Mayor Michael Bloomberg and key administration members Tuesday rolled out the city’s battle plan against a probable H1N1 flu outbreak that includes keeping schools open but the mayor said it was uncertain when a new flu vaccine would be available.
“We have been working on preparations all summer,” Bloomberg said at a Gracie Mansion news conference. “We are fully prepared on the basis of the best information available from medical authorities.”
A number of public and private schools were shut down last spring after H1N1, also known as the swine flu, struck St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows and spread citywide, then across the country.
“We can’t predict this year’s flu season but we can make sure that city government is fully prepared for whatever happens. We are going to take care of our people, Bloomberg said.
“This vaccine has been developed and it’s undergoing safety testing right now. We have expected it will pass that testing and will be available in mid-to-late October although some medical authorities say November, Bloomberg said of the new vaccine against H1N1. “When it’s available, we will be making it available through medical providers but we will be talking about special ways of making it easier for parents to receive it through the Health Department.”
Vaccinations would be available at all schools, both public and private.
As to the open schools policy, the mayor said shutting them down was disruptive not only to the schools but to parents “who often have to stay home from their jobs and perhaps lose pay if children are there.”
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said, “by getting your children vaccinated, keeping them home when they are sick and teaching them the importance of washing hands and covering coughs, we can help keep our schools open and safe this year.”
Bloomberg administration officials said neither the regular flu virus nor H1N1 virus is expected to cause unusually severe illness, but that the sheer volume of people going to hospitals to describe symptoms and seek reassurance and guidance could tax emergency rooms. Thus, the plan includes setting up temporary “flu centers” outside hospitals.
The outbreak last spring reportedly affected somewhere between 750,000 and 1 million New Yorkers, mostly of them mildly, said Dr. Thomas Farley, Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene. The malady took 54 lives within the five boroughs.
Bloomberg said most of those seeking anti-flu inoculations would not get “shots” in the arm but rather a “mist” to inhale.
The city will also establish a call center where people can talk to medical authorities or hospital personnel about their symptoms and find out where to go for information and/or treatment.
The plan would include emergency modes with the most urgent phase involving hospitals postponing all elective surgery and reassigning most workers to flu duty and erecting tents for examining and treating flu victims.
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said “backpack” bulletins keeping parents up to date would go out shortly and weekly updates on numbers of H1N1 cases citywide will be provided.
Hundreds of volunteer Flu Fighters would visit senior centers, houses of worship, schools and other places to spread the word about regular seasonal flu and the importance of getting vaccinated.
Flu shots will be mandatory for city health-care workers but not for schoolchildren, Bloomberg said.
“We recommend flu shots for schoolchildren but it is up to parents – we are not forcing anyone to take the shots,” the mayor said.
Bloomberg said the public can get more information by calling311 or from www.nyc.gov/flu.
