You feel like you have been hit by a truck. Your head pounds. Your back aches. You have the flu.
The Citizen file photo
Director of Community Health Services Joan Knight, right, and Supervising Public Health Nurse Brenda Kelly, draw up vaccines during a flu shot clinic for all first responders, county and city employees at Sacred Heart Church in Owasco in 2006.
Director of Community Health Services Joan Knight, right, and Supervising Public Health Nurse Brenda Kelly, draw up vaccines during a flu shot clinic for all first responders, county and city employees at Sacred Heart Church in Owasco in 2006.
The disease may get most of its attention just as things start getting cold, but we are in the midst of flu seasons. And for those who do not want to end up dealing with the exhausting and sometimes life-threatening condition, local health officials say that there is still time to get a vaccine.
Influenza is a common but serious virus that causes symptoms like cough, fever, chills, sore throat and body aches. While there are a number of ways to prevent contracting an infection, one of the most effective is the flu vaccine, according to Brenda Kelly, of the Cayuga County Health Department.
“We always want people to get their (flu) vaccines,” she said. “But nothing takes the place of good hand-washing and proper hygiene.”
Kelly said that the county health department is out of its supply of the vaccine, but that is not an indicator of a shortage. The county did not need as much of the vaccine when flu season started because more people were getting it from flu clinics, pharmacies and private physicians, which is the ideal situation, she said.
If people still want to be vaccinated, it is recommended that they see their own physicians.
“The county isn't being relied on as heavily, which is how we want it to go. That encourages people to follow up with their physicians,” Kelly said.
And getting vaccinated not only helps to keep yourself healthy during flu season, it helps keep everyone else healthy. Dr. Hagop Isnar, assistant director of the emergency room, said there is a term known as “herd immunity.” If more people in a population are immunized, there is less of a chance of that condition spreading because there are fewer hosts to spread it, he said.
“That is one of the beauties of the vaccine,” Isnar said.
Isnar said he has noticed that flu season has come a little later this year than in the past, though he does not see it as a huge epidemic. Hopefully, that is because people are getting vaccinated, which he said is the most important thing you can do to prevent the flu.
It is not too late, and people can get seasonal flu all the way through March, he said. And don't believe the misconception that the vaccine actually makes you sick.
“You can't get sick from the shot itself,” said Isnar, who added that the vaccine takes two weeks to become effective. “What is generally happening (if you get sick after the shot) is you are just getting sick. It is a coincidence.”
Finally, Isnar said, the vaccine is not just for children and the elderly. The people who think they had the flu last year, were able to stay home for a day and come back to work or school good as new probably didn't have influenza. They probably had a common cold.
“I think people should realize that the true flu, the best way to describe it is ‘I got hit by a truck all the sudden,'” Isnar said. “Generally speaking, any viral infection should last more than two days. It usually lasts a week or two.”
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
Influenza is a common but serious virus that causes symptoms like cough, fever, chills, sore throat and body aches. While there are a number of ways to prevent contracting an infection, one of the most effective is the flu vaccine, according to Brenda Kelly, of the Cayuga County Health Department.
“We always want people to get their (flu) vaccines,” she said. “But nothing takes the place of good hand-washing and proper hygiene.”
Kelly said that the county health department is out of its supply of the vaccine, but that is not an indicator of a shortage. The county did not need as much of the vaccine when flu season started because more people were getting it from flu clinics, pharmacies and private physicians, which is the ideal situation, she said.
If people still want to be vaccinated, it is recommended that they see their own physicians.
“The county isn't being relied on as heavily, which is how we want it to go. That encourages people to follow up with their physicians,” Kelly said.
And getting vaccinated not only helps to keep yourself healthy during flu season, it helps keep everyone else healthy. Dr. Hagop Isnar, assistant director of the emergency room, said there is a term known as “herd immunity.” If more people in a population are immunized, there is less of a chance of that condition spreading because there are fewer hosts to spread it, he said.
“That is one of the beauties of the vaccine,” Isnar said.
Isnar said he has noticed that flu season has come a little later this year than in the past, though he does not see it as a huge epidemic. Hopefully, that is because people are getting vaccinated, which he said is the most important thing you can do to prevent the flu.
It is not too late, and people can get seasonal flu all the way through March, he said. And don't believe the misconception that the vaccine actually makes you sick.
“You can't get sick from the shot itself,” said Isnar, who added that the vaccine takes two weeks to become effective. “What is generally happening (if you get sick after the shot) is you are just getting sick. It is a coincidence.”
Finally, Isnar said, the vaccine is not just for children and the elderly. The people who think they had the flu last year, were able to stay home for a day and come back to work or school good as new probably didn't have influenza. They probably had a common cold.
“I think people should realize that the true flu, the best way to describe it is ‘I got hit by a truck all the sudden,'” Isnar said. “Generally speaking, any viral infection should last more than two days. It usually lasts a week or two.”
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
