U.S. National Flu Report
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| Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Flu Report for October 13 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
The 2007-2008 Flu Season
 | Why is flu vaccine important? |
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| Influenza ("flu") fact sheet |
| Who should get flu vaccine? |
| Persons who should not be vaccinated with FluMist (LAIV) |
| King County weekly surveillance update |
Influenza is a very contagious illness that strikes millions of Americans each year, with pneumonia as the most common complication in high-risk groups. Influenza, unlike the common cold, has a swift onset of severe symptoms beginning with two to seven days of fever, headache, muscle aches, extreme fatigue, runny nose and sore throat, and a cough that is often severe and may last seven days or more. Information about influenza disease in
Public Health - Seattle and King County has begun receiving shipments of influenza vaccine and will continue to receive shipments through the end of December. This year, flu vaccine manufacturers plan to have over 130 million doses of influenza vaccine available for distribution in the United States.
Public Health – Seattle & King County clinics will accept appointments for flu vaccination beginning October 8, 2007. October and November are the optimal months for people to receive influenza vaccine, however vaccination efforts will continue through December and into January, as long as vaccine supplies are available. People should get flu vaccine even after influenza activity has started in the community. For the 2007–08 influenza season, vaccine supplies are projected to be plentiful in the United States; therefore, influenza vaccination can proceed for all persons, whether healthy or at high risk, either individually or through mass campaigns, as soon as vaccine is available.
People should get flu vaccine even after influenza activity has started in the community. This year, the CDC has not recommended prioritization of flu shots for individuals at high risk for complications from the flu, so all persons who would like to be protected from the flu will be able to request flu vaccine.
» Public Health Immunization Clinic locations
Following is a list of providers who will be giving flu shots this season. For specific locations, dates and times for flu shots available near you, contact these providers directly.
 | Visiting Nurse Services | 800-449-2221 or 425-744-2404 or www.vnsnw.com |
| GetAFluShot.com | 877-358-7468 or 877-FLU SHOT |
| Prevention MD | 425-739-0700 ext. 204 or 202 |
| Maxim Healthcare Services | 877-962-9358 |
| Fred Meyer Pharmacies | www.fredmeyer.com |
| QFC Pharmacies | Consult local newspaper |
| Safeway Pharmacies | www.safeway.com/flushots -- click on "pharmacy" or call your local store |
| Snohomish Health District | South County Lynnwood 425-775-3522 or |
| Swedish Hospital | 1-800-swedish or 1-800-793-3474 |
| Walgreen Pharmacies |
Two flu vaccines are available this year:
| 1. | The traditional injectable flu vaccine which contains inactivated (killed) virus, is licensed for anyone age six months and older. Some patients experience soreness at the injection site lasting less than two days, but serious side effects from this vaccine are extremely rare. This vaccine may come in a multiple-dose vial or in single-dose prefilled syringes. Prefilled syringes for children three years and younger are thimerosal-free. |
| 2. | A live attenuated (weakened) virus vaccine (LAIV or “FluMist”) that is sprayed into the nose (intranasal) is licensed for healthy people aged 2 through 49 years. A small amount of vaccine is sprayed into each nostril, instead of getting an injection. Intranasal vaccine will be available at Public Health clinics and some clinics outside Public Health will also have the intranasal vaccine available. LAIV is a good option for flu protection for people aged 2 through 49 years who are healthy and not, pregnant, including health care workers and household contacts or caregivers of people in high-risk groups. LAIV may also be considered for persons providing essential community services and persons living in dormitories or under other crowded conditions to prevent outbreaks |
Both the injectable and intranasal flu vaccine formulations include protection against A/Solomon Island/3/2006 (H1N1)-like, A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like and B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like antigens.
Costs
The fee for flu vaccine at Public Health -
The federal and state funded Vaccines for Children program subsidizes the cost of children’s vaccine at most health care clinics. This program now includes funding for flu vaccine for all children ages 6 months through 18 years of age. Families may want to check with their clinic or physician about this program.
- CDC reemphasizes the importance of administering 2 doses of vaccine to all children aged 6 months--8 years if they have not been vaccinated previously at any time with either the intranasal spray or injectable vaccine. Doses should be separated by at least 4 weeks.
- CDC recommends that children aged 6 months--8 years who received only 1 dose in their first year of vaccination receive 2 doses the next flu season in which they receive flu vaccine.
