Oregon Public Health partners with hospitals during H1N1 pandemic
5/5/2010
Jackie Cordero said she felt "a little silly" going to the emergency room with just a cough and a slight fever last October. But it's a good thing she did. Jackie had contracted H1N1 influenza. Two days later, she was in a coma. Jackie was transported by ambulance from her home town of Medford to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, where doctors put her on a machine called the ECMO (extra corporeal membrane oxygenation) to add oxygen to her blood. She ended up spending a month in intensive care.
At the time, Jackie's twin sister, Jessica Cordero, was serving as one of 10 AmeriCorps VISTA members at Oregon Public Health, as part of Josephine County's Medical Reserve Corps. Because of the training she received through Public Health at both the state and county level, Jessica was extremely well-informed about H1N1. When she learned that her sister had it and was hospitalized, Jessica terminated her year of service early to take care of her sister and her family.
"It was a very sad and scary time for everyone," said AmericCorps VISTA supervisor Maria Galle. "Everyone here in PHEP donated money to support the Cordero family while they were trying to help Jackie (since she didn't have insurance)." Jackie, 30, is now on her way to a healthy recovery.
Public Health, at the state and local level, helped to ensure that the hospital system could handle the influx of H1N1 cases in Oregon. Jackie urgently needed hospital care, along with 697 other Oregonians in September and October alone. H1N1 spread rapidly in October, and hospitals worked closely with Public Health to ensure that those with the H1N1 virus received the care they needed.
Oregon Public Health responds to disasters such as the flu pandemic by working closely with national, local, tribal and private sector emergency-response partners. A critical part of OPH's work is to coordinate response activities and provide resources to local public health departments. The Agency Operations Center (AOC) serves as Oregon's base for monitoring and coordinating OPH's emergency response to public health threats.
In April 2009 when the H1N1 influenza virus turned into a pandemic, the AOC created flu.oregon.gov, a user-friendly Web site, and the Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline (1-800-978-3040) to keep the public updated with all the latest news and developments relating to H1N1.
