Swine Flu Precautions No Challenge for Nursing Homes
By: Megan Dobbs
Updated: May 6, 2009
>Valley View employee Warren Harris went to work Thursday and went straight to the nurse's office."I'm feeling nauseous lately, last few days," Harris said.
It sounds like the stomach flu, but with a probable case of swine flu at the nursing home, everyone is being cautious. Orange County officials confirm one of the center's 500 employees is listed as a "probable" case of swine flu. The administrator says a "flu protocol" has been put into effect. All residents and employees are being given Tamiflu as a precaution. There are signs on the doors urging visitors to stay away if they have flu-like symptoms.
"I don't have any symptoms. I think it's a good precaution, and hopefully people who have symptoms will not be going in to visit loved ones," one employee said.
There is concern but no panic at this and other nursing homes, because they deal with flu-related issues every year.
"Because the people who live in nursing homes are frail, and because nursing homes are very familiar with seasonal flu, they are on top of it," one employee said.
Nursing homes say the standard precautions they take every year for seasonal flu are appropriate for this stage of the swine flu outbreak.







