Utah preparing in case of a swine flu outbreak

There haven't been any documented cases of swine flu in either humans or swine in Utah yet. But local health officials are gearing up in case there's an outbreak.

The Utah Department of Health has requested one-quarter of the state's allotment of antiviral medications — about 87,000 doses — which should arrive this week, according to department spokesman Tom Hudachko. The medicine, shipped from the strategic national stockpile, will bring Utah's own stockpile to more than 100,000 doses.

The good news, say health officials, is that the medications, Tamiflu and Relenza, appear to be effective against swine flu.

"We're definitely concerned, but we don't want people to be alarmed and to panic," Hudachko said about the possibility of a swine flu epidemic in Utah. During the international avian flu scare of 2005, Utah began making pandemic influenza preparations, so "we're not starting from scratch here," he said. "We want to reassure them that things are being done behind the scenes to protect them."

Following the Mexican government's request that all churches and organizations in Mexico City and other affected areas suspend public meetings, the LDS Church has canceled all its meetings "until further notice," according to church spokesman Scott Trotter. Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are monitoring news, security and medical reports regarding the flu outbreak, he said, adding that "all missionaries in the affected areas are reported to be safe."

Following on the heels of the declaration of a public health emergency by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday, doctors and nurses treating patients with respiratory symptoms at Intermountain Healthcare's hospitals in the Salt Lake Valley have begun wearing masks. Patients with flu-like symptoms will also be asked to wear masks, and visitors with symptoms are being asked to stay away from the hospital.

"We want to be as proactive as possible," explained Intermountain spokesman Jess Gomez.

"Proactive" was also the buzzword at Salt Lake City International Airport, where airport officials met Monday with TSA as well as customs and immigration officials, and have been in contact with the airlines. Each agency is making masks, gloves and hand sanitizers available to employees if they want to use them, said airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann.

Many state and local governments are not adequately prepared to distribute antiviral medications, according to Mike Leavitt, former Utah governor and federal Health and Human Services secretary who held a "How Prepared is the U.S. For a Pandemic?" teleconference Monday.