PORT ANGELES — Flu season has yet to really hit the North Olympic Peninsula, but the region’s top public health official said a symptom-severe strain of the virus will crest in early February.
Dr. Tom Locke, public health officer for both Clallam and Jefferson counties, told the Clallam County Board of Health on Tuesday that last year’s H1N1 pandemic swine flu is all but gone.
It has been replaced by a stronger, seasonal flu virus called H3N2.
“We are likely to have a flu season this year, a seasonal flu outbreak,” Locke said.
“We really didn’t last year. We really only had an H1N1 or a pandemic outbreak.”
Flu activity has stabilized on the East Coast, where most flu occurs in the U.S., Locke said.
“The measures of influenza activity have actually dropped slightly in the last week,” he said.
“That’s unlikely to mean that things are over, though.”
The West Coast, and particularly the Pacific Northwest, has the lowest flu rates in the country. About 97 of the people who have flu-like symptoms have something other than influenza, Locke said.
“At this point, we’re likely to see a peak of influenza activity on the West Coat and Washington state in the early part of February,” Locke said, adding that it’s shaping up to be a “pretty typical” flu season locally.
This year’s flu shots contain vaccines for three strains: H1N1, H3N2 and the relatively mild Influenza B.
Most of the U.S. population is already immune to H1N1.
Locke said an H3N2 outbreak would means you’d have a higher death toll than the other two strains.
Flu shots
He said it’s not too late to get a flu shot and that health departments, clinics and hospitals are well-stocked with the vaccine.
Olympic Medical Center and Forks Community Hospital have surpassed vaccination rates greater than more than 90 percent.
“When we get into the 90s, the risk for transmission is substantially reduced,” said Locke, who routinely updates the Board of Health during flu season.
Locke also briefed the seven-member board on new federal recommendations for fluoride levels in drinking water.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Jan. 7 proposed that fluoride levels be on the low end of the current optimal range of 0.7 parts per million to 1.2 parts per million.
The Environmental Protection Agency has been using 4 parts per million as the maximum fluoride level for public water systems.
“They’re in the process of revisiting that and potentially revising it down, but they have not, to my knowledge, finalized that yet,” Locke said.
The EPA level does not affect the state because there are no water systems in Washington with natural fluoride levels exceeding the maximum threshold, Locke said.
“Here in Clallam County, the groundwater is notably fluoride-deficient,” Locke said.
“It’s virtually undetectable in most groundwater in Clallam County.”
Locke said he supports the Health and Human Service recommendation of 0.7 parts per million to help prevent tooth decay.
“Personally, I think this is excellent science,” Locke said.
“Here in Port Angeles, especially with the new water plant, it should not be difficult to do. It’s just a matter of adjusting concentrations and checking to make sure that that level is maintained.”
The federal standard for fluoride levels originated in the 1960s.
“A lot of things have changed since then,” Locke said, citing fluorinated toothpaste, mouthwash and varnishes.
Locke said 49 of the 50 largest community water systems contain fluoridated water.
“Most processed food nowadays is processed with fluorinated water,” Locke said.
“That’s actually a good thing. You get the health benefit of that as well.”
Port Angeles, Forks fluoridation
Port Angeles and Forks are the only cities on the North Olympic Peninsula using fluoridated drinking water. The concentration is about 1 part per million.
Both cities are regulated by the state Department of Health and expect to follow guidelines the federal agency sets.
Port Angeles has used fluoride since 2006.
Forks has been adding it for about 58 years.
Three groups — Clallam County Citizens for Safe Drinking Water, Our Water-Our Choice! and Protect Our Waters — have been fighting fluoridation in Port Angeles since it was introduced in the city.
Earlier in the meeting, Dr. Jeanette Stehr-Green was reappointed as chairwoman of the Clallam County Board of Health. John Beitzel was appointed as vice chair of the health board.
In other news, the board voted unanimously to eliminate its meetings for August and December. Stehr-Green was given the discretion to reconvene one or both of those meetings.
“The goal would be to pack more into each meeting,” Locke said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.