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MIND
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
The flu
Facts you need to know
Special to the Journal
It’s that dreaded time
of year again. Flu season!
According to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention, every year in the
U.S. at least 5-20 percent of
the population contracts the
flu and more than 200,000
people require hospitaliza
tion from flu complications.
Approximately 36,000 peo
ple die from the flu each year.
Some people, such as older
adults, young children, and
people with certain health
conditions are at higher risk
for serious flu complications.
But what exactly is the
“flu” and how can you pro
tect yourself and your fam
ily from getting sick with it
this winter? Influenza, also
called the “flu”, is a con
tagious respiratory illness
caused by influenza viruses.
It can cause mild to severe
illness, and at times can lead
to death. The best protection
against this illness is having
a flu vaccination each fall.
“The influenza viruses
spread through respiratory
droplets caused by coughing
and sneezing,” explains Lisa
Harris, RN, CIC, Infection
Control Practitioner for
Houston Healthcare. “They
usually spread from person to
person; however, people can
become infected by touch
ing something that has flu
viruses on it and then touch
ing their mouth or nose.”
The typical incubation peri
od for influenza is one to four
days. Most healthy adults
can infect others beginning
one day before symptoms
develop and up to five days
after becoming sick.
Children can be infectious
for 10 or more days before
developing symptoms.
Symptoms of the flu
include a high fever, head
ache, extreme tiredness, dry
cough, sore throat, .runny
or stuffy nose, and muscle
aches. Stomach symptoms,
such as nausea, vomiting,
and diarrhea, can also occur
but are more common in
children than adults.
The single best way to pre
vent the flu is to get a flu
vaccination each fall. There
are two types of vaccines.
The “flu shot” is an inac
tivated vaccine containing
dead influenza viruses that
is given with a needle. The
flu shot is approved for use in
people older than six months
of age, including healthy peo
ple and people with chron
ic medical conditions. The
nasal-spray flu vaccine is a
vaccine made with live, but
weakened influenza viruses
that do not cause the flu.
Sometimes called LATV for
“Live Attenuated Influenza
Vaccine,” this vaccine is
approved for use in healthy
people five years to 49 years
of age who are not pregnant.
Approximately two weeks
after vaccination, antibodies
develop that protect a person
against infection from the
influenza viruses. Flu vac
cines will not protect against
influenza-like illnesses
caused by other viruses.
People who should get an
influenza vaccination each
year include:
□ All people who are 65
years of age or older
□ People with chronic or
long-term health problems
□ Women who will be
pregnant during flu season
□ People 50 to 64 years
of age
□ People who can trans
mit the flu to others at high
risk for complications
□ All children age 6-23
months
□ Healthcare workers
□ People with any con
dition that can compromise
Take action against the flu
O Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
O Stay home when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching
your illness.
O Wash or sanitize hands often, especially after you have been out in public or
touched things that other people have touched.
O Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Avoid
touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
O Teach your children to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue whenever
they cough or sneeze. Make sure your children don’t share drinking glasses or
eating utensils.
O If you suspect you have the flu, contact your family doctor immediately or
visit one of the Houston Healthcare Med-Stop locations.
respiratory function or han
dling of respiratory secre
tions (that is, a condition that
makes it hard to breathe or
swallow, such as brain injury
or disease, spinal cord inju
ries, seizure or other nerve
or muscle disorders.)
□ People who live in nurs
ing homes and other long
term care facilities that
house those with long-term
illnesses
“The ability of the flu vac
cine to protect a person from
contracting the flu depends
on the person’s age and
health, and the similarity
between the virus strains in
the vaccine and those virus
strains present in the com
munity during that partic
ular flu season,” explains
Harris. “Testing has shown
that both vaccine types are
very effective at preventing
the flu.”
As with any vaccine or
medication, the influenza
vaccines can produce minor
side effects in some people.
