Steps to prevent flu well-intentioned, but not foolproof

In the absence of a vaccine, prevention is the one thing people have to fend off a case of H1N1 flu.

That’s the problem.

Flu prevention is like laying off junk food or finding time to exercise: The advice is easy to understand but sometimes hard to follow. Even when you know the right thing to do, there may be strong incentives to ignore it. And judging from the sharp rise in flu-like illnesses in October locally and nationally, plenty of people are doing just that.

Health experts say vaccinations are the most potent weapon against communicable diseases. A vaccine provides protection even if you’re sitting next to a coughing co-worker or have a brief lapse in hand washing. When enough people are vaccinated, a “herd” immunity is created where a virus is limited in how much it can spread.

But production delays have stalled the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine, and the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment has canceled public clinics until Nov. 11.

In the meantime, local health officials are emphasizing prevention, and businesses, health care providers and other organizations have taken steps to try and slow the virus’ spread. Hand-sanitizer dispensers have become ubiquitous in offices and public places. Employers have plastered walls with signs reminding people to cover coughs or sneezes with sleeves. Hospitals are restricting visitors. Companies have stepped up janitorial rounds. Managers have been advised to watch for signs of sickness and send workers home if necessary.

All that is well-intentioned, but there’s that pesky little thing called human nature.

Old-fashioned germ control requires vigilance, and even the most conscientious hand-washer might overlook a doorknob or two.

And staying home from work can be downright problematic, especially when symptoms may be mild and sick days may be limited. H1N1 typically lasts three to five days, and health officials say people should wait a full day after a fever breaks before returning to work or school. But missing a week of work is no small thing. A week is often all the paid sick leave an employee has. Some companies include sick days in the same pool as vacation days, which could force a choice between staying home with tolerable symptoms or canceling a planned trip. In a recession, some people might be afraid to call in sick.

Some employers are trying to be creative. El Paso County government, for example, is giving supervisors the leeway to handle sick employees on a case-by-case basis, said spokesman Dave Rose. If an employee falls ill with a flu-like illness and has no sick time left, other employees might be able to donate some of their time, for example.

Still, some worker bees just refuse to leave unless symptoms are severe. In normal times, a manager might have let that go, but some companies are taking a harder line toward H1N1.

Steve Helbing, southern Colorado’s regional president for Wells Fargo Bank, said at least two employees were sent home sick, despite their objections that they felt well enough to keep working.

Helbing and other executives said that employees, even those who may not have enough sick days, should not fear losing their jobs for going home with swine flu. “We encourage people to go home early and get well in as many as days as you need to get well,” Helbing said.

But the reality is, some people will continue to go out in public, even when they’re sick. It might be someone who has to pop into a drug store to pick up medicine or a thermometer, or a parent who can’t find a babysitter for a sick child. Clerk and Recorder Robert Balink recalled two women in the last few weeks who brought their sick children to the Department of Motor Vehicles, openly telling others they were ill with H1N1.

Dr. Bernadette Albanese, medical director for the county health department, said the risk is infecting someone ill-prepared to deal with it.

“You don’t know that you might be exposing someone else who is on chemotherapy or who has heart disease or very labile asthma,” she said.

“They might end up on a ventilator. It’s a lot of responsibility to take on yourself.”

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