Flu experts warn against complacency

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The state's H1N1 picture continues to improve with the number of cases continuing to drop. While health officials are happy about that trend, they don't want Hoosiers to become complacent.

H1N1 cases rose quickly in October and, after peaking, fell just as quickly ( see the weekly numbers ). But here's what health experts want you to know: This may not be the last of it.

"We don't know if there will be an additional wave of flu activity later on during flu season," said Dr. Joan Duwve of the Indiana State Department of Health.

Duwve is helping track H1N1 for the state health department. She said more than a million Hoosiers have received the vaccine for the virus. She also said she wants those in target groups who have not yet gotten the vaccine to keep the news of dropping influenza numbers in perspective.

"And that perspective is that we are still at all-time high levels of influenza activity for this time of year. So there's a lot of flu out there still, and most of it is H1N1," Duwve said.

Duwve wants to see more pre-school children immunized. She said statistics show they are not getting vaccinated at the same rate as older children.

Monroe County is hoping to hold clinics in Head Start centers. The leader of Head Start in Marion County likes that idea.

"We would love to have the opportunity to have the health department come in to our facilities and provide it for our children," said Diane Baker.

Ericka Simmons has a three-year-old son in the Head Start program on North Meridian Street. She would like to see immunizations available there.

"I think that would help a lot of moms who maybe don't have Medicaid or insurance, or don't have a lot of knowledge about it," she said.

Dr. Duwve said pre-school kids are "disproportionately affected by this flu."

She said they're being hospitalized at a higher rate and that fatalities are occurring in that age group.