Second Wave of H1N1 and Barbados

Extracted from the Barbados Nation.

BARBADOS IS PREPARING itself for the second wave of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus that could strike in the coming weeks of the winter tourist season.

This was disclosed by Chief Medical Officer Dr Joy St John yesterday, while stating that no new cases of the virus, commonly called swine flu, had been recorded in Barbados in about three to four weeks.

“We’re searching for cases but we’re not getting any positives,” she told the DAILY NATION after the official opening ceremony for the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic in Wildey, St Michael.

At last count there were 155 cases of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, with three deaths up to October.

St John said although the H1N1 vaccine “was just ordered” and not yet in the country, health authorities were preparing for the second wave of the global pandemic, the first case of which was recorded in Mexico last April.

“We’re completely out of the first wave and we’re backing ourselves for the second wave,” she said, adding they had already identified the at-risk groups and planned an education campaign, which was “an important aspect” of the country’s preparedness plan.

“I do not want to have a repeat of what occurred where we had large numbers going into not only primary but tertiary institutions. I want to try to blunt the second wave,” she said.

The at-risk groups included pregnant women, children under five years of age, over-65s, those with chronic conditions including asthma and other lung conditions, sickle cell anaemia, heart disease, diabetes and any other condition which might weaken the immune system.