Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in California to deal with swine flu.  As a practical matter, this will allow state agencies greater flexibility in dealing with the outbreak, particularly in regards to contracting for materials or services.  For example, California has just been approved by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to administer the lab test to confirm suspected swine flu cultures. The US Department of Health and Human Services has also declared a public emergency on the issue, which allows them to manage the allocation and distribution of antiviral medications, like TamiFlu.  Public officials at the state and federal level continue to caution that these are preparatory steps in case the flu outbreak becomes more severe.   

Information for Health Professionals

CMA has published a fact sheet for physicians treating or evaluating patients with suspected or confirmed cases of swine flu. The Department of Public Health (DPH) has also compiled a list of useful links for health care providers to deal with swine flu which are available on the DPH website and below:

• CalPanFlu.org - H1N1 Vaccine Registration and Ordering
• CDPH Swine Flu Health Alert for Providers - April 28, 2009 (PDF)
• Interim Guidance for Infection Control for Care of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in a Healthcare Setting
• Interim Guidance on Antiviral Recommendations for Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection and Close Contacts
• Interim Guidance on Specimen Collection and Processing for Patients with Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection
• Nasopharyngeal Swab Collection Instructions - April 27, 2009 (PDF)
• Interim Guidance—Pregnant Women and Swine Influenza: Considerations for Clinicians
• CDC Clinician Outreach Swine Flu Updates

The American Medical Association website also includes up-to-date clinical guidelines, resources and news to help physicians and the public disseminate the most recent information about swine flu infections.

For doctors or patients who would like to contact their local health department for more information, you can find the relevant contact information on the Department of Public Health's website.

Information for Patients

Patients can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for flu resources.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has activated a toll-free swine flu hotline in English and Spanish.  Assistance in other languages is also available.

The phone number is (888) 865-0564. 

CDPH’s swine flu hotline is available Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.