POINT PLEASANT — Strategies to keep families, employees and the county healthy were discussed during Tuesday’s Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

The luncheon, which was catered by Gino’s and held at the Marshall Mid-Ohio Valley Center, featured Diana Riddle, administrator and nursing director for the Mason County Health Department, as the speaker. Riddle discussed H1N1 influenza.

According to Riddle, the virus is no longer called the swine flu, and is now referred to as H1N1. The initials are based on the molecular structure of the virus, Riddle said. She also discussed how the virus began in April and that it came to the United States during the months of April and May.

“H1N1 came to West Virginia in July. West Virginia was one of the last states to have cases confirmed,” Riddle said, adding that Mason County has had four culture confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus.

According to Riddle, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is no longer going to keep track of culture confirmation numbers for the H1N1 virus because they believe that those numbers are lower than the actual cases that exist. Riddle said that the CDC believes that the actual number of people with H1N1 is higher because many people do not visit a doctor when sick or do not realize that they have an influenza virus.

She encouraged chamber members to spread the word about the virus to their co-workers, employees and customers. Riddle presented members with packets of information detailing the virus and how to prevent its spread. H1N1 information packets have already been distributed by the health department to area hospitals, schools, churches and doctors offices.

“What we’re trying to do is get as much information out there about H1N1 influenza that we can. We want everyone to be prepared,” Riddle said. “We are trying to get as many people educated as we can. We feel education will help prevent the spread.”

Riddle emphasized the importance of staying home from work or school when sick to avoid spreading the virus to others. According to Riddle, a person that has the H1N1 virus is most contagious the day before the symptoms start. She also encouraged employees to sanitize their desks or other equipment, such as telephones, prior to leaving work each day as the H1N1 virus is capable of remaining on surfaces for up to two hours.

Most of all, however, Riddle stressed the importance of proper hand washing.

“We are trying to contain (the virus). The best way to do that is to wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands,” she said.

Riddle added that soap and water is the most effective method of hand washing, but encouraged the use of hand sanitizer if soap and water is not readily available. She advised members to keep hand sanitizer with them or at their work desks at all times. In fact, Riddle said that the health department will have two hand sanitizer dispensers set up for the first time at the Mason County Fair, which is slated Aug. 10-15. Riddle also encouraged members to always keep tissues handy, which should be used to cover coughs.

In addition, Riddle announced that the health department will work closely with area schools this year. Although there is not yet an H1N1 vaccine, Riddle said that the health department will provide the vaccine once it is created.

“We don’t know if it will be one vaccine or two injections spaced apart. We are still doing seasonal influenza vaccines,” she added.

Also, Riddle said that the health department keeps in contact with Mason County Schools regarding absentee numbers and contacts every doctors office in Mason County weekly to keep track of the number of patients with influenza. According to Riddle, influenza cases are down right now, but always begin to rise in the fall.

“This helps us predict when the flu will hit,” she said.

Riddle also said that the health department is promoting a pneumonia vaccine this year. The vaccine is given for free at the health department.

Overall Riddle encouraged chamber members to be sensible when sick, and emphasized the importance of social distancing.

“If you are sick or have a weak immune system don’t go out in a crowd,” she said.

According to Riddle, antiviral medications are used to treat both H1N1 and seasonal influenza.

Immunization clinics are held 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every Thursday with the exception of the second Thursday at the Mason County Health Department. After hours immunization clinics are held every other month on the first Monday evening. Adult tetanus and pneumonia shots are offered year round. For more information, call the health department at 304-675-3050.

In other business:

• The chamber is planning another workshop, which is slated to take place in September. The workshop, entitled “Social Networking Connect 101,” will teach how to begin promoting organizations, businesses and projects with free social networking tools by using computers and the Internet. In order not to overwhelm participants the curriculum is usually limited to LinkedIn and Facebook. More details will be available in the August and September chamber newsletters.

• It was announced that the Business of the Month for July is Bob’s Market and Greenhouse.