{"id":10262,"date":"2025-03-01T14:03:20","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T19:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/dhan292\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T00:51:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T05:51:23","slug":"dhan292","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/php\/alerts\/dhan292\/","title":{"rendered":"php\/alerts\/dhan292 ~  Division of Public Health &#8212; Health Alert  &#8211; Delaware Health and Social Services &#8211; State of Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-swiftype-index=\"true\">\n\n\n\n  <br>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"container\" id=\"main_header\"> \n\n    <!-- BEGIN readspeaker div -->\n\n    <div class=\"rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve\" id=\"readspeaker_button1\">\n\n      <a accesskey=\"L\" class=\"rsbtn_play\" href=\"https:\/\/app-na.readspeaker.com\/cgi-bin\/rsent?customerid=7262&#038;lang=en_us&#038;readid=main_content&#038;url=https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/php\/alerts\/dhan292.html\" title=\"Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker\">\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_left rsimg rspart\"><span class=\"rsbtn_text\"><span>Listen<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart\"><\/span>\n\n      <\/a>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- END readspeaker div -->\n\n\n\n    \n\n    <header class=\"pull-left\">\n\n      <h1>Delaware Health Alert Network #<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Number\"]-->292 <!--[END]--> <\/h1>\n\n      <h2> <!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Date\"]-->January 16, 2013 8:18 am <!--[END]--> <\/h2>\n\n    <\/header>\n\n  <\/div><br>\n\n \n\n  <div class=\"container\">\n\n    <div class=\"row\">\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-3\" id=\"leftCol\">\n\n        <div class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\">\n\n          <div class=\"panel sectionmenu_panel\">\n\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\">\n\n              <p class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"agency_nav\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseOne\"><strong><i class=\"fa fa-align-justify fa-fw\"><\/i> Public Health Menu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" id=\"collapseOne\">\n\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" id=\"clf_nav\">\n\n                  <ul class=\"nav nav-stacked nav-pills-clf\" id=\"agency_sidebar\">\n    <li><a href=\"\/dph\/\"><h2>Home <i class=\"fa fa-home fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a><\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#agency_sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#HomeMenu\"><h2>About <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"HomeMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/about.html\">About DPH<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/sections.html\">Sections &#038; Programs<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ofclocations.html\">Office Locations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/contact.html\">Contact Info<\/a><\/li>\n      \n        <li><a href=\"\/calendars.html\" target=\"_blank\">Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#ServicesMenu\"><h2>Services <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"ServicesMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesaz.html\">A-Z Services<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/environmental.html\">Air &#038; Water Quality<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ss\/vitalstats.html\">Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/clinics.html\">Clinics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthdatastats.html\">Health Data &#038; Statistics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/emsps.html\">Emergency Preparedness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthandwellness.html\">Health &#038; Wellness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthyhomes.html\">Healthy Homes<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthywp.html\">Healthy Workplaces<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/labs.html\">Laboratory<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/feir.html\">Restaurant Inspections<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/screen.html\">Screening and Testing<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/chca\/dphwichominf01.html\">WIC<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesadd.html\">Additional Services<\/a><\/li><li>\n      <\/li><\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#InformationMenu\"><h2>Information <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n        <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"InformationMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/factsheetsaz.html\">A-Z Fact Sheets<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/pubreportsaz.html\">A-Z Publications &#038; Reports<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/diseasesandconditions.html\">Diseases &#038; Conditions<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/faq.html\">FAQ&#8217;s<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/alerts.html\">Health Alerts<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthylifestyles.html\">Healthy Lifestyles<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hipaa.html\">HIPAA<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/regs.html\">Regulations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/forms.html\">Request Forms<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/links.html\">Links &#038; Resources<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"http:\/\/delaware.gov\/help\/foia_request.shtml\">FOIA Request Form<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a id=\"SocialMenuHeader\"><h2>Connect <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-o-up fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul id=\"SocialMenu\">\n        <li class=\"facebook\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DEPublicHealth\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Division of Public Health Facebook Page\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Delaware_DHSS\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Delaware Health and Social Services Twitter Account\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n        <!-- <li class=\"googleplus\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-google-plus-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Google +<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"flickr\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-flickr fa-lg\"><\/i> Flickr<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"youtube\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-youtube-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Youtube<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"instagram\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-instagram fa-lg\"><\/i> Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"linkedin\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Linkedin<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"pinterest\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-pinterest-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Pinterest<\/a><\/li> -->\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n\n        <\/div><br>\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-9\" id=\"main_content\"> \n\n  \n\n<h2 class=\"center\">Health\n\n<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHANType\"]-->\n\n\n\n   Alert<!--[END]-->\n\n<br>\n\n<!--[type=EDIT name=\"DHAN Heading\"]-->\n\n\n\nGUIDANCE ON THE USE OF ANTIVIRAL AGENTS AGAINST INFLUENZA<!--[END]-->\n\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<!--[type=HTMLEDIT name=\"Content\"]-->\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is notifying clinicians of the need to restrict the use of neuraminidase inhibitor\n\n\n  antivirals \u2013 Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and Zanamivir (Relenza) \u2013 given the potential shortage caused by an early and severe flu\n\n\n  season.