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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 jM ■ mme 'n Hsj wß[ -:' i ~v* .:;.,y>M.fi |i & ■*&*%&!..■ ■BrSHs S ——-, Jr -*» .<■ *., < WiwaWPr 1 hb *« «f§U |.r • B| Jgßgl |§ JUpP gg TJ 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. m. ® Bayer sqnoflavenHs =1 Abbott ImJ ******** 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 7A 54031 50626