NEWS: Wake Partners Launch H1N1 Web Site, Twitter Account

9/14/2009

Wake County, in partnership with more than a dozen community organizations, today launched a new Web page, ReadyWake! Flu, dedicated to Novel H1N1 (H1N1) and seasonal flu. The Web site, available at www.wakegov.com/flu was part of a presentation on H1N1 for the Wake County Board of Commissioners work session today.

ReadyWake! Flu provides citizens with local information about flu, including a video message from the community health director, symptom checker, and posters and brochures for printing. The page also includes information about high-risk groups, as well as information for specific audiences, such as parents and educators, employers, senior citizens and news media.

The ReadyWake! Flu site also includes links to the ReadyWake! Twitter page, where anyone can sign up to receive tweets about emergencies and emergency preparedness in Wake County. The account will be used to provide information about H1N1 and advise followers when ReadyWake! Flu is updated.

“Information about H1N1 and seasonal flu is changing regularly and it can be difficult for citizens to know what information they need,” said Community Health Director Sue Lynn Ledford. “That is why ReadyWake! Flu was developed – specifically for people who live, work and play in Wake County, and it will be updated regularly.”

There are currently two types of flu – H1N1, which is present in Wake County; and seasonal flu, which has not arrived in Wake County yet this season. This means if anyone in Wake County is diagnosed with the flu it is most likely H1N1. Both types of flu have similar symptoms, and similar precautions – particularly providing others with six feet or more of personal space – that can stop the spread of the viruses.

ReadyWake! Flu is a joint information project of Wake County government, city and town governments, and community partners and supporters. Participants include:

• City of Raleigh
• N.C. Association of County Commissioners
• N.C Emergency Management
• Rex Healthcare
• Town of Cary
• Town of Garner
• Town of Holly Springs
• Town of Wake Forest
• Wake County Emergency Management
• Wake County EMS
• Wake County Human Services
• Wake County Public Affairs
• Wake County Public School System
• Wake County Sheriff’s Office
• WakeMed
• Duke Raleigh Health

Members of the news media are encouraged to visit ReadyWake! Flu’s media page for information they may need as they provide information to citizens. The media page includes summary points, statistics on past flu seasons in Wake County and high-resolution graphics not available in other sections of ReadyWake! Flu (www.WakeGOV.com/flu/media).

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