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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Flu season is here
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
United States at least five to
20 percent of the population
contracts the flu and more
than 200,000 people require
hospitalization from flu com
plications.
Approximately 36,000 peo
ple die from the flu each
year. Some people, such as
older adults, young chil
dren, and people with cer
tain health conditions are
at higher risk for serious
flu complications. But what
exactly is the “flu” and how
can you protect yourself and
your family from getting sick
with it this winter?
Influenza, also called the
“flu”, is a contagious respira
tory illness caused by influ
enza 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 vacci
nation each fall. “The influ
enza viruses spread through
respiratory droplets caused
by coughing and sneez
ing,” explains Lisa Harris,
RN, CIC , Infection Control
Practitioner for Houston
Healthcare. “They usually
spread from person to per
son; however, people can
become infected by touching
something that has flu virus
es on it and then touching
their mouth or nose.”
The typical incubation
period 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 infec
tious for 10 or more days
before developing symp
toms. 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
Cans for Kids now
through Dec. 10
Special to the Journal
Houston Healthcare and
its Emergency Medical
Services helps support the
annual Region V EMS Cans
for Kids Campaign each year
by collecting canned goods
for families in need in the
Houston County community.
This year’s campaign will
continue through Dec. 10.
Canned goods can be placed
in collection boxes at all
Houston Healthcare facilities
as well as all local fire depart
ments.
“This holiday season,
we hope that everyone in
Houston County can partici
pate in this state-wide effort
to provide meals to families
in need,” says Brenda Dale,
EMT-E Houston Healthcare
EMS.
Houston Healthcare
placed second in the 2006
campaign collecting more
than 3,500 cans for the
Bonaire, Centerville and
Perry Community Outreach
Centers. They also placed
third in 2005 collecting more
than 4,000 cans. Houston
Healthcare’s EMS will also
be sponsoring a county-wide
food drive with the help of
some area churches and
schools with all of the dona
tions benefiting those in need
in Houston County.
For more information, con
tact Dale at 478-396-7539.
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
people and people with
chronic 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 vac
cine 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. “We
recommend a person get a
flu vaccination in October
or November,” states Harris.
“However, getting a vaccina
tion in December or even
later can still be beneficial.
Flu season can begin as early
as October and last as late
as May. Generally, anyone
who wants to reduce his or
her chances of contracting
the flu can get a vaccina
tion. However, there are cer
tain people who should get a
vaccination each year. These
are people who are at .high
risk of having serious flu
complications or people who
live with or care for those at
high risk for serious compli
cations.”
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 preg
nant during flu season
■ People 50 to 64 years
of age
■ People who can transmit
the flu to others at high risk
for complications
■ All children age 6-23
months
.„ ■ *flh v - •>• Jjljjja
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
Take action against the flu
□ Avoid close contact with people
who are sick.
□ Stay home when you are sick.
You will help prevent others from
catching your illness.
□ Wash or sanitize hands often,
especially after you have been out
in public or touched things that other
people have touched.
□ Cover your mouth and nose with
a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or
mouth.
□ Teach your children to cover their
nose and mouth with a tissue when
ever they cough or sneeze. Make
sure your children don't share drink
ing glasses or eating utensils.
□ If you suspect you have the
flu, contact your family doctor immediately or visit one of the Houston
Healthcare Med-Stop locations.
■ Healthcare workers
■ People with any con
dition that can compro
mise respiratory function
or handling of respiratory
secretions (that is, a con
dition that makes it hard
to breathe or swallow, such
as brain injury or disease,
spinal cord injuries, seizure
disorders, 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 experience
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 vaccine can include
runny nose, headache, vomit
Urgent Care*.*
when you need it.
MIND ■
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ing, muscle aches, and fever.
In adults, the nasal vac
cine may cause 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 influ
enza vaccination without
first consulting 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
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.
♦ Pavilion
Med-Stop
N. Houston Road at Houston Mall
923-2843
Qpen Daily
8 am - 7:30 pm
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2007 ♦
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Contributed
Houston Healthcare Relay for Life team captains, from
left, were: Cindy Ireland, Perry Hospital Respiratory;
Jerry West, Quality Resource Management; Marilyn
Peterson, Medical Affairs; and Thaina Brown-Brake,
Community Education and Services.
HHC recognized by ACS
Special to the Journal
Houston Healthcare’s
Relay for Life team was
one of four recognized
by the American Cancer
Society for raising more
than $50,000 over the past
five years for the Houston
County Relay for Life
event.
Including the 2007 Relay,
Jingle Jog set for Dec. 1
Special to the Journal
As part of the Christmas
at the Crossroads festivi
ties, Houston Healthcare’s
Human Motion Institute
and the Perry Exchange
Club are sponsoring the
Second Annual Jingle Jog
5K Fun Run/Walk and One
Mile Health Walk Dec.r
1 in Downtown Perry at
The New Perry Hotel.
Registration will begin at
9:30 a.m., followed by the
race at 10 a.m.
Pre-registration fee for
the event is $10; however,
the registration fee will be
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
HHC’s Relay for Life team
has raised more than
SIOO,OOO for the ACS.
Other teams recognized
included the Houston
County Board of Education,
which raised more than
$272,000; The Bank of
Perry, more than $66,000;
and Robins Federal Credit
Union, more than $61,000.
sls the day of the race.
Both the 5K and the One
Mile Health Walk follow
the same routes as the
Dogwood SK.
Trophies will be award
ed to the overall male and
female winners of the SK,
and to the top three boy
and girl finishers ages 10
and under and ages 11 to
17. Long sleeve event T
shirts are guaranteed for
those who pre-register.
Race applications are
available online at www.
hhc.org or by calling 478-
988-1827.
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
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