New York City – Up-to-date information on influenza and vaccine locations is now just a click away with the launch of a new Web portal that the Health Department announced today. By visiting www.nyc.gov/flu, New Yorkers can now find all influenza-related information – from surveillance data to information on schools and vaccination sites – in one place.
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The new Web portal was first detailed in a September briefing that reviewed the City’s planning for the fall flu season. The City also announced in the briefing that it will: offer free H1N1 vaccination to elementary school students whose parents want them to receive it; encourage New Yorkers to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting vaccinated; help people with influenza-like illness manage their symptoms and find care; work with hospitals to ensure the availability of expanded emergency room capacity if it is needed; and identify primary-care clinics that will give flu shots, information and outpatient care.
Key features of the new influenza Web portal launched today include:
Seasonal Flu Vaccine locator
New Yorkers can search by borough or zip code for the nearest location offering the seasonal influenza vaccine. The vaccine locator is designed as a widget that any organization can place on its own web site to help New Yorkers find a place to get vaccinated.
H1N1 Vaccine & Treatment Locator
The Web portal will have an H1N1 vaccine locator once it becomes available in the city. Within the next few weeks, the portal will also feature a locator to guide users to diagnostic and treatment centers throughout the city.
Influenza tracking data
The Health Department continually tracks the rate of influenza-like illness, and the presence of different influenza strains in New York City. Anyone visiting the new portal can view this information in a series of easy-to-read charts and graphs. The portal also offers up-to-date educational materials – including medical alerts, health bulletins, posters and flyers – targeting various audiences, including medical providers, school officials, employers, community groups and the media.
School updates
A searchable database of school-specific information on influenza-like illness and attendance on the previous day is available as well. In a daily public report, the new Web portal lists schools reporting five or more cases of influenza-like illness on the previous day. The daily school report also shows the previous day’s absentee rate for every public school, though absenteeism is not by itself a measure of influenza activity.