People who should receive flu vaccine include those at risk of complications if they get influenza disease, and adults and children who live, work, or may come in contact with people at high risk. These groups specifically include:
- All children 6-59 months of age
- All persons 50 years of age and older
- Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season
- Adults and children with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, (except hypertension) lung disease (including asthma), kidney disease, liver disease or diabetes
- Children and adolescents (aged 6 months--18 years) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy, to prevent the risk of Reyes’ syndrome;
- Adults and children with weakened immune systems due to HIV/AIDS or other diseases affecting the immune system, long term treatment with drugs such as steroids or cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs
- Adults and children who have any condition (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders or neurological disorders that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or increase risk of aspiration
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities that house persons of any age who have chronic medical conditions
In addition, to prevent transmission to persons identified above, flu vaccine is also recommended for:
- Healthy household contacts (including children) and caregivers of children aged 0--59 months and persons at high risk for severe complications from influenza
- Health care workers
- Adults 50 years and older or children less than 24 months of age (children younger than 6 months cannot get either LAIV or the injectable flu vaccine)
- Persons with long term health problems (i.e. heart, lung, kidney, metabolic diseases such as diabetes, anemia and blood disorders)
- Persons with known or suspected immunodeficiency diseases or who are receiving immunosuppressive therapies
- Children or adolescents receiving aspirin or other salicylates (because of the association of Reye syndrome with wild-type influenza infection)
- Persons with history of Guillian-Barré Syndrome
- Pregnant women
- Persons with a history of hypersensitivity, including anaphylaxis) to any of the components of LAIV or to eggs
- Persons with asthma or active wheezing. Children less than 5 years of age with recurrent wheezing.
For more information about FluMist, go to www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/nasalspray.htm
Although vaccination is the best method for preventing and reducing the impact of influenza, antiviral medications are a valuable adjunct. For patients who consult a healthcare provider within 48 hours of illness onset, antiviral medications can reduce the duration of illness and might reduce the likelihood of complications. It also can be used to prevent influenza in persons who have not received vaccine and to control outbreaks in institutions or group residential settings such as nursing homes.
Important Reminder:
Persons at high risk for influenza-related complications may also need immunization against pneumococcal pneumonia. This vaccine is given only once in a lifetime for most people, with a one-time revaccination recommended for people with certain medical conditions. For information about the pneumococcal vaccine, go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-ppv.pdf.
This is also a good time to check your immunization record for the date of your last tetanus-diphtheria (or Td) booster. Tdap, a vaccine that provides protection against pertussis (whooping cough) in addition to providing protection against tetanus and diphtheria, was licensed in September, 2005. Tdap is available for anyone 11-64 years old who has not had a Td booster in at least 2 years. This can be given during the same visit in which you receive flu vaccine. For information about the Tdap vaccine, go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-tdap.pdf
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Flu chart week of October 6 2007
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| Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
Monday, October 15, 2007
Disney Short about catching cold
I went to work for half a day and I'm back in bed, fever back up. Here's a cute Disney short for you while i am under the weather myself.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8096625160306016239&q=catching+cold&total=723&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=7
Sunday, October 14, 2007
No post
Getting better but still under the weather, going to force myself to work tomorrow regardless how i feel.
Friday, October 12, 2007
When to Stay Home from Work
Too Sick To Work?
Here's A Guide To Common Ailments And Whether You Should Stay Home
Oct. 6, 2004
(WebMD) The alarm's buzzing ... but something's not right. You're sniffly, sneezy ... queasy. You have a common cold. Or is it something worse? Should you drag yourself to work? Or spend the day in front of the tube?
"Presenteeism" — going to work when you're sick — is as contagious as the flu. Millions of Americans are doing it. By one estimate, upwards of 75 percent head to work with the common cold or other problems.
Sure, sick employees keep the computer warm. But research shows that people sick with the common cold are not very productive. In fact, their lost productivity accounts for up to 60 percent of employer health costs — more than if they'd taken a sick day.
So you wake up with a common cold or some other ailment that's getting you down. What should you do?
To help you decide, Sharon Horesh, MD, instructor of clinical medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, gives her advice.
Just keep this in mind: "There's no antibiotic that can get rid of the common cold or flu or stomach virus," Horesh tells WebMD. "That's my pet peeve ... antibiotics only work with a bacterial infection ... bacterial bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, earache, pink eye."
Also, be careful about which medications you take for the common cold, says Nathan Segall, MD, a private practice allergy specialist in Atlanta.
The overwhelming majority reach for over-the-counter antihistamines, he says. But beware: Even if it's a so-called "non-sedating antihistamine" it could cause sleepiness and mental fogging, says Segall. "Some individuals will be more likely to have these side effects than others will."
