Portland Public Health Division | 389 Congress Street | Portland, Maine 04101 | (207) 874-8784

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Smoke-Free Housing Coalition of Maine Webinar Series  (3/3/2010)
The series takes the audience from the foundations of smoke-free policy adoption, financial and health benefits of going smoke-free, legality and further justification of policy implementation, to drafting policy language and enforcing an existing policy. More

New Resource for Expectant/New Mothers Now Available  (2/19/2010)
Text4baby is a free mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health. More

New County Health Rankings Give First County-by-County Snapshot of Health in Each State  (2/17/2010)
University of Wisconsin/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project ranks counties on how healthy people are and how long they live. More

Seasonal and H1N1 (Swine) Flu Vaccines Available For Everyone  (2/9/2010)
The Public Health Division has seasonal and H1N1 (swine) flu vaccines available by appointment for everyone. More

British doctor rebuked over research linking vaccine and autism  (2/3/2010)
Britain's medical regulator finds that Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who now practices in Texas, conducted his now-discredited research on the MMR shot in an unethical and irresponsible manner. More

Salmonella-Related Sausage Recall Expanded  (2/1/2010)
Daniele Inc., the company whose sausage products have been linked to a widespread Salmonella outbreak, expanded its earlier product recall to include another 17,235 pounds of products that may be contaminated by black pepper. Stores that carry the affected products in Maine include BJ's Wholesale Club and Sam's Club. More

McNeil Consumer Healthcare Announces Voluntary Recall of Certain Over-The-Counter Products  (1/15/2010)
The company is initiating this recall following an investigation of consumer reports of an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that, in a small number of cases, was associated with temporary and non-serious gastrointestinal events. These include nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. More

2009 Cumberland County Municipal Health Assessments Now Available  (1/14/2010)
New Cumberland County municipal health assessments now available. More

The Hidden Benefits of Exercise   (1/5/2010)
Even Moderate Physical Activity Can Boost the Immune System and Protect Against Chronic Diseases More

Vaccine Refusal Raises Chickenpox Risk  (1/5/2010)
Kids Are 9 Times More Likely to Get Chickenpox if They Don't Get Vaccinated. More

H1N1 Vaccine Now Recomended for ALL Mainers  (12/15/2009)
Based on demand and a large recent increase in H1N1 vaccine supply, Maine CDC is now recommending that H1N1 vaccine be offered to anyone who wishes to receive it. More

Portland Community Health Center Now Open  (11/10/2009)
Portland Community Health Center is a full-service, primary care medical facility, and is now open and accepting new patients. More

Report: Smoking Bans Protect Nonsmokers' Hearts  (10/15/2009)
A major report confirms what health officials long have believed: Bans on smoking in restaurants, bars and other gathering spots reduce the risk of heart attacks among nonsmokers. More

City of Portland Public Health Division Selected to Test National Accreditation Program   (9/24/2009)
The City of Portland Public Health Division announced today it was selected by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) to participate in a test of the new national voluntary public health accreditation program. More

h1n1 influenza

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H1N1 Influenza

Currently, the H1N1 flu virus is widespread in the state of Maine.  Below you will find more information about the virus, how to prevent it and who might be most affected by it.


What are the symptoms and how might I be affected?

The symptoms of H1N1 are very much the same as other flu viruses.  These consist of fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue.  Some people may also have vomiting or diarrhea. 

H1N1 symptoms range from mild to severe, with the risk for severe symptoms focused around specific groups of people.  These groups include pregnant women, people ranging in age from 0 to 24 years, and people with underlying health conditions.  For more information about these groups, click here.


What are the best ways to keep from getting H1N1?

There are several ways you can decrease your chances of getting H1N1 flu.  The most effective way is prevention; covering your cough, sneezing into your arm, washing your hands often with soap and water (or using an alcohol based hand sanitizer when washing your hands with soap and water is not possible), avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and avoiding sick people when possible, are all easy ways to stay healthy and prevent flu.   

Vaccination is another effective way of preventing H1N1.  The H1N1 vaccination is currently available to anyone who would like it.  The vaccination is especially recommended for people between the ages of 6 months to 18 years, pregnant women, and caregivers of infants less then 6 months old


When/where can I get the vaccination?

There are vaccination clinics being held regularly across the Greater Portland area and across the state at this time.  Please call 2-1-1, visit our website often, or visit any of the links below to find the nearest clinic to where you are.

-2-1-1 Maine
  Call 2-1-1 on any phone for free, or visit 211maine.org

-City of Portland Flu Hotline
 
207-874-8946

-City of Portland Schools Flu Update Blog
  http://blogs.portlandschools.org/fluinformation/

-Listing of Statewide Seasonal Flu and H1N1 Flu Clinics
  http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/maineflu/fluclinics/index.shtml

or, try:

-Important Maine CDC Contact Information
  General Public Call-in Number - 1-888-257-0990
  NextTalk (deaf/hard of hearing) - 207-629-5751
  Hours of Operation - Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm

Or you can email Maine CDC with your flu related questions at flu.questions@maine.gov