City Prepares, Waits for Swine Flu

Dr. Virginia Caine and Mayor Greg Ballard

Photo by Jay Thompson
(posted Apr 29)

The Marion County Health Department and other city agencies are prepared for an influenza outbreak. Dr. Virginia Caine, MCHD Director, said "We have been planning for this for over five years." Caine and Mayor Greg Ballard conducted a press conference on April 29 to inform the public on efforts to protect them against the potential pandemic

"We haven't missed a beat," she said, referring to the planning and preparation, even without a director or deputy director in the Emergency Management Agency.

Caine said a surveillance system has been put in place with local health providers "to monitor and provide an early diagnosis of these cases."

The city will purchase 1,000 influenza tool kits to issue to health care providers in order to detect cases. Caine asked the public to lobby Washington for stimulus dollars to cover the cost.

As of April 29, no Swine Flu cases have been confirmed in Marion County, but four suspected cases have been reported. Two cases tested negative and the other two cases are pending results at the Center for Disease Control.

"What I am mostly concern about is people who do not take the precaution. If we do not understand how big this is and how rapidly this spreads, then we are going to have a valid influenza here in this city," Ballard said.

"The medical professionals do think it is going to reach us."

Ballard said it will take a unified effort to contain the outbreak of influenza. He asked is asking the public to be "honest about their health" as one step to stopping the spread of the Swine Flu. The Mayor and Dr. Caine are asking people to stay at home if they are ill.

"Never hear that word come out of my mouth," Dr. Caine said when asked if the Mini-Marathon would be canceled. "I am least worried about the Marathon "because of the lack of cases in Marion County. She said it is such a short time now until the marathon for that many people to become sick to warrant a cancellation.

When asked if the city had the power to cancel the Indianapolis 500, Caine said "We are actually trying to address that now."

"We are a high priority state since we get over 300,000 individuals coming to the city." She said a scientific advisory committee is being set up to determine how many would have to be infected before canceling huge crowd events, like the 500.

State law allows local health officials to "forbid public gatherings when considered necessary to prevent and stop epidemics."

As for now, the health department has set up a flu health hot line that has already taken close to 500 calls within its initial five hours of operation. Dr. Caine encouraged people to call the hot line at 221-3366, and not 211 or 911. The bilingual hot line is staffed by nurses, health educators, and environmental health specialists. Another special hot line has been set up for health care providers.

She asked people who have flu symptom to stay home and call their doctor to see if any treatment is needed.

MCHD will pick up expenses for those who are under-insured or lack insurance.

The department recommends people who are sick stay out of circulation from anyone for seven days.

Dr. Caine said the health department is encouraging businesses to compensate workers to cover the seven days absence, even if it is not normal company policy, in order to prevent spreading the illness.