Flu Season Near
By 250 News
Wednesday, October 19, 2005 04:00 AM
Northern Health Medical Officer, Dr. Lorna Medd, says more people will die of the flu because they failed to get flu shots than will from a pandemic.
Pandemic, the latest buzz word in world health. A Pandemicsays Dr. Medd, is when the flu (in this case the bird flu) passes from animals, usually birds, to humans.
Medd says there have been a few isolated cases, where people having very close contact such as through blood have contracted such a flu. This flu then goes world wide and becomes a "Pandemic".
Epidemic on the other hand is used to refer to a flu outbreak in a region or single country.
Flu shots will be available starting November 1st says Dr. Medd and you should get yours particularly if you are a senior. There will be lots of vaccine she says for the up coming season and the dates will be posted. You can visit the Northern Health web site for a list of scheduled clinics in your community at www.northernhealth.ca
Flu vaccine is free for the following:
· People 65 years of age and older,
· Residents of long-term care facilities
· People with chronic diseases
· Children aged six months to 23 months
· Household and regular child care contacts of children aged 0 to 23 months
· Household contacts of people at high risk for influenza
· Adults and children with any condition that can compromise respiratory function
· People working directly with live poultry and/or swine
· Pregnant women in their third trimester or those at higher risk for influenza
· Health care workers
· First responders such as police officers, fire-fighters, and ambulance crews
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