Officials warn of spreading H1N1 this holiday

Home for the holidays?

Health officials warn that the travel bug this season is a bug that travels -- the H1N1 virus.

The latest Utah numbers released Wednesday by state officials continue to show that activity for H1N1 appears to be slowing for the fourth week in a row.

But federal officials at the Center for Disease Control worry that the increased proximity of people at crowded airports, shopping malls -- and even Grandmother's place for the seasonal dinner -- could mean new opportunities for the spread of the bug, also called swine flu.

"Of course, I worry about it," said Janet Barney, an Ogden mother of three, who was shopping at a local mall Wednesday.

But Barney also says any general concern she has about H1N1 will not interfere with her family holiday, a gathering of 50 people at a sister's house.

The CDC still reports levels of influenza-like illness higher than what would be considered normal in a flu season.

The new weekly numbers from the Utah Department of Health show 20 people have died from the pandemic illness this flu season, one more death than last week.

The most recent death was a woman from the Southwest Utah Public Health District.

The state numbers, with a slowing of the virus activity, are mirrored at health departments in much of the Top of Utah.

Both Davis County and Weber-Morgan County health departments are offering tickets Monday for the next round of H1N1 vaccinations.

One difference: both departments will go to advance ticketing versus walk-up or reservations.

"We are switching to tickets because we are receiving a large amount of vaccines, large enough to support the clinics," said Lori Buttars at the Weber-Morgan district.

In Davis County, the next two public clinics should bring the total vaccination number to about 50,000 people.

That is one-third of the amount of people health officials hope to immunize in the county.

Thanksgiving is typically followed by at least a modest bump in early seasonal flu cases, according to reports from the past few years. But this, of course, is not a typical year.

Swine flu is a new virus that accounts for nearly all flu cases right now.

So, with the onslaught of urges for cranberry and yams in foreign places, the federal government has launched a new travel-health campaign.

"It's important to remember the things that everybody can do to stay healthy," said Dr. Beth Bell, of the CDC.

The federal government is putting up posters in airports, seaports and border crossings in time for holiday travel.

The campaign also includes advertisements with slogans such as "Stop, Wash & Go."

Swine flu has sickened an estimated 22 million Americans, hospitalized about 98,000 and killed 4,000 since it was first identified last April.

It is similar to seasonal flu but poses a much bigger threat to children and young adults.

Yet, Layton mom Cydnee Gertge believes the swine flu isn't going to be on her mind as the holiday season kicks in.

"I haven't worried about it at all," said Gertge as her four children circled around her in the shopping mall.

The CDC, as a reminder, says hug and hold your family or friends carefully this holiday season, especially if you are not feeling well.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.