H1N1 Policy Change In Alabama

Swine Flu H1n1 ADHP to cut back on number of H1N1 Swine Flu testing

by Associated Press

Published: Fri, August 21, 2009 - 6:19 am CST Last Updated: Fri, August 21, 2009 - 6:26 am CST

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Department of Public Health
is changing its policy as the swine flu virus spreads.
Alabama Health Officer Dr. Don Williamson says Thursday testing
for the H1N1 virus is no longer necessary in most cases because
patients with flu-like symptoms most likely have swine flu.
He says the state lab's limited capacity means that the agency
is restricting testing to hospitalized patients, pregnant women and
certain others. The new policy will allow the agency to more
quickly identify subtypes of the virus.
State health labs have confirmed 652 cases of influenza in the
past four weeks and all of them were the H1N1 strain.
Two deaths in Alabama have been linked to the virus since it was
first detected in April.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

WKRG.com » News Stream » Alabama

Photo

WKRG.com Related

» Swine Flu Special Section

News –› Alabama

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

DixielandLuv Says:

Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 1:10 pm

I understand that the State Laboratory is limited in what they can test, but Dr. Don Williamson is a complete moron. I cannot believe that he just said “Well if you have flu like symptoms it’s most likely the H1N1 Virus ‘Swine Flu’” What? Are we just not supposed to worry about it? Honestly this man needs to be fired. You can’t seriously say that you are only going to test pregnant women and a SELECT few others. What about the chronically ill? What about the people with chronically ill children? Or people who are just plain scared because they actually DO have flu like symptoms and want reassurance that they will be okay. Dr. Don Williamson needs to be fired and the other people who were in on this moronic decision needs to be removed from their position.