Kane County preparing for 2010 version of H1N1

The Kane County Health Department is pushing vaccination shots commonly found at local retail outlets as the main defense against H1N1 and other flu strains this season. In fact, it's even putting $54,000 in the hands of local schools to promote flu defense awareness.

This will be the first major flu season since last year's H1N1 pandemic that sent thousands flocking to stand in lines for hours at local schools for vaccinations. This year, the county wrote $6,000 checks to nine local school districts to make flu awareness a priority. That includes instructing students to wash their hands frequently, cover their faces when sneezing and reporting any flu-like symptoms to school officials. The $54,000 comes from leftover grant funds. School districts are also being asked to report back to the health department whenever a student misses school because of a flu-like illness. Normally, influenza is not a reportable illness to the health department because most people don't seek professional treatment when they have the flu.

That said, no one doubts H1N1 will return. But this year everyone is better prepared. That begins with the basic flu shot you can get at most pharmacies and doctors' offices. The flu shot this year will vaccinate against three strains of the flu virus, including H1N1.

“This year we do have a universal recommendation that all people be vaccinated against influenza if they are 6 months old or older,” said Claire Dobbins, director of the health department's Health Protection Division. Babies younger than 6 months acquire some immunity from their mothers.

The county created a map on its website with a pinpoint listing of all the local outlets where flu shots are available: http://65.79.18.17/gisIMS/KaneHealth/KaneHealthFF.html.

Health department officials are also tracking the progress of the county's transition of social service programs to private health care providers. Executive Director Paul Kuehnert said the state has contracts in place with all the private providers. The full transfer of services will occur starting Nov. 9. Private providers have already hired at least 10 of the 62 health department employees who will be laid off when the transfer occurs, Kuehnert said.