Iowa Public Television

• 

  Program: The Iowa Journal #307
  Broadcast Date: Oct. 22, 2009
  

• Visit the Web Site
• Program Information
• Tell Us What You Think
• E-mail a Friend

School districts across the state are reporting a greater-than-normal number of sick children. Medical clinics are seeing a growing number of patients with influenza symptoms. Given that flu season is just beginning, The Iowa Journal explores how government, business, and medical leaders are preparing for and responding to H1N1.

H1N1 is not necessarily more deadly than other flu strains, but because the virus is new, few people have immunity against it, and more people could get sick. The virus's ability to mutate is also causing concern. Although there's no evidence it will change, the possibility makes for unknowns. Who will be most vulnerable, what will be the severity of the illness, and will vaccines be safe and effective?

Guests for this episode include: Rebecca Curtiss, bureau chief for the Center for Disaster Operations and Response at the Iowa Department of Public Health; Jami Haberl, executive director for Safeguard Iowa Partnership, a statewide disaster management coalition of businesses and government leaders; and Dione Somerville, dean of students at Iowa State University in Ames.

• flu
• H1N1
• health
• health care

Post Date: October 22, 2009