Preparing for the Swine Flu in TN

The swine flu outbreak earlier this year has changed the way Tennessee is preparing for a potential second wave of the illness.

Drug makers are hoping a swine flu vaccine will be available in mid-October. Once it arrives, Tennessee health officials say they will track every dose that’s given through weekly reports with doctors and clinics. They’ve never tracked seasonal flu this way. The information will help determine the swine flu vaccine’s effectiveness.

The Health Department also plans to monitor school absences. With school starting in just a few weeks, Tennessee Education Commissioner Tim Webb says parents need to prepare now.

“It’s very important that parents have a plan for how to deal with absenteeism should schools have to close on short notice so that we all know exactly who’s gonna pick the student up and who’s on that emergency contact list. That’s a very important document that has to be maintained in the office of every school.”

The swine flu is now classified as a pandemic, though health officials caution the term refers to how widely the flu strain has spread, not necessarily its severity.