RE: Swine Influenza Information and Conference Call/Informacion de la Influenza Porcina

[Guest guest]

I am a bit concerned by the phrasing of “Farmworkers

and their families may be at higher risk…” as it can create the

impression that being a farmworker is a risk factor and carries the possibility

of allowing people to jump to the conclusion that migrants carry swine flu. Our

Chief Medical Officer, Ed Zuroweste, MD has issued this statement:

Migrant Clinicians Network calls for continued commitment to migrant

patients

" We are concerned, given that the population we serve is largely

from Mexico,

that unwarranted fear of Mexican migrants in many communities will result in

their being targeted or marginalized, " said Zuroweste, MD, Chief

Medical Officer of the Migrant Clinicians Network. " We wanted to reiterate

that unless the migrant traveled to Mexico within the recent past,

their risk of transmitting swine flu is minimal and they are at equal risk to

the standing population for contracting the disease. "

The announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) of the elevation of the pandemic alert level to Phase 4 is a step taken

in order to mobilize resources rather than to indicate a direct corollary to

individual risk. As noted in an April 26th press conference the United States

declared a public health emergency, which " allows us to free up federal,

state and local agencies and their resources for prevention and

mitigation, " Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said. Flu

cases in the United States

so far have been mild.

The CDC is the main source of all information on the swine flu.

Clinicians are reminded that reasonable risk assessment should be employed for

individuals presenting with symptoms and sound infection control strategies

must remain in place. To keep up to date visit the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm

The CDC site can also be reached through our website http://www.migrantclinician.org/.

The Migrant Clinicians Network wants to reiterate the importance of

caring for all of our patients regardless of the country of origin and

encourage all clinicians to maintain our commitment to this vulnerable

population.

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Israel

Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 7:34

AM

To:

farmworkeradvocacy ; networkia ;

migrant_health_news ; ;

promotora_funding

Subject: [ ]

Swine Influenza Information and Conference Call/Informacion de la Influenza

Porcina

Faith, distributing is a great idea. I made some edits to

the Spanish version.

-----Original

Message-----

From: Faith [mailto:faithwrightskybest]

Sent: Mon 4/27/2009 10:08 PM

Lipscomb; Chelly s; Donovan

Cc: Lucy Hoffman, Newland; , Burnsville; Silvia , SpPine;

Beth Sorrell; Kautz; Lourdes Carrillo,Wilkes; Antunes ; Ada

Volkmer; Arias; Jeannette Butterworth; Molly Hemstreet; Bonnie Siegel,

LPS; Bedard; Yolanda Bopp; Irene Godinez; Salome Bascunan; Dani

ez-; Temoc ; Bernal; Fr. Joe Mulligan; Sr.

Inkrott

Subject: Swine Influenza Information and Conference Call/Informacion de la

Influenza Porcina

Important information for all of us -- in ready-to-go Spanish/English

handouts. Forgive duplicate posts.

For those of us outside farmworker networks, should we be distributing through

local Centros and church congregations?

Faith

----- Original Message -----

From: Israel

Israel

Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 6:14 PM

Subject: Swine Influenza Information and Conference Call/Informacion de la

Influenza Porcina

Dear Colleagues:

In order to respond to some of your concerns about the Swine Influenza, I

compiled a quick fact sheet in Spanish and English that may help to keep the

MSFW population informed (attached).

Best regards,

Israel

Israel

, MSSW

MHC/Mid-Atlantic States

Tel. 919297-0066, Toll Free 800-277-6092

WWW.NCCHCA.ORG

Mark your Calendar!

NCCHCA Annual Meeting and Primary Care Conference

East Coast Migrant Stream Forum

[Guest guest]

I will send this out to the OHS list

serve. You have covered all of these groups with your e-mail here.

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Deliana

Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 1:37

PM

To:

; farmworkeradvocacy ;

networkia ; migrant_health_news ;

promotora_funding

Subject: RE:

[ ] Swine Influenza Information and Conference

Call/Informacion de la Influenza Porcina

I am a bit concerned by the phrasing of “Farmworkers and

their families may be at higher risk…” as it can create the

impression that being a farmworker is a risk factor and carries the possibility

of allowing people to jump to the conclusion that migrants carry swine flu. Our

Chief Medical Officer, Ed Zuroweste, MD has issued this statement:

Migrant Clinicians

Network calls for continued commitment to migrant patients

" We are

concerned, given that the population we serve is largely from Mexico,

that unwarranted fear of Mexican migrants in many communities will result in

their being targeted or marginalized, " said Zuroweste, MD, Chief

Medical Officer of the Migrant Clinicians Network. " We wanted to reiterate

that unless the migrant traveled to Mexico within the

recent past, their risk of transmitting swine flu is minimal and they are at

equal risk to the standing population for contracting the disease. "

The announcement

by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the elevation of the

pandemic alert level to Phase 4 is a step taken in order to mobilize resources

rather than to indicate a direct corollary to individual risk. As noted in an

April 26th press conference the United States declared

a public health emergency, which " allows us to free up federal, state and

local agencies and their resources for prevention and mitigation, "

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said. Flu cases in the United States

so far have been mild.

The CDC is the

main source of all information on the swine flu. Clinicians are reminded that

reasonable risk assessment should be employed for individuals presenting with

symptoms and sound infection control strategies must remain in place. To keep

up to date visit the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm

The CDC site can also be reached through our website http://www.migrantclinician.org/.

The Migrant

Clinicians Network wants to reiterate the importance of caring for all of our

patients regardless of the country of origin and encourage all clinicians to

maintain our commitment to this vulnerable population.

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Israel

Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 7:34

AM

farmworkeradvocacy ;

networkia ; migrant_health_news ;

; promotora_funding

Subject: [ ]

Swine Influenza Information and Conference Call/Informacion de la Influenza

Porcina

Faith, distributing is a great idea. I made some edits to

the Spanish version.

-----Original

Message-----

From: Faith [mailto:faithwrightskybest]

Sent: Mon 4/27/2009 10:08 PM

Lipscomb; Chelly s; Donovan

Cc: Lucy Hoffman, Newland; , Burnsville; Silvia , SpPine;

Beth Sorrell; Kautz; Lourdes Carrillo,Wilkes; Antunes ; Ada

Volkmer; Arias; Jeannette Butterworth; Molly Hemstreet; Bonnie Siegel,

LPS; Bedard; Yolanda Bopp; Irene Godinez; Salome Bascunan; Dani

ez-; Temoc ; Bernal; Fr. Joe Mulligan; Sr.

Inkrott

Subject: Swine Influenza Information and Conference Call/Informacion de la

Influenza Porcina

Important information for all of us -- in ready-to-go Spanish/English

handouts. Forgive duplicate posts.

For those of us outside farmworker networks, should we be distributing through

local Centros and church congregations?

Faith

----- Original Message -----

From: Israel

Israel

Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 6:14 PM

Subject: Swine Influenza Information and Conference Call/Informacion de la

Influenza Porcina

Dear Colleagues:

In order to respond to some of your concerns about the Swine Influenza, I

compiled a quick fact sheet in Spanish and English that may help to keep the

MSFW population informed (attached).

Best regards,

Israel

Israel

, MSSW

MHC/Mid-Atlantic States

Tel. 919297-0066, Toll Free 800-277-6092

WWW.NCCHCA.ORG

Mark your Calendar!

NCCHCA Annual Meeting and Primary Care Conference

East Coast Migrant Stream Forum