Hi all: I am replying to Sherrie Tingley's message about getting flu shots
and the recent influenza bout which we are hearing about daily. I am a
health promotion officer with the Region of Peel Health Department. I work
in the Communicable Disease section and we are currently in the process of
sending out some health communications people that it is not too late to get
a flu shot. I wanted to respond to a few of Sherrie's comments and let you
know that you can call your public health unit's communicable disease
section to get more information.
First, getting a flu shot doesn't guarantee that you won't get the flu. It
is about 70% percent effective in preventing flu in healthy adults. If you
do get a flu shot and happen to get infected with the flu virus, your
illness will be less severe than if you had no flu shot at all. As for the
cost of flu shots... The charges range depending on where you get your shot.
Local pharmacies run clinics and charge anywhere from $12 - $16 (estimates
from around the Peel area). Doctor's offices range in price as well but I
don't think you should have to pay more than about $15 for the shot. Just
so you know, there are a number of groups of people (due to health status or
the type of work that they do) who are eligible to receive free flu shots
(where the vaccine is covered by the Ministry of Health). You can get
details from your local health unit about these specific groups.
There has been a run on the vaccine lately due to the high demands so that
is likely why you are having trouble locating a doctor's office that has it.
Again check with your local health department to see what the situation in
your area is.
There are indeed new drugs on the market called antivirals which may be of
use when you first notice flu symptoms but you need to get to the doctor
right away as the drugs are useful only if administered within the first 48
hours of symptoms (my understanding but I am not a doctor or nurse).
And no, not only good people get the shots, and bad people don't. There are
a variety of reasons why people choose not to get shots including no time,
fear of a reaction to the vaccine, beliefs about vaccination, not realizing
you need to get the flu shot annually... I could keep going....you get the
picture though.
Just FYI - The vaccine cannot give you the flu because it does not contain
live virus. Some people do experience mild flu -like symptoms like muscle
aches and fever and feeling tired for a day or two after the needle. This
is not the same as the flu. Again, talk to your doctor or local public
health unit for more information. Take care everyone.
Carolyn Percival
Health Promotion Officer
Sexual Health and Communicable Disease Business Unit
Peel Health
(905) 791-7800, x7611
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-----Original Message-----
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Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2000 12:14 AM
To: Recipients of CLICK4HP digests
Subject: CLICK4HP Digest - 9 Jan 2000 to 11 Jan 2000
(#2000-6)
There is one message totalling 39 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. influenza outbreak
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Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 15:00:10 -0500
From: Sherrie Tingley <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: influenza outbreak
Hello all,
I hope people had a good break. I am wondering if there is
much to be
learned from this influenza outbreak? I gotta tell you I am
totally
confused.
I have been calling around today to try and get a flu shot,
it is not an
easy thing to get. I always felt because there was a cost to
getting the
shot that if I asked for it I was wasting health resources.
Now I feel bad
that I haven't.
Anyway, I have been following the media reports and I am not
sure what I am
supposed to do if I get the flu. The other day I head an
advertisement on
the radio telling me to make sure I went to see my doctor if
I had the flu
and also telling me there were now drugs to help with the
flu. But other
media reports tell me other things.
So, I guess my questions are what should we have done about
the flu, is it
that good people got the shots and only bad (and cheap) lazy
people did not
get the shot and are the ones that are spreading it around
and causing the
giant strain on our health care system. Then there is the
question of what
to do if you have the flu, should you run to your doc as the
advertisements
suggest? What should we do about advertisements that may
not have good
health information?
I know that this may not be a good topic for health
promotion, but I though
I would share how totally confused I am.
S
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End of CLICK4HP Digest - 9 Jan 2000 to 11 Jan 2000 (#2000-6)
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