That turns into a double-whammy: The common cold itself will affect your ability to concentrate because of clogged nasal passages and headache. Add a bit of drowsiness (whether it's from the pills or from difficulty sleeping). Pretty soon, you're making mistakes at the keyboard, barking at co-workers, generally feeling miserable. Even if it's just the common cold, maybe you should have called in sick.
To keep it from happening again, here's a checklist of symptoms that help you determine if you have a common cold or something else:
Sniffling
- If you are sniffling — but not achy, not feverish — it's probably allergies. Get to work!
- Sniffling, achy, tired, fever? You're coming down with the common cold or the flu. You are contagious in those first days. You are miserable, face it. You're not going to get much done at work. Also, you will recover quicker from the common cold or flu if you get some rest, says Horesh.
- If your clothes are getting drenched, you likely have a fever. (A warm forehead is a very low-grade fever or nothing at all.) When you have a fever, stay home — you're contagious! It's likely flu or, yes, the common cold. Drink fluids. Stay away from work until you feel better, Horesh advises.
- If you have a fever plus white patches on your tonsils (say "ah"), it may be strep throat. It's highly contagious. You may need an antibiotic. See a doctor!
- If it's a tickle in the throat or it feels like postnasal drip, the cough is probably from allergies or the common cold. Unless you've got other common cold symptoms, such as aches or fever, get to work!
- If the cough feels deep, makes you short of breath, and brings up green mucus, it's likely more than the common cold — perhaps bronchitis or pneumonia, according to Horesh. See a doctor!
- If your ear really hurts, if you can't hear well, you may have an ear infection. That's not contagious. Congestion from a common cold can also leave your ear in pain. You need to see a doctor to see which it is. You may need an antibiotic. Ear infections usually don't go away on their own, she says.
- If your eyes are bright red, if there's creamy white stuff in the corners, if your eyelashes are getting matted, that's likely pinkeye, which is highly contagious. Don't go to work. See a doctor for an antibiotic. It's another infection that needs antibiotic help, Horesh tells WebMD.
- Pain around the eyes, top of the forehead, the cheekbones, even the top of your teeth are signs of a sinus infection, but it could be a common cold. Call in sick and see a doctor to see if you need an antibiotic. Next day, you'll likely be able to get yourself to work since sinus infections aren't typically contagious, Horesh advises.
- A stomach virus — nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, aches, low-grade fever — can lay you low for several days. For 24-48 hours, you'll be absolutely miserable. It can take up to five days to recover. Drink lots of fluids, especially water, so you don't get dehydrated, says Horesh.
- For the first day or two, fluids and soup should be your diet. Then it's soft solids like mashed potatoes, applesauce, Jell-O, toast, and bananas. Slowly get into solid foods like meat. If you eat solid food too early, it just upsets your stomach more.
- With food poisoning, vomiting and diarrhea usually occur six to 12 hours after you eat. The time frame is helpful for distinguishing it from a stomach virus. With food poisoning, once you vomit, you feel better.
- Rule of Thumb: If you can hold down food, you can go into work.
- Go to work if you sit at a computer all day. But if you're on your feet, you will have more swelling, so wait until you can walk with little discomfort. An Ace bandage will give support to an ankle so you won't re-injure it, Horesh advises. Anti-inflammatory pain relievers help most people, even if they're not in a lot of pain, because they reduce swelling; take it with food so your stomach isn't irritated.
- An ice pack is a good way to reduce swelling without risking stomach problems.
- Though headaches can be caused by things like the common cold, if you can't tolerate noise or light, you likely have a migraine and shouldn't be at work, says Horesh. If you haven't seen a doctor for your migraines, make an appointment. There's no point in suffering with them. There are drugs you can take for migraines that start working within the hour and shorten the migraine's duration.
- This shouldn't keep you at home (unless your eyes are swollen shut). If the rash is still oozing, it's still very contagious. Wear clothes that cover it. Wash your hands frequently. If the rash is on your hands, avoid handshakes, she says.
- If you share any office equipment — keyboard, phone — make sure it's washed after you use it. Of course, that advice holds for any infectious illness, whether it's poison ivy or the common cold, Horesh tells WebMD.
SOURCES: Sharon Horesh, MD, instructor of clinical medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta. Nathan Segall, MD, allergy specialist, Atlanta.
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD
© 2004, WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
No post - I'm very sick
Unfortunately, this cold is a monster. Once again I am home from work after going in yesterday. Sorry no post today.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Caribbean Cruises
My favorite cure for a cold? A Caribbean cruise! Sorry for the shameless ad today. I feel miserable. However, it's actually two very good deals.