“After receiving the flu
shot, a person may experi
ence soreness, redness or
swelling where the shot was
given, a low grade fever,
and aches,” states Harris.
“In children, side effects
from the nasal-spray vac
cine can include runny nose,
headache, vomiting, muscle
aches, and fever. In adults,
the nasal vaccine may cause
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JL JLouston Healthcare’s Med-Stops offer care for
your family’s minor illnesses and injuries on a walk-in basis when
your regular doctor’s office is closed or when you don’t need the technical
services of the Emergency Room. The Med-Stops are staffed by Board
Certified Family Practice and Internal Medicine physicians working
with nurses and medical technicians. Lab and x-ray services are available
on-site.
♦ Houston Lake
Med-Stop
Hwy. 127 and Moody Road
9884865
Open Mon - Sat
7 am- 6:30 pm
runny nose, headaches, sore
throat, and cough.
“If these problems do
occur, they begin soon after
the vaccination and usually
last one to two days. Rarely
does anyone experience any
serious problems after get
ting the influenza vaccine,
but the vaccine can cause
severe allergic reactions in
some individuals. But, again,
this is very rare.”
There are some people who
should not get an influenza
vaccination without first con
sulting a physician. These
include:
□ People who are severely
allergic to chicken eggs.
□ People who have had a
severe reaction to an influ
enza vaccination in the past.
□ People who developed
Guillain-Barre syndrome
(GBS) within six weeks of
getting a previous influenza
vaccine.
□ Children younger than
six months of age because
the influenza vaccine is not
approved for use in this age
group.
□ People who have a mod
erate or severe illness with a
fever should wait until they
are healthy again before get
ting the flu vaccination.
For more information
about the influenza virus or
the influenza vaccines, con
tact your family physician or
local health department.
Urgent Care...
when you need it.
♦ Pavilion
Med-Stop
N. Houston Road at Houston Mall
923-2843
Open Daily
8 am - 7:30 pm
PußtTiS Buy
Friday, October 26
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.
Middle Georgia Technical College
A FREE Diabetes education and information program for
all people affected by diabetes, including family and friends.
Exhibits, door prizes & giveaways.
Lunch will be provided to those who pre-register.
Topics include:
• Recognising and Handling Depression
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• l ink Retween Diabetes , Sleep Apnea <& Stress
• And More!
To register, call 923-9771.
Robins AFB, HHC to host
breast cancer luncheon
Special to the Journal
Houston Healthcare
and the Robins Air Force
Base Health and Wellness
Center will host its 12th
Annual Breast Cancer
Luncheon Oct. 16 from
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at
the Museum of Aviation’s
Century of Flight Hangar.
Doors open at 11 a.m.
The guest speaker for
this year’s event is Marcia
Berlin, breast-cancer sur
vivor, registered dietitian
and working mom, who
will share her inspirational
story - “The Sisterhood of
the Traveling Genes.”
In addition to the guest
speaker, the luncheon will
Hilary Kate Ellwood, MD
Board Certified, American
Academy of Family Medicine
Kimberley R. Ham, MD
Board Certified, American
Academy of Family Medicine
Cynthia M. Jones, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Family Medicine
Gayatri Kamat, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Internal Medicine
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2007 ♦
include a fashion show fea
turing the latest sporty fall
attire provided by Belk’s
and modeled by breast
cancer survivors.
The luncheon is spon
sored by Houston
Healthcare, RAFB Health
and Wellness Center, the
Susan G. Komen Breast
Cancer Foundation-
Central Georgia Affiliate
and the American Cancer
Society. Tickets are $lO
each and include lunch
and a gift.
Tickets must be present
ed at the door for admit
tance.
For more information or
to purchase a ticket, please
call 478-923-9771.
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Houston Healthcare
Haurtm Medual Center 4 fhry Hospital
Barbara A. Matthews, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Family Medicine
Jodie Velie, MD
Board Eligible, American
Board of Family Practice
Ferial Walid, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Family Medicine
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