Private insurance to cover cost swine flu clinics in Mass
Massachusetts communities will be spared from costs related to distributing the swine flu vaccine under a statewide plan announced Tuesday.
A handful of private insurance companies have agreed to reimburse communities for staffing and materials costs associated with holding vaccine clinics, said state public health department spokesman John Jacob. The vaccine itself is provided free by the federal government.
“Cities and towns holding local public flu clinics for residents can incur significant administrative costs,” Jacob said. “This provides a way for cities and towns to be reimbursed for those administrative costs.”
Some clinics have already taken place in the Brockton area, while others are scheduled for coming weeks.
Costs for communities can include paying nurses and other staff to work at the clinics, Jacob said.
Having the costs covered “is especially important in the current budgetary climate,” he added.
The reimbursement could potentially help some communities to hold more clinics than previously planned, Jacob said.
Health plans helping to provide the funding include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, BMC HealthNet Plan, Fallon Community Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Health New England, Senior Whole Health, Tufts Health Plan and UniCare, according to the state public health department.
However, some public health officials in the Brockton area said their costs for the clinics are already being covered through grant money.
In Brockton, the Board of Health has tapped the federal Public Health Emergency Response Grant to cover costs related to the three clinics held so far, said executive director Louis Tartaglia.
In West Bridgewater, the same grant will be used to cover costs from a public clinic planned for Dec. 12, said Health Agent Robert Casper.
About 25 percent of the state’s swine flu vaccine has been allocated to local health departments, state officials have said. The remaining 75 percent has gone to hospitals, doctors’ offices and community health centers.
Shipments of the vaccine have been slower than many had hoped so far. But officials at the state public health department say the shipments should pick up in coming weeks, leading to more public health clinics being scheduled.
Cases of swine flu, officially known as H1N1 influenza, have recently started to decline nationally, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The World Is On The Verge Of A Pandemic
All over the world news rooms are filled with the topic of the outbreak of Swine Flu which countries have it, number of cases in each country and the unfortunate deaths. The UK is by no means any exception to that with 5 cases now confirmed.
Death Toll has stabilised in Mexico where the virus first took hold. Despite a total of 159 deaths it is believed medical treatment does work if medical assistance is gained quickly. The UK is currently awaiting test results to see if there are any more confirmed cases.
So what does this mean for us?
An epidemic infectious disease which can spread through populations is known as a pandemic. Currently the World Health Organisation (WHO) has placed the situation at Level 5 one level away from a full pandemic. Level 5 means there is human to human transmission of the virus across two countries and that governments need to be ready to act immediately for a full scale pandemic. It is said that a pandemic could be disastrous for poor countries that may not be able to stock up on anti virus drugs if the virus spreads across the globe.
So what is Gordon Brown doing?
Gordon Brown has expressed that the UK is among the worlds most prepared countries for such an eventuality. He has said that Britain has been preparing for a scenario like this for years and is taking all the urgent action that is necessary. Leaflets about the outbreak of Swine Flu are to be put through the doors of every single home through out the UK in the next couple of days which will aim to inform people on the precautions and risks of a pandemic of Swine Flu and how to minimise spread.
A call line has been put in place for the public which will provide recorded information 0800 1513513
What should you do?
Swine Flu produces similar symptoms to normal flu such as a fever, cough, aches and fatigue. If you have symptoms and have recently visited Mexico then it is advised you seek medical advice. Face masks are not proven to provide any benefit. Conceal sneezes into a handkerchief or tissue to stop germs spreading and wash your hands regularly. If you are concerned you may have the virus then you are urged to stay at home and contact a doctor initially to try and minimise risk of spreading the disease.
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The H1N1 virus inoculations are here. Are you and your business internet money online opportunity ready?
he shots for the H1N1 Virus (swine flu) are here and people are asking all sorts of questions. They want to know if they should take it? They want to know if has been tested as well as regular flu shots and is it safe? These questions and others are discussed in this article. You need to answer these questions at your business internet money online opportunity landing page and web site.
Here are three questions about the H1N1 virus inoculation. They should be added to your landing page and web site for your marketing campaign for your business internet money online opportunity.
(1) Should I take the H1N1 (swine flu) inoculation? This decision is individual but the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) recommends that the following groups be inoculated.
(A) Pregnant women
(B) Care takers of children younger than 6 months of age
(C) Healthcare and emergency medical services professionals
(D) People between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old and 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk because of chronic health problems or compromised immune systems.
This information needs to be added to your business internet money online opportunity web site and landing page. Your landing page is a web page for explaining your service or product to customers. With this information people can learn about the H1N1 virus and what steps to take to prepare for it. You can make internet money online when they link to products or services they need or are interested in at your web site or landing page.
(2) Is the flu shot for the H1N1 virus well tested and safe? The safety of the inoculation is always a concern. As an individual you must research this out and make a decision. There are web sites that discuss this in detail. One concern is the vaccine may mirror the Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a neurological disorder. On October 1st, 2009, Canada suspended distributing the shots because a study indicated people were twice as likely to contract the H1N1 virus. It is important for you to provide links to this information for your business internet money online opportunity and marketing campaign so you can sincerely help people.
(3) Where do you get the inoculation and how is it administered? The shot will be distributed by every state and you need to contact your local health department, school, public facilities and health insurance company for more information. What originally was thought to require two shots spread over a two month period has changed to just one dose.
Anyone medically inclined or in the health services industry should investigate affiliate marketing to create their own business internet money online opportunity to address these issues and where to get the answers. It will also help you in making internet money online. You need to be someone your customers, friends, family and business associates can turn to for help and information about the H1N1 virus.
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Jon & Kate Plus 8: The New Season Begins (Extra)
tinyurl.com The new season of Jon and Kate Plus 8 begins Monday, and Jon and Kate are talking about all that’s going on in their lives. Copyright © 2009 Discovery Communications, Inc.