The Lucknow Sentinel, 2016-05-04, Page 7Wednesday, May 4, 2016 • Lucknow Sentinel 7
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Fred Penner
visits region
Laura Broadley/Goderich Signal Star
Fred Penner, the children's
musician, came to the
Memorial Arena last
Sunday for the Everyone
is Welcome! Children's
Celebration, presented by
the Welcome Project Syria.
Penner is best known for
his show, Fred Penner's
Place, which aired on CBC
from 1985 to 1997. The
Clinton -based band, The
Honey Sweethearts, opened
for Penner with two songs
to a large crowd of children
and adults. Children also
spent time creating a pages
for a special welcome book
to be given to the new
families in Goderich.
Tetanus should be on radar as gardening season approaches
Dr. Jan Owen
Huron County Acting Medical
Officer of Health
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
system 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
your vaccinations are
updated. Immunizations pro-
tect you and the vulnerable
ones around you!
Vaccinations also protect
you from diseases that may be
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
nwmo
NUCLEAR WASTE
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIZATION
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
SOCIETE DE GESTION
DES DECHETS
NUCLEAIRES
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
NWMO Learn More Centre
The Township of Huron -Kinloss is one of nine communities
involved in a process of learning about Adaptive Phased
Management (APM), Canada's plan for the safe, long-term
management of used nuclear fuel. The Nuclear Waste
Management Organization is working collaboratively with the
community to advance preliminary assessment studies.
Learn about APM, meet NWMO staff, ask questions and offer
your thoughts. Drop in to the NWMO community office and
Learn More Centre in Ripley.
Everyone is welcome.
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!
NWMO Learn More Centre (Huron -Kinloss)
80 Huron Street, Ripley ON
519.386.6711
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.