PETERSBURG-AK Petersburg health care workers expect to have H1N1 flu immunizations available later this month. Alaska received its first 4200 doses on Monday. Symptoms of the so-called swine flu are similar to seasonal flu, which can cause anywhere from mild to severe illness. However, according to the centers for disease control, this particular strain of flu has caused more problems for younger people than older people. Just a hand full of cases have been reported in Petersburg, but local officials have been preparing for more.
Petersburg Fire and Emergency Medical Services Director Sandy Dixon gave an update to the City Council this week. She expected the vaccine would be in Petersburg within the next two weeks
Dixon said the Centers for Disease Control expected swine flu to circulate along with the regular flu, so the agency recommends immunizations for both strains. So far, H1N1 is still considered a mild flu according to Dixon, who said most of the people that have been hospitalized with the illness have had pre-existing medical conditions.
To find out more about the illness and the vaccine, Matt Lichtenstein recently spoke with Petersburg Public Health Nurse Anne Heisler:
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