Lincoln County so far has had no known cases of the swine flu, but EMA Director Tim Pellerin briefed county department heads Thursday on emergency preparedness.
“The first thing I want to tell you is do not panic,” he said.
Pellerin told the officials he has been in constant contact with the Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Maine Emergency Management Agency and the county EMA has been conducting a controlled response in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak here.
“My intent this morning is to provide communication about the high level alert without panicking,” he said. “It is important to keep it in perspective.”
Pellerin said Dr. Dora Mills of the state CDC compared it to a blizzard forecast.
“You don’t know where it is going to strike,” he said. “You could have a whole lot of snow or it could go out to sea.”
Pellerin’s briefing followed a conference call with Governor John Baldacci April 29 advising people about good hygiene. Pellerin himself said people should stay home from work for 10 days if they contract the disease officials formally refer to as the H1N1 virus.
At the regular meeting of the county commissioners this week, Pellerin reported nothing new concerning the status of the flu in Lincoln County.
“The good news is the spreading of it seems to be slowing down,” he said.
The National Center for Disease Control (CDC) has confirmed only one of six reported cases of swine flu in Maine, all of which have been confirmed by the state CDC.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation and listening daily to conference calls,” Pellerin said. “We have been vigilant and have been inundated by phone calls.”
Pellerin said the county emergency management office has been referring people inquiring about status of the swine flu in Lincoln County to the state CDC website.
“One of the things that is saving us is the season,” he said. He said opening windows and letting fresh air in helps to get rid of viruses.
Responses in the state and elsewhere have been in place for the possibility of a pandemic ever since the prospect of Avian flu reaching pandemic levels became a possibility.
Pellerin said last week the county EMA has been in constant contact recently with the state CDC and the state EMA as part of the county’s preparations.