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  During a widespread flu outbreak, demand for influenza antivirals may exceed available supplies. Antiviral supplies can be limited and\n\n\n  DPH is recommending that clinicians restrict their use of neuraminidase inhibitors in treatment and chemoprophylaxis in order to conserve\n\n\n  available medication for persons at higher risk for influenza complications.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Persons with influenza who present with an uncomplicated febrile illness typically do not require treatment with antivirals.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Treatment is recommended for any person with confirmed or suspected influenza who requires hospitalization, even if the patient presents\n\n\n  >48 hours after illness onset. Generally early initiation of treatment (<2 days from illness onset) is associated with best\n\n\n  clinical outcomes. Among outpatients, antiviral treatment is recommended for all persons with suspected or confirmed influenza who are at\n\n\n  higher risk for influenza complications because of age or underlying medical conditions. These include:\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>children aged <2 years;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>adults aged \u226565 years;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>persons with chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension alone), renal, hepatic, hematological\n\n\n  (including sickle cell disease), metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus) or neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions\n\n\n  (including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, stroke,\n\n\n  intellectual disability, moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury);\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>persons with immunosuppression, (including that due to medication or HIV infection);\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>women who are pregnant or postpartum (within 2 weeks after delivery);\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>persons aged <19 years who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>American Indians\/Alaska Natives;\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>persons who are morbidly obese (i.e., BMI \u226540); and\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities.\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Chemoprophylaxis\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Providers are reminded that vaccination, rather than antivirals, should be used for prevention of influenza in the vast majority of\n\n\n  individuals\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  At this time, DPH is recommending that the use of antivirals for prophylaxis be restricted to the following groups:\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ol>\n\n\n  <li>Long term care facilities where an ongoing influenza outbreak has been documented\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>Individuals who are severely immunocompromised (such as hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients) and who either have a\n\n\n  contraindication to vaccination OR received vaccination less than 2 weeks prior to exposure to an influenza case\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  \u201dLong-term care facilities\u201d refers to nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities that provide health care to people who are\n\n\n  unable to live independently in the community.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  All residents fitting the eligibility criteria above should receive antiviral chemoprophylaxis as soon as an influenza outbreak is\n\n\n  determined. (When at least 2 patients are ill with influenza-like symptoms within 72 hours of each other and at least one resident has\n\n\n  laboratory-confirmed influenza). <a class=\"anchors\" id=\"_GoBack\"><\/a> In this situation, the facility should promptly initiate antiviral\n\n\n  chemoprophylaxis to all non-ill residents, regardless of whether or not they received influenza vaccination. Priority should be given to\n\n\n  residents living in the same unit or floor as an ill resident. However, since staff and residents may spread influenza to residents on\n\n\n  other units, floors, or buildings of the same facility, all non-ill residents are recommended to receive antiviral chemoprophylaxis to\n\n\n  control influenza outbreaks.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  For further information on recommended indications, dosage and duration of antiviral use for treatment or chemoprophylaxis of influenza\n\n\n  please visit:\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/pdf\/antiviral-dosage-duration.pdf\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/pdf\/professionals\/antivirals\/antiviral-dosage-duration.pdf<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/antivirals\/summary-clinicians.htm\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/antivirals\/summary-clinicians.htm<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Please call DPH at 302-744-1050 for additional information, or visit the CDC @\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/infectioncontrol\/ltc-facility-guidance.htm\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/infectioncontrol\/ltc-facility-guidance.htm<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/antivirals\/index.htm\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/professionals\/antivirals\/index.htm<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  ******************\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  You are receiving this message because you are a registered member of the Delaware Health Alert Network. If you are not a member and\n\n\n  would like to subscribe, please register at <a href=\"https:\/\/healthalertde.org\">https:\/\/healthalertde.org<\/a>\n\n\n<\/p><br>\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n<p class=\"smalltext\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Download Adobe Acrobat Reader\" height=\"21\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/dhss\/img\/getacro60.gif\" width=\"60\"><\/a> Please note: Some of the files available on this page are in Adobe PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.  A free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded directly from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\">Adobe <\/a>. If you are using an assistive technology unable to read Adobe PDF, please either view the corresponding text only version (if available) or visit Adobe&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/access.adobe.com\">Accessibility Tools page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--[END]-->\n\n  \n\n        <div class=\"panel panel-danger\">\n\n          <div class=\"panel-heading\">    \n\n      <h2>Categories of Health Alert messages:<\/h2>\n\n       <\/div>\n\n       <div class=\"panel-body\">\n\n      <ul>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Alert:<\/strong> Conveys the highest level of importance; warrants immediate action or attention.<\/li>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Advisory:<\/strong> Provides important information for a specific incident or situation; may not require immediate action.<\/li>\n\n        <li><strong>Health Update:<\/strong> Provides updated information regarding an incident or situation; unlikely to require immediate action.<\/li>\n\n            <\/ul>\n\n         <div><strong>NOTE: This page is for informational purposes only and dated material (e.g. temporary websites) may not be available.<\/strong><\/div>\n\n          <\/div> \n\n        <\/div><br>  \n\n\n\n      <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><!-- \/container -->\n\n  <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen Delaware Health Alert Network #292 January 16, 2013 8:18 am Public Health Menu Home About About DPH Sections &#038; Programs Office Locations Contact Info Calendar Services A-Z Services Air &#038; Water Quality Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records Clinics Health Data &#038; Statistics Emergency Preparedness Health &#038; Wellness Healthy Homes Healthy Workplaces Laboratory Restaurant Inspections [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":9294,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10262","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10262"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11438,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10262\/revisions\/11438"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}