Simple steps can help prevent flu

Texas City Sun - 10/20/04
by Rachel Hunter

Supplies of the influenza vaccine are once again running extremely low in the county and people at high risk for contracting the illness, such as children and the elderly, are encouraged to get immunized while the vaccine is available, according to the Galveston County Health District.

People who are not classified high-risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not qualify for the vaccine at this time, but can help prevent the spread of the flu by following a few simple recommendations.

“The first thing I’d suggest is if a person is sick, they should stay home from work or school, to prevent spreading it to other people,” said Dr. Dana Beckham, chief epidemiologist for the Health District. “They should avoid close contact and do the normal things you teach to children — cover your mouth when you cough and cover your nose when you sneeze.”

According to Beckham, the most important thing steps a person can take to help stop the spread of the flu are to regularly wash hands and to avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth throughout the day.

“People should wash their hands often for 15 to 20 minutes with soap and water,” she said. “If that is not available, they should use (a hand sanitizing gel). Flu season is coming on ... really the most important thing is to continually wash your hands.”

Common symptoms of the flu are fever, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, dry cough, sore throat, and headache or extreme tiredness. Flu symptoms more commonly found in children include ear infections, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

“Anyone who is sick should consult a medical professional, whether that means going to a clinic, or calling the nurse line at the 4C's Clinic,” said Beckham.

People who are classified as high-risk by the CDC and should be vaccinated include:

• Children ages 6 to 23 months,
• adults 65 and older,
• anyone 2 to 64 years old with chronic medical conditions,
• all women who will be pregnant during flu season,
• residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities,
• health care workers involved in direct patient care and out-of-home caregivers and
• household contacts of children younger than 6 months.

The health district recently relocated its smaller immunization clinics in Texas City and Dickinson to its larger building located at 1207 Oak Street in La Marque. People who are eligible for the flu vaccine can receive it between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the La Marque location, or at the county’s health clinic in Galveston.

For the latest information available by the Health District, go to www.gchd.org. The 4C's nurse line can be reached at (409) 938-2355.

For More Information Contact:
Kurt Koopmann
Public Information Officer
Galveston County Health District
(409) 938-2211
kkoopman@gchd.org