Tippecanoe County ready if H1N1 returns

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Two waves of the H1N1 virus have already spread through the nation, but though it was highly contagious the virus turned out to not be as deadly as was first feared.

The worst of the H1N1 influenza could be over, but health officials in Tippecanoe County are not letting their guard down. Administrator for the Tippecanoe County Health Department Ron Cripe said if the third wave comes the health community would like feel they did every thing they could.

"Were not seeing a lot of H1N1, but we don't want to let our guard down because if there is a third wave, as many pandemics have, we need to keep plugging away educating people. We can't change the messages," said Cripe.

The first wave of H1N1 came almost one year ago. The second wave came in Fall 2009, and a third wave is still possible. Cripe said the message is to continue to cover your cough, wash your hands, stay home if you are sick and get the H1N1 vaccine.

"Right now we are still encouraging individuals to go ahead and get the H1N1 vaccine. There is plenty available. Not only through the health department, but a lot of pharmacies are carrying it now," said Cripe.

He said the state of Indiana has immunized 1,000,000 people out of 6,000,000 in the state with the H1N1 vaccine. He said in Tippecanoe County the health community dispensed 50,000 vaccinations. That number could grow now that there are no restrictions on people who can get the vaccine.

What's still unknown is a total count of those infected with H1N1.

 "To say how many people were sick in Tippecanoe County, or the state of Indiana, we really don't have a gauge on that. We did have one death attributed to H1N1. That's what I can tell you," said Cripe.