Red County, California

At Mass this morning, a prepared statement from Bishop Tod Brown was read regarding changes in Mass activity in response to an increase in H1N1 flu incidents. Among the changes:

• Stay home if you’re sick. Really. It’s an act of charity.
• No handshaking at the Sign of Peace.
• No hand-holding during the Our Father.
• Communicants encouraged to receive host in the hand rather on the tongue.
• Wine will not be eliminated, as some communicants cannot receive the host due to allergies.

This graph of incidents of “influenza-like illnesses” (ILI) as a percentage of total office visits confirms a sharp uptick:

According to the CDC, flu activity this early in the season is so widespread as to be unprecedented. Forty-six states, including California, report such widespread incidents. The CDC says that “ILI activity now is higher than what is seen during the peak of many regular flu seasons.”

Suggestions:

• Get vaccinated if you are high risk.
• Stay home from work if you get sick.
• Keep kids home from school if they get sick.

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