Monday, August 24, 2009

Up to 40% of Kansans could end up getting infected with the H1N1 flu, estimates show. Fears over how fast the flu will spread this fall led to a state summit on the virus Monday.

Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius is calling this an all-hands-on-deck moment. That's why people from local health agencies, schools and hospitals came together at the Wichita State Metroplex to join in fighting off the flu.

Governor Mark Parkinson led his flu summit in Topeka and broadcast it across the state.

"The potential threat to people's lives is quite serious," Parkinson said.

The H1N1 virus how been showing up in thousands of Kansas patients steadily over the summer. So far there has been one death.

But the state health department expects this fall the flu numbers will grow. By just how much, and when, they're not sure.

Dozens of people took part in the summit to make sure they're all on the same page to combat the virus.

"There's a critical need to plan fro this. We don't know how big the H1N1 thing is going to be or how hard it's going to impact us," said Hospital Preparedness Coordinator Charlie Keeton.

Right now the state plan is to keep up surveillance of the virus.When there's an outbreak practice social distancing, including making sure sick people stay home from work or school. Educating people about how to stay safe. And work on how to give out vaccinations.

"You kind of have to prepare for different scenarios and right now the biggest thing we don't know what to expect is how much vaccine will be available and exactly when," said Cindy Burbach with the Sedgwick County Health Department.

While there is no way to stop the flu spread, the hope is, with all these people working together, they can help slow it down.