With the media coverage about the "Swine Flu" many people are questioning if our area would be prepared for such a problem.  According to Logan Boss, Public Information Director for the Northwest Georgia Department of Public Health, our area is well prepared for a pandemic flue outbreak if it should occur.

Boss told The Summerville News that there is a plan to deal with a pandemic influenza outbreak in Chattooga Countyand that the area is prepared to deal with such an emergency.  Area health and emergency officials have trained for just such an emergency.  Chattooga County Commissioner Jason Winters has ordered around 2,500 breathing masks as a precaution.  Those masks would be used by front-line emergency workers in the outbreak of a pandemic flu.

Of course all of this should be kept in persepective as no cases of the so-called "swine flu" have been reported in Georgia, and relatively few people in the United States have the flu.  There are many different strains of flu every year and people do die from many types of flu. 

Public Health officials do expect to see some cases of the "swine flu" in Georgia and say that you can prepare and be alert for signs and symptoms of the flu.  Last night in his press conference, President Obama stressed the most important things to remember about controlling flu problems:  wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough and avoid public places if you are sick.

Despite the name, you can not contract "swine flu" from eating pork.