HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-11-04, Page 13Photo submitted
Three-year-old A. J. Denomme of Goderich made history as the first Huron County
resident to receive the pandemic H 1 N 1 flu shot. His five-year-old sister, Amelia,
watched as Public Health Nurse Donna Parsons gave the vaccination. Their mother,
Tanya, says Amelia will get her shot when the vaccine is available for the general pub-
lic in mid-November. Clinics for both seasonal and H 1 N 1 flu shots are listed on the
Huron County Health Unit's website at www.huroncounty.ca/health
Get emergency mica treatment H you have:
- Severe chest pain
- Severe headache
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Persistent vomiting
in children:
- Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing
Bluish or grey skin color
- Are not waking up
- Lethargy and failure to interact normally
Extreme irritability or distress
- Symptoms that were improving suddenly worsen
- Fever with a rash
(swine) flu is NOT caused by eating pork or pork products,
No variety of flu Is a foodborne,disease.
rilliir•Of/•N*ieiM
r0>•rrOS0
114.14.00,
Who should Gat the H1 N1 vaccine?
People who have had a previous anaphyfactk (severe
allergic reaction) to any element of the vaccine.
People with a hypersensitivity to eggs ( e.g. hives, swelling
of mouth and/or throat, breathing difficulty).
People experiencing a high fever,
People who have previously experienced Guinan -Barre
Syndrome within eight weeks of receiving a seasonal flu
vaccine,
NOT
How bad Is the new H 1 N 1 flu?
The severity of cases in the current outbreak has varied widely,
from mild cases to fatalities, The vast majority of cases have
been mild,
Many of the complicated cases have appeared in young people
aged 5 to 24. Pregnant women have also been particularly
vulnerable to severe flu.
Studies of the virus show that it is more infectious to lung cells
than regular seasonal flu viruses. But the new H1 N 1 flu virus is
less well adapted to humans and may be harder to inhale deep
Into the lungs,
Flu viruses change all the time -- and are notoriously hard to
predict, The way this flu virus evolved suggests that it is liable to
swap gene segments with other flu viruses, To date, the 2009
H 1 N 1 flu virus has not evolved much since the initial outbreak,
which is good news for the vaccine, which is based on H 1 N 1
strains isolated early in the pandemic, Scientist are watching
closely to see whether the virus continues to evolve,
-.4- 44 k '-44, ?' Si4. d A
Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, November 4, 2009 - Page 13
When to call the doctor
if you only have mild flu symptoms, you do not need medical attention
unless your illness worsens. But if you are in one of the high-risk groups,
contact your doctor at the first sign of flu-like illness. In such cases, the
healthcare professionals recommend that people call or e-mail their doc-
tor before rushing to an emergency room.
If you already have flu or cold symptoms, call your doctor if you develop
any of the following severe symptoms:
Persistent fever: May be a sign of another bacterial infection that should
be treated.
Painful swallowing: Severe pain could mean strep throat, which reqs iires
treatment by a doctor.
Persistent coughing: If a cough persists with the presence of phlegm,
see a healthcare professional.
Persistent congestion and headaches: Colds and allergies can lead to
sinus infection. 1f you have pain around the eyes and face with thick
nasal discharge after a week, you may have a bacterial infection and
need an antibiotic.
How to get more information
You can call Ontario's Telehealth to get free access to
a Registered Nurse 24 Hours a day, 7 days a Week at
1.U4.7117-0000. The Telehealth hotline is experiencing
a higher volume of calls this season, so wait times are not
unusual.
Call your family physician.
Visit the Emergency Room only if symptoms are worsening,
or prolpnged.
How is the new H 1 N1 treated?
2009 H 1 N 1 flu virus is sensitive to the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and
Relenza. These antiviral drugs are most effective when taken within 48
hours of the onset of flu symptoms.
Most people who come down with the new H 1 N 1 flu recover fully without
antiviral treatment.
Antiviral treatment is recommended, though, for people in high-risk
groups who could suffer from flu complications,
Keep in mind that your doctor will not be able to determine whether you
have the new H 1 N 1 flu, but may take a sample and send it to a lab for
testing. Because of the testing time, though, you could be fully recovered
by the time the results come back, If your doctor suspects it to be the
new H 1 N 1 flu, they may also write you a prescription for Tamifiu or
Relenza just to be safe.
Flu vaccine
If you have had a flu vaccine this season, ft does not mean you are pro-
tected against the new H 1 N 1 flu virus, You need to get both a seasonal
flu shot as well as a 2009 H 1 N 1 flu shot,
The vaccine is available in Goderich at clinics this month.
It generally takes three weeks for the vaccine to give a person full im-
munity,
While there will be enough of the vaccine for all who need and want
protection, not everyone can be immunized at the same time. Those that
need it most will get it first,