispenser provided with Tamiflu® Oral Suspension is marked with 30 mg, 45 mg, and 60 mg graduations, rather than graduations in milliliters (mL) or teaspoons (tsp). There have been cases where the units of measure on the prescription dosing instructions (mL, tsp) do not match the units on the dosing device (mg), which can lead to patient or caregiver confusion and dosing errors.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved use of the seasonal influenza vaccine Fluarix for children ages 3 years to 17 years. Previously, this vaccine, which contains inactivated (killed) influenza A and B viruses, had been approved for use in adults, ages 18 years and older.
As of October 11, 2009, worldwide there have been more than 399,232 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 and more than 4,735 deaths reported to the World Health Organization.
Improving overall employee hydration is best accomplished through the use of a three-pronged approach including education, assessment and implementation of best practices of encouraging fluid intake during the work day.
Dr. Peter Sandman, one of the nation’s preeminent risk communications experts, compiled (with assistance of his wife and colleague Jody Lanard) the following pandemic H1N1 vaccination messages that you might find useful in workplace discussions or meetings regarding pandemic issues and concerns.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General has just released a report concluding that at least five states aren't ready for a pandemic such as the H1N1 virus, despite six years of funding and planning efforts.
Nearly two million Americans could be hospitalized during this winter's novel H1N1 influenza pandemic, with as many as 300,000 clogging intensive care units in heavily affected regions, according to a report released by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
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