With kids soon going back to school and flu season nearing, fears about the H1N1 ‘swine flu’ are emerging once again.

Given the worries surrounding the flu, I called Kirstine Hill, Interior Health Authority health service administrator for the Shuswap - Revelstoke region.

Hill explained the Interior Health Authority is taking the risks posed by H1N1 seriously, stating: “Throughout the health authority, and certainly Revelstoke is a part of that, there’s a committee doing pandemic planning, which means that we’re reviewing our resources and putting protocols in place to react to this situation as it occurs.”

While Hill said she was unable to speak to questions surrounding vaccinations, she did explain that the precautions individuals should take for H1N1 are the same as those for any flu season.

Hill emphasized the importance for frequent and through hand-washing in combating flu communication.

She also said that people should make sure to sneeze and cough into their sleeves, to use clean tissues, and to avoid unnecessarily touching their eyes, nose, or mouth, all of which are susceptible to infection.

Hill also echoed the advice of many health professionals by recommending that sick individuals should stay home from work or school.

As for hospitals, Hill noted that they already have significant infection control programs in place which help combat a wide variety of infections, including H1N1.

“On an everyday basis, we do have infection controls and precautions that we follow, and that we would follow if someone came in with a respiratory condition and we expected H1N1,” explained Hill.

Hill said she encourages individuals looking for more information on the swine flu to visit the Interior Health Authority’s website at www.interiorhealth.ca.