HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2016-04-13, Page 15Public
H
ealth
Spring - a great time to
update your vaccinations
Dr. Jan Owen
Acting Medical Officer of
Health, Huron County
Spring is here and you may
be thinking about your gar-
den, not immunizations. But
when you're ready to get your
hands dirty outdoors, there's
no better time to think about
updating your vaccinations.
Tetanus, commonly known
as lockjaw, is a serious, some-
times fatal disease of the nerv-
ous system caused by a toxin
released by bacteria. The bac-
teria and spores that lead to
tetanus can be found in soil
and anywhere in our environ-
ment. Last year an unvacci-
nated child in Grey -Bruce was
hospitalized after contracting
tetanus.
You may have had a "teta-
nus shot" before, but it is
important to get a booster
every 10 years to maintain life-
long immunity.
Fortunately, adults can
receive a free dose of vaccine
that includes protection
against tetanus, diphtheria
and pertussis (whooping
cough).
You may remember the
high number of pertussis
cases in Huron County last
summer. Pertussis is a serious
infection of the breathing sys-
tem, caused by a bacteria. It is
very contagious and can
occur in people of all ages.
The disease is also the most
contagious during the first
two weeks, when symptoms
are much the same as a com-
mon cold.
The disease is most serious
in young children, especially
those under one year of age.
In this age group pertussis
may lead to pneumonia, sei-
zures, brain damage and
occasionally death. That's why
I strongly encourage all adults,
especially if you are going to
be in close contact with new-
borns or babies, to make sure
Unemployment rate edges up
CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 13
The Goods -producing sector
saw an employment loss of 600,
with employment losses in all
industries except for Utilities
which saw a gain of 400. This
gain was offset with losses in
Construction (-500) and Manu-
facturing (-500).
"All this points to some stabil-
ity in our local economy," said
Gemma Mendez -Smith, Exec-
utive Director of the Four
County Labour Market Plan-
ning Board. "A recent CBC
news report mentioned ... 'the
economy is moving along tick
ety-boo:.. and it appears the
same for us:'
A recent announcement by
the Ministry of Tourism, Cul-
ture and Sport to invest $3.3
million in the reconstruction of
Huron County's Blyth Memo-
rial Community Hall is part of
the provincial government's
economic plan to build Ontario
up and deliver on its number -
one priority to grow the econ-
omy and create jobs.
"With this investment we will
see a growth in local jobs,"
added Mendez -Smith.
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Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • News Record 15
afters April 2016
your vaccinations are
updated. Immunizations pro-
tect you and the vulnerable
ones around you!
Vaccinations also protect
you from diseases that maybe
very serious when you also
have an underlying medical
condition. If you have an
underlying medical condi-
tion, or are over the age of 65,
you may benefit from receiv-
ing the pneumococcal vac-
cine as well.
Lastly, let's talk about shin-
gles. Shingles is a painful dis-
ease, appearing as an often
debilitating and blistering
rash. It occurs when the vari-
cella-zoster virus (VZV), the
same virus that caused your
childhood chickenpox, is
reactivated for some reason
within your body.
You may be seeing a lot of
commercials on TV about the
shingles vaccine. Right now
shingles is not publicly
funded, although the province
recently announced that the
shingles vaccine will become
free for eligible Ontario sen-
iors between the ages of 65
and 70. There are no firm
timelines yet for when that
will happen. But if you are
over 50, and if you have the
means to cover the cost of the
vaccine, you should consider
getting it.
So while you enjoy the
spring, think about a spring
visit to your healthcare pro-
vider to ask about updating
your vaccinations. Your
health, your loved ones and
your garden will thank you for
it!
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