Flu season coming - be prepared In anticipation of the upcoming flu season, the Preble County General Health District advises parents to remind their children, especially those returning to school, how to protect themselves from influenza.
Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something - such as a surface or object - with flu viruses on it, then touching their mouth or nose. These everyday steps can protect your health:
•Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
•Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
•Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
•Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you are sick with flu-like illness, the CDC recommends that you stay home and away from work or school for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
Children should not take aspirin (salicylic acid) or any aspirin products for their symptoms, but may use medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®) or naproxen (Aleve®) to relieve symptoms. Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.
Parents should consider including tissues and an alcohol-based hand cleaner as part of their child's back-to-school supplies.
This year's flu season is shaping up to be very different from past years. Most people will need one shot for the regular seasonal flu and probably two additional shots to protect against H1N1 influenza. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has two different priority lists for who should be first to get the seasonal flu shot and who should be first to get the H1N1 vaccine.
For the regular seasonal flu vaccine, people 65 years of age and older, health care and emergency services workers, children 6 months through 18 years, pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants under 6 months of age, and people with chronic health conditions should be first to get vaccinated.
For the H1N1 flu vaccine, pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency services personnel, persons between 6 months through 24 years of age, and people ages 25 through 64 years who have chronic health disorders are prioritized to receive vaccine first.
Those 65 years and older seem to have some immunity to H1N1 influenza and current studies show the risk for infection in elderly persons is less than the risk for younger age groups. People age 65 should consider getting the H1N1 vaccine once the demand of vaccinating the priority group is met. The H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine, but is to be used alongside seasonal flu vaccine to protect people.
The Preble County General Health District will offer seasonal flu shots beginning in October and H1N1 influenza shots when vaccine becomes available. The Health District provided over 1,000 flu vaccinations during the last flu season through community outreach clinics at local schools, community businesses and the Senior Center as well as through the PCGHD Immunization Clinic.
Community outreach services are funded solely by levy dollars. The Health District will be placing a 0.3-mill renewal levy on the ballot in November for voter consideration. This renewal is not a new tax and is not an increase in taxes. Loss of levy funding will jeopardize community outreach programs and other critical services that are vital in protecting the health of Preble County residents.
For more information about seasonal flu, H1N1 influenza, and other services, contact the Health District at (937) 472-0087 or the website at pcghd.net.
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