Swine Flu in the U.S.

AmeriCares sent medical aid and infection control supplies to help combat the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus – commonly known as Swine Flu. Texas, Mississippi and California clinics, as well as AmeriCares own clinics in Connecticut, are receiving emergency aid deliveries including face masks, medicines and other vital supplies.

Some clinics report patients with flu symptoms. Other clinics are taking additional precaution as they are not far from Mexico where the outbreak has been severe. Health officials are concerned because recent flu vaccines will not protect patients from this outbreak.

“AmeriCares is watching the H1N1 epidemic very carefully,” said Dr. Frank Bia, AmeriCares Medical Director and an expert in infectious diseases. “As Swine Flu infects more people, it can adapt and become more dangerous – like a hurricane picking up strength over warm water.”

Read Dr. Bia’s Q&A: What You Need to Know About the Swine Flu.

Flu relief supplies are being sent to clinics that provide basic health care services to the uninsured and underinsured. As more Americans lose access to health care in these difficult economic times, these clinics fill an increasingly vital role in protecting individual and public health.

AmeriCares works with health clinics that serve the poor and uninsured from coast to coast. We are currently reaching out with clinics in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, and Wisconsin with medical assistance to help them prepare for any future flu outbreaks. 

Help AmeriCares fight Influenza and other disease outbreaks. »