Berry talks H1N1 preparedness with health officials

Posted at: 11/03/2009 4:09 PM | Updated at: 11/03/2009 6:28 PM
By: Antoinette Antonio, Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

Richard Berry

Albuquerque’s mayor-elect met with health officials Tuesday to discuss how ready the city is for an H1N1 outbreak.

Richard Berry said he called for Tuesday's meeting because he wants to make sure he has a good game plan in place when he takes office. In a roundtable setting, he was briefed by the state health department, Homeland Security, UNM Hospital, and APS—among others.

State health officials say so far, 22 people have died from H1N1. An 11-year-old Albuquerque boy died from complications from the H1N1 flu virus on Sunday.

Health officials say the virus may have peaked in the state, but they say there could also be another peak in the winter.

Mayor-elect Berry said he had a lot of questions for health officials. Berry wants to know what precautions are being taken to prevent an outbreak and what programs are in place to move forward.

He says the meeting is a learning process so that when he takes over Dec. 1, he is prepared as mayor.

Homeland Security also discussed a plan that is being put in place to feed children if schools shut down because of H1N1. Officials say a lot of kids in the state depend on the two meals a day they gat at school and who would go hungry if classes were cancelled.

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