Skip to main content

H1N1 Influenza Information

With the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus now affecting residents across the United States, and the possibility that some Maryland residents may have been infected with the disease, the Mayor & Council along with the MRPD deemed it wise to let Mount Rainier residents know of precautions that individuals should take in order to minimize the possibility of being infected by this virus.

The most important precaution recommended by health officials is for individuals and families to take common sense, everyday actions to stay healthy.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends the following precautions:

· Stay informed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website will be updated regularly as information becomes available. http://www.cdc.gov/
· Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing by infected people.
· Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
· Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
· Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
· Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
· Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
· Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.
· Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
· In children, emergency warning signs that need immediate medical attention include:
o Fast breathing or trouble breathing
o Bluish skin color
o Not drinking enough fluids
o Not waking up or not interacting
o Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
o Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
o Fever with a rash
· In adults, symptoms that need emergency medical attention include:
o Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
o Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
o Sudden dizziness
o Confusion
o Severe or persistent vomiting

More detailed information about swine flu can be obtained by visiting one or more of the following web sites:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

Prince George’s County Health Department:
http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/Government/AgencyIndex/Health/index.asp

District of Columbia Health Department:
http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx?agency=doh&section=17&release=16843&year=2009&file=file.aspx%2frelease%2f16843%2fSwineFlufactsheet.pdf

World Health Organization:
http://www.who.int/en/

Mayor Miles and I met this afternoon and are coordinating with City staff and CERT coordinator, Tonie Davis, to get precautionary and educational materials out to our residents, schools, and church groups. The City has obtained protective equipment for use by all staff; and CERT members and council members will have protective masks for distribution if necessary. We must be prepared to aggressively respond to potential outbreaks of the virus and to take immediate precautions to prevent individual infection from occurring.

We will monitor the local situation on a daily basis and distribute any additional information to our residents as it is warranted or necessary. In the next few days you will be able to access the City’s cable channels, Comcast channel 71, and Verizon channel 21 for information and updates.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Brentwood Police Department Announces Speed Citation Amnesty Program

Due to an error we are offering to void speed camera citations that were issued between June 24th thru July 13th, 2010. Please email your citation number to chiefbrentwoodpd@juno.com with Citation Amnesty Program written in the subject line. Any speed citations issued before or after the dates listed are not included in this amnesty program . This program does not include or involve speed camera citations that were issued by the City of Mount Rainier.

Pepco Storm Quick Facts

Reporting an Outage and the Restoration Process - Emergency Phone Numbers If your power goes out, check to see if your neighbors have power. If your home is the only one without power, check your circuit breakers or fuses to determine if the outage is a result of a household problem. Do not assume we automatically know about your outage. Please contact us immediately. Report outages: 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662) Report downed wires and life-threatening emergencies: 1-877-Pepco-62 (1-877-737-2662) and press two. TTY : 202-872-2369 Outage maps and restoration updates can be accessed online at www.pepco.com . Click on the Your Home tab and select the Outages the Emergency Preparedness page. Important Safety Tips If you see a downed power line, stay away from it. Assume that all downed power lines are live and extremely dangerous. Don’t touch any person or object that is in contact with a power line; the current could flow through you. Immediately call the emergency service nu...

Crime Prevention Tip: Car Alarms

I received this earlier today courtesy of CPL Jim Flynn of the Bladensburg Police Department: For those of you who have a vehicle that has a remote entry device, you may also have a handy burglar/emergency alarm that you probably don’t think about. Most of these remote entry devices have a panic button that activates your vehicle’s security alarm system. Test it. It will activate from almost anywhere inside your house and will keep honking and flashing the lights until either your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the remote entry fob. It works if your vehicle is parked in your driveway or garage. So, the next time you come home for the night and start to put your keys away think of this: Put your car keys beside your bed when you retire for the night. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone tries to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, within a few se...