| October
3, 2002 Little Rock
— Flu
season is fast approaching and it is time to start thinking
about getting your flu shot.
Vaccine that was ordered for Arkansas will be available
by the second or third week of November.
The health department has ordered 180,000 doses of
influenza vaccine for the 2002-2003 season.
Influenza season in Arkansas usually starts in late
December. It
takes about 1-2 weeks for a person to develop protection after
receiving the shot.
Although
the health department encourages all individuals to get their
flu shot, there are groups that are at an increased risk for
developing complications from influenza.
High-risk groups include:
- Persons
aged 65 and above;
- Residents
of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities that
house people with chronic medical conditions;
- Adults
and children who have chronic disorders of pulmonary or
cardiovascular systems, including asthma;
- Adults
and children who require regular medical follow-up or
hospitalization during the preceding year because of
chronic metabolic diseases including diabetes, renal
dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies and immunodeficiency
caused by medications or HIV/AIDS;
- Children
and teenagers (six months – eighteen years) who are
receiving long-term aspirin therapy and, therefore, may be
at risk for developing Reye Syndrome after influenza
infection;
- Women
who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy
during the flu season;
- Persons
who can transmit the flu to those at high risk (health
care workers, employees of nursing; homes and chronic care
facilities, employees of assisted living and other
residences for persons in high-risk groups and household
members (including children) of persons in high-risk
groups.
High-risk
groups should also get a pneumoccocal vaccination to protect
them against bacterial pneumonia.
Influenza
virus passes from an infected person to the nose or throat of
others.
It can cause fever, chills, headache, cough, sore
throat and muscle aches.
The flu virus is spread primarily by coughing and
sneezing.
An effective way to stop the spread of the virus is
frequent hand washing and covering the nose and mouth when
coughing or sneezing.
In addition, if you contract the flu, there are four
antiviral drugs currently on the market that will help ease
your symptoms.
Visit
the www.cdc.gov/nip
website or www.healthyarkansas.com
or call you local health unit to find out more about the
influenza vaccine and its availability.
###
|
