Already the longest serving U.S. Senator, the Honorable Robert C. Byrd is now the longest-serving member of the United States Congress with 56 years, 320 days of continuous service, surpassing Senator Carl Hayden of Arizona.

House and Senate Resolutions were adopted by the respective chambers honoring Senator Byrd as a distinguished public servant and dedicated statesman, and designating November 18, 2009 as “The Honorable Robert C. Byrd Day.”

A celebration began today at 3 p.m. in front of Senator Byrd’s statue in the Capitol Rotunda. In addition to various speakers, the ceremony featured a live bald eagle and exhibited photos and memorabilia from throughout the senator’s career – including his beloved fiddle.

Speaker Richard Thompson was on hand for the event.

“Senator Byrd’s roots in public service are here in these halls, in our very own House chamber – where he first came to serve after his mountain music touched the hearts of so many in Southern West Virginia,” Thompson said. “His beginnings are humble and inspirational, his knowledge is vast and unmatched, and his service is faithful and historic. I congratulate him on this extraordinary milestone.”

Though Byrd himself was not in attendance, hundreds of lawmakers and citizens turned out in support of the state’s senior Senator. Many fondly recounted their past involvement with the 9-term Senator.

Among them was Senate President and Lieutenant Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, who said, “It has been one of my greatest honors to work with Senator Byrd throughout my legislative career. An impassioned defender of the Constitution and fighter for West Virginia, his contributions to both the nation and our Mountain State are simply unrivaled – and forever exemplary. I believe we, as a state, will always be better because of his service. And I wish him, our West Virginian of the 20th Century, the very best on this historic day.”

The event ended with the Governor issuing an executive proclamation marking each Nov. 18th as “The Honorable Robert C. Byrd Day”.

Americans all over the world will observe Veterans Day tomorrow, and while it is wonderful that this day is set aside to honor those that have gone to battle to protect our lives and freedoms, we should make sure that this is not the only time we reflect on the selfless sacrifice of these heroic men and women.

The debt we owe to our nation’s veterans cannot be fully repaid by setting aside a couple holidays every year. We can never remunerate with praise and platitudes what was originally given in blood and sweat.

Americans have never hesitated to heed the call of duty. From the battles that led to the birth of our nation, to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the tapestry of U.S. history has been woven by our servicemen and women.

It is history that gives further significance to this day. Veterans Day was once known as Armistice Day – recognizing the end of World War I.

The saying has become trite – “on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month” – but the significance remains the same. Years of brutal fighting brought to an end. The War to End All Wars was over. It was a day of solemn celebration throughout the world.

However, it wasn’t the end to all wars, or even all major wars. Since the first Armistice Day, U.S. troops have been engaged in major conflicts in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

As an acknowledgment of the continuing sacrifices of our country’s veterans, the federal government changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954. Since then, it’s been an opportunity to appreciate the sacrifices made by the nation’s nearly 25 million veterans.

Although today is now called Veterans Day, the original name reminds us of the true purpose of our nation’s military. These men and women do not serve to start wars but to end them, to bring about armistice – peace.

We owe too much to those who have answered the call of duty to forget about them 364 days out of the year. So on this special day and everyday, take a moment to think about those heroic men and women around the world that put their lives on the line so that we may continue to live in a free society.

Below is the second edition of the HIN1 flu newsletter brought to you by Senator Roman Prezioso and Delegate Don Perdue, co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Health Emergency Preparedness.  The following are answers to a series of questions asked after the first newsletter.

Q: If I’ve got the symptoms and don’t want to spread them to my family or others in places where I have to go (such as a doctor’s office), which is the right type of mask to wear and where can I get that type?

A: The CDC interim recommendations for facemask use for persons ill with confirmed H1N1 is that if an individual is going to leave the confines of their home the use of a facemask preferably the N95 or higher filtering mask (that is the best one) but a face mask such as a disposable surgical or dental mask is ok. Face masks help stop droplets from being spread by the person wearing the mask and are not designed to protect against breathing in small particles that contain the virus.  The information on the effectiveness of facemasks for decreasing the risk of exposure to the virus is extremely limited.

Q: Mixed signals are being sent by the media. Don’t wait too long before you see a doctor if you’ve got symptoms, because it may be too late to treat them. Don’t go to the doctor just because you’ve got symptoms, you may get over it without treatment and don’t need to be exposing the other patients in the doctor’s office.  If I’ve got symptoms, how do I know when I should seek medical treatment?

A: If one gets sick with flu-like symptoms that person should stay home and avoid contact with other people. Most people that have contracted H1N1 have had mild illness and have not needed medical care or anti-viral drugs and the same goes for the seasonal flu.

The warning signs for additional treatment beyond the symptomatic treatment would be if someone is experiencing difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, or severe or persistent vomiting. If you have doubts call the health care provider but don’t go to the office unless advised to by the office staff.  Anti-viral drugs will not make the flu go away or prevent you from contracting it , but it may make you better faster and prevent serious complications if you are at a higher risk of complications.

Q: Is it possible to get H1N1 and the seasonal flu simultaneously? If so, what can we expect. Are there special treatment steps we should take?

A: It is possible to get both the seasonal flu and H1N1 at the same time but highly unlikely. The H1N1 being a “new kid on the block” would take over.  Also, if a person has taken a seasonal flu shot on a regular basis they have built up a stronger resistance to the seasonal flu virus thus lessening the probability of the dual contraction.

Q: If one gets H1N1, I know we’re not supposed to come in for at least 24 hours after our cough goes away, but how long does H1N1 take to run its course, 3 days? 10 days? Longer?

A: If a person contracts H1N1 they should not come back to work until their fever has remained normal without fever reducing medications such as Tylenol or Advil for a period of 24 hours. The cough may linger for several weeks after the symptoms of the flu have subsided. It takes about 7 days for the H1N1 to run its full course.

The West Virginia Bureau for Public Health has established an informational website to help parents and students better understand the H1N1 (Swine) Flu. Please review www.wvflu.org to find out about the latest preventative measures and vaccine availability throughout the state.

As part of the YMCA’s Activate America Campaign and the Healthy Lifestyles initiatives passed in recent years by the West Virginia Legislature, Erick Santana visited the Capitol to lead a group of school children in a Zumba class. Zumba is an aerobic fitness program which mixes body sculpting movements with dance steps derived from various dance styles with a combination of fast and slow rhythms. It targets areas such as the glutes, legs, arms, abdominals, and the heart.

Activate America® is the YMCA’s approach to address the nation’s growing health crisis. The stated mission of this program is to compel people to transform the way they work, both internally and externally and to support all kids, adults, families and communities in their pursuit of well-being in spirit, mind and body.