WTVP Headlines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Health Department and WTVP Partner to Provide H1N1 Information

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

The Peoria City/County Health Department and Public Television station WTVP announce Flu Update, a television and web-based project to regularly provide the latest information on prevention, treatment availability, new developments and options for care regarding H1N1 influenza--the so-called “swine flu.”

The project begins on Monday, September 21, 2009, and will feature short messages from the Peoria City/County Health Department that will broadcast between programs on WTVP 47.1, 47.2 and 47.3. The videos will also be available on www.wtvp.org, along with links to public health departments in the 20 county Central Illinois region. The project will continue as a long as necessary.

Some messages will be aimed specifically at children and caregivers, while others will be aimed at target populations most likely to be affected by the H1N1 virus, such as pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems. Others will be aimed at the general public.

Simply titled Flu Update, initial programs will be generic in nature and encourage good health practices that can prevent transmission of the flu. Common sense activities like covering a cough with an elbow and frequent hand washing will be covered. Subsequent programs will be more highly targeted to reflect the impact the flu is having as it likely develops and increases in the region. There will also be reports on treatments, new advancements in vaccinations and other information that will help schools, employers and the general public successfully deal with H1N1.

On-camera reports will be provided by the Peoria Health Department Administrator Greg Chance, and Public Information Officer Diana Scott. The video portion will be seen daily during the children’s block and in primetime at approximately 7:58 p.m.

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