Cruise Freek Forums is sponsoring our first Holiday Cruise in 2008. After an open poll the Grand Princess departing on December 19, 2008 was decided upon and for full details about the cruise please visit the new website created just for this event:
http://grandprincessdecember192008.makeswebsites.com/
This site features pricing, ship photos, and just about everything you need to know about booking this special cruise offer. Our own Host Bob of Worldview Travel has been assigned the group and questions and bookings can be made through Host Bob at 800-869-0674, Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm Pacific Time or you can drop Host Bob an email at bobd@worldviewtravel.com
The second annoucement is from our own Host Susan who would like to inform Cruise Freek members that her agency, Ships N Trips Travel, will be having a Princess Cruise Line sale from October 21 through October 27. This sale features reduced deposits of just $100 per person and each booking during this time will receive a coupon book in their stateroom. While this offer is NOT available for the Holiday sailing mentioned above, you might want to take advantage of it for the group sailing on Ruby Princess which will be taking place Valentin'es week in 2009. For more information on the Valentine's Day cruise in 2009 please visit:
http://cruisefreekforums.forumfreek.com/Valentine-s-Day-President-Week-2009-Aboard-Ruby-Princess-h8.html
Host Susan of Ships N Trips Travel has been assigned the group and questions and bookings can be made through Host Susan at 888-221-1209, Mond ay - Friday 9am to 5pm Eastern Time or you can drop Host Susan an email at susan@shipsntripstravel.com
Questions and bookings should be made directly with the travel agents mentioned above.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
10 tips to help colds from Spreading
Going against the rules of colds and spreading them, I drug myself to work today. Why? I have no idea.
Ten Tips to Stop Colds From Spreading
1. Wash Hands. Washing hands literally rinses germs away. Use plenty of soap and warm, running water. It is important to rinse the hands under warm running water for 30 seconds. Teach children to say their ABC's or count to 30 while washing so they can keep their hands under the water long enough.
2. Don't share cups. Using paper cups can be helpful to avoid spreading germs. Its a great idea to have a dispense of small cups in the kitchen or bathroom to encourage children to make it a habit. Have small waste baskets handy so the paper cups can be disposed of immediately. Leaving paper cups on tables, counters or elsewhere can spread the virus germ.
3. Use paper tissue.It is best to blow the nose on paper tissue and throw it away. It is important to keep the nose gently blown to rid the body of mucous. Throwing the tissue away immediately is also important because it is a source of cold virus that can to be spread to others by leaving it on a counter, desk, couch, chair, etc.. Have small waste baskets around in places handy to use to encourage proper disposal.
4. Don't touch eyes, nose or mouth. If exposed to someone with a cold, don't th ouch your eyes, nose or mouth, which is where germs can be passed. Try to help children understand how germs can be spread in this way. Encourage children to wash their hands frequently, as germs are often spread from our hands to our mouth, after touching a surface with virus germs.
5. Use disposable towels. Paper or other disposable towels instead of cloth towels in the kitchen and other areas. Both bacteria and viruses can live on cloth towels for hours. Have waste containers handy to dispose of the paper towels immediately so that any viruses on the towels end up in the waste basket instead of on the counter.
6. Keep toys clean. Toys often carry germs. Wash children's toys regularly in warm, soapy water to kill bacteria and viruses.
7. Sneeze away. Of course, sneeze away from others and into a tissue that can be thrown away. If you don't have a tissue handy, sneeze into your arm. If you have to cover you mouth with your hands, be sure to wash your hands immediately afterward. Model these behaviors for children. It's not a good idea to hold in a sneeze, so let it out, but try to sneeze in a way that doesn't spread germs to others.
8. Ventilate. Open windows when the weather permits because germs may remain stagnant in the air. Use a humidifier to keep the air moist to avoid nose irritation.
9. Wipe up Germs. Germs my rest on surfaces for up to three hours. Surfaces that are touched frequently, such as door knobs, handrails, light switches, telephones, remote controls, and counter tops should be wiped frequently with disinfectant wipes.
10. Don't smoke or allow smoking. Smoking can irritate the nose and lungs, drastically increasing children's susceptibility to colds. If the child already has a cold, smoke can really irritate the lungs and nasal passages and cause a cold to become something more serious. A smoke free environment is best for health.
Even if the Common Cold is all top common,we all can practice simple prevention techniques to help avoid the spread of the virus. Many of the tips are common sense, but may take some practice. Children, especially may have trouble understanding how colds are spread and lack understanding of these common sense techniques. Try to find ways to make prevention fun and hopefully these good health tips will become habits.
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