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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/24/2009
By Felice Freyer Colleges and universities in Rhode Island next week will begin vaccinating students through age 24 who live on campus, as the availability of vaccine improves. Additionally, school-based clinics will be held as scheduled next week and enough swine-flu vaccine for every child age 6 months through 5 years will arrive in pediatricians' offices by the end of next week, Health...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/24/2009
By Felice Freyer PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island has received its last shipment of vaccine against seasonal flu for adults, Health Director David R. Gifford said Tuesday. Some 5,000 doses of injectable vaccine and 20,000 of the nasal spray are on their way to primary-care doctors who did not get their full order. The Health Department is urging doctors to reserve the injectable vaccine...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/19/2009
By Felice Freyer projo.com / Timothy C. Barmann New data from the R.I. Department of Health shows a dramatic spike in emergency room visits for flu-like symptoms the first week of November. Click on chart for larger version. PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The number of flu cases in Rhode Island took an abrupt nosedive last week, as the swine-flu epidemic starts to wane in the state. Information...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/13/2009
By Felice Freyer People without health insurance can get free shots against the seasonal flu -- not swine flu or H1N1 -- at the Rhode Island Free Clinic on Tuesday and Thursday. The flu shots will be administered at 655 Broad St., Providence, at these times: Tuesday, Nov. 17, 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, 6 to 9 p.m. Appointments are not necessary. The immunization clinics...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/13/2009
By Felice Freyer Absenteeism rates at Rhode Island schools continue to drop, with a statewide average of 7.3 percent on Thursday. That's down from the peak of 11.2 percent on Oct. 30 and again on Nov. 2 -- but higher than 2008 averages, which hovered around 6 percent. The state is about four weeks into a swine-flu epidemic expected to last six to eight weeks. Carol Hall-Walker, Health...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009
By Felice Freyer Enough swine-flu vaccine is available in Rhode Island to vaccinate every pregnant woman who wants it, state Health Director David R. Gifford said Tuesday. The state has distributed 10,000 shots to obstetricians. Women whose obstetricians have run out of vaccine should call (401) 222-8022 to arrange to get vaccine to their doctor, Gifford said. Additionally, three vaccination...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/03/2009
By Felice Freyer If you're looking for answers to questions about swine flu, Wednesday is your day. Governor Carcieri and the R.I. Department of Health have teamed up with the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association for a four-hour effort to spread information about the illness and the vaccine against it. First, from 4 to 7 p.m., 20 knowledgeable people selected by the Health Department...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/03/2009
By News staff By Mike McKinney and Felice Freyer Journal Staff Writers PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Health Department director David R. Gifford said Tuesday at a news briefing that an unnamed Rhode Island woman died on Monday, and that swine flu is suspected. He said she had several underlying illnesses and was between 40 and 50 years old. She was admitted to an unnamed hospital over the weekend....
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/03/2009
By Thomas J. Morgan By Mike McKinney and Felice Freyer Journal Staff Writers PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Health Department director David R. Gifford said Tuesday that a Lincoln Middle School student who died over the weekend at Hasbro Children's Hospital had H1N1, or swine flu. Gifford also said an unnamed Rhode Island woman died on Monday, and that swine flu is suspected. He said she had several...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009
By Felice Freyer The Rhode Island Hospital surgical team that operated on the wrong finger on Oct. 22 violated its own policies intended to prevent such errors, a Health Department investigation has found. The state Health Department has reprimanded the hospital and fined it $150,000, citing a history of wrong-site surgeries and numerous violations leading to the recent error. This is...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009
By Felice Freyer Rhode Island schools continue to experience high absenteeism as the swine flu rampages through the state. On Friday, 158 schools reported that more than 10 percent of students were absent. Of them, 25 schools had more than 20 percent absent. Absenteeism is typically in the low single digits at most schools at this time of year. The school data suggest that Newport and...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 10/29/2009
By Felice Freyer PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The state's health director is down with the flu , or something like it. Dr. David R. Gifford stayed home Thursday after developing a fever the previous night. He'd been home sick on Tuesday, although without a fever, said his spokeswoman, Annemarie Beardsworth. He felt better and returned to work Wednesday. But when he spiked a fever Wednesday night,...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 10/28/2009
By Thomas J. Morgan By Felice Freyer and Thomas J. Morgan Journal Staff Writers PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Officials confirmed Wednesday that a Grade 7 student at St. Philomena's School in Portsmouth, who died unexpectedly on Monday, had swine flu. Governor Carcieri and David R. Gifford, state director of health, made the announcement at a State House briefing. Whether the flu, also known as...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 10/27/2009
By Felice Freyer Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, plans to work with Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island on beefing up the Pawtucket hospital's cardiac and emergency services. The new "clinical affiliation," announced Tuesday, brings the imprimatur of a famous Harvard-affiliated institution to a small Pawtucket hospital (which is affiliated with Brown University's medical...
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Providence Journal (Free subscription) | 10/23/2009
By Felice Freyer The state has prepared a tentative schedule of school-based clinics to vaccinate children against swine flu, starting with 58 schools during the week of Nov. 2. And it's not a moment too soon, as swine-flu infections appear to be increasing statewide. Some 50 schools have had higher-than-normal absenteeism either school-wide or in certain classrooms, doctors' offices...
