The Woodward News

Local News

September 13, 2012

Health Department planning for flu season

Gary Engel Woodward News

Woodward, Okla. — Flu season will begin in earnest soon, and the Woodward County Health Department (WCHD) is planning immunization clinics.

"The clinics will be set around the first of October," said Terri Salisbury, R.N., administrative director. "The dates will revolve around when we are notified the vaccine is being shipped."

She said she's not heard of any possible supply problems with the vaccine so far this year.

Salisbury said everyone over 6 months old should get the medicine. At special risk for complications from the illness are the very young and very old, and those with a chronic health condition.

She said the very young's immune systems aren't fully developed, while in the very old, the immune system is weakened.

Those with a chronic conditions should not receive their vaccine through the nasal spray, according to Salisbury and www.flu.gov. They should get the standard injection.

The federal Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) said over the last 31 years, deaths from the flu in the U.S. have ranged from 3,000 to 49.000 in a given year.

The CDC said, in its latest information collected May 19, it was observing no flu in Oklahoma, Kansas or Arkansas, and what it termed sporadic outbreaks in Texas, Colorado and New Mexico.

Salisbury said the best way to stop the spread of flu, or a cold, is frequent, thorough hand washing with warm water.

She said the main variance between a cold and the flu is the presence of a fever with flu.

"There's also a headache, general aches and pains, fatigue and exhaustion common to the flu," Salisbury said. "Sneezing and a stuffy nose accompany a cold."

Many over-the-counter products are available to fight flu and colds, but if the conditions persist more than a couple of days, it's probably time to see a physician for prescription treatment, she said.

Salisbury said that in 2011, the flu caused minor problems locally.

"The outbreak counts vary a lot by location," she said. "There were a few cases here last year, but many were handled without the necessity of seeing a doctor."

She said those getting a flu shot may have helped keep the number of local cases down.

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