Twitter
Facebook
HEIDELBERG, Germany — Though the number of confirmed cases of influenza has been below average this season, health officials urge those eligible to get vaccinated.
“Historically, the peak of the flu season comes in January and February,” said Col. Carl Heinz Stokes, force health protection officer for the U.S. Army Europe Regional Medical Command. He urged early vaccination, because it does not become effective until one to two weeks after it is administered.
Vaccinations are still available for those who need it. Currently, more than 95 percent of Soldiers have been vaccinated, Colonel Stokes said.
The focus now is on families, school-age children and high risk beneficiaries.
“Children in school are at the highest risk of contracting influenza and should receive the vaccine,” Colonel Stokes said. “The vaccine is also mandatory for students attending Department of Defense schools.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu vaccine is updated every year to combat the flu viruses that research indicates are most likely to cause illness during the upcoming season. The 2010-2011 flu vaccine is being made in the same way as seasonal vaccines have been made for decades. It will protect against the 2009 H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season and two other influenza viruses (an H3N2 virus and an influenza B virus).
High risk categories now include the following:
• All children 6 to 23 months.
• Adults 50 years and older.
• All women who are pregnant during the influenza season.
• Anyone 2 to 49 years old with underlying chronic medical conditions, including pulmonary illnesses, such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis or asthma; cardiovascular illnesses, such as congestive heart failure; chronic metabolic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus; renal dysfunction; sickle cell disease; or immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV).
• Children 6 months to 18 years on chronic aspirin therapy, for rare conditions such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or coronary artery abnormalities caused by Kawasaki’s disease.
• Health care workers involved in direct patient care.
• Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months or any other high risk person.
Col. Evelyn Barraza, ERMC preventive medicine consultant, said everyone can prevent spreading of the influenza-like illness by following these simple steps:
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• If possible, stay home from work and school and don’t run errands when you are sick. Your employer may need a doctor’s note for an excused absence. When you are sick or have flu symptoms, stay home, get plenty of rest, and check with a health care provider as needed. Common symptoms of the flu include: fever (usually high), headache, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (much more common among children than adults).
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.
• Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash your hands for 15 to 20 seconds with soap and warm water, rubbing your hands vigorously together to scrub all surfaces. It is the soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs. When soap and water are not available,
alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. If using a gel, rub the gel in your hands until they are dry. The gel doesn’t need water
to work; the alcohol in the gel kills germs that cause colds and the flu.
• Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is
contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.
At schools, educators, staff and parents can help slow the spread of colds and flu. Always remind students to:
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue and throw it away.
• Cover up with a sleeve if you don’t have a tissue.
• Clean hands often.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Engage in physical activity.
• Manage stress.
• Drink plenty of water, eat healthy foods, limit alcohol consumption and don’t smoke.
(Courtesy of ERMC Public Affairs)
