Flu season is just around the corner
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| Health care providers are just as susceptible to the flu if not more so because they are in constant contact with people with compromised health. That is why Battle Creek Health System has a new policy requiring all of its associates, physicians, and volunteers to have an annual flu shot. Rolling up their sleeves for their 2008 flu vaccinations are several members of the BCHS executive leadership team. Pat Garrett, president and CEO, seated was the first to have his shot from Mark Oisten, medical assistant in the BCHS occupational medicine department. Waiting their turns were (L-R) Ken Barth, Amy Barnes, Michele Ekblad, Gerrie Baarson, David Southerland, and Ann Neeld. |
Every year about this time, we are reminded about the importance of getting flu shots. This year is no different.
“Influenza, commonly referred to as ‘the flu,’ is a respiratory illness spread by a virus that infects the nose, throat, bronchial airways, and lungs,” says Dr. Gregory Harrington, a physician at Battle Creek Health System’s Center for Infectious Disease and Pulmonary Medicine and medical director for the Calhoun County Public Health Department. “This highly contagious virus is spread via airborne droplets from coughing and sneezing. Incubation takes from two to three days.”
The flu can cause severe illness and for some, life-threatening complications. About 36,000 Americans die each year from the flu. Those in the high-risk category include people 65 and older, children under two, adults and children with chronic health conditions, and those more than three months pregnant. Some complications may include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma, and diabetes.
What can you do to protect yourself against the flu this year? The single best way to prevent the flu is to get an annual flu shot because the strain of influenza changes from season to season. Actually the flu circulates around the world year-round; the height of the flu season in the United States is mid-December through March.
“There are a number of false assumptions about the flu vaccine,” says Dr. Harrington. “Because it is made with inactivated virus it cannot give you the flu. It does, however, take a couple of weeks before your body builds up enough antibodies to be protective, so it is possible to get the flu in the period shortly after having the shot. It is also possible that the strains selected in the annual vaccine may not adequately reflect the most common strain in your area. And because the dominant strains vary each year, you have to be vaccinated every year to maintain protection.”
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Jeffrey Mitchell, M.D., BCHS vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer gets his flu shot from Rosemary Ham, RN, MSN, FNP-C, CIC of the hospital’s infection control department. For the protection of their patients, all BCHS associates, physicians, and volunteers are required to have an annual flu vaccination. |
For those who would rather endure a week of the flu instead of getting a shot, there is a painless option. FluMist is a live influenza vaccine delivered as a nasal mist. The Food and Drug Administration approved FluMist three years ago for healthy children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 and for healthy adults between 18 and 49. It is not currently recommended for children under age 5 or adults over 50. The spray, however, is more expensive than standard shots and could lead to limited cold-like symptoms 24 to 48 hours after vaccination.
The simplest method of avoiding the spread of infection is frequent hand washing, preferably with antibacterial soap from a sanitary dispenser. Other things that will help are:
- Avoid contact with people who are sick
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth to elude spreading germs
- If you are sick, do not go in to work or school
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
- Wash your hands again and often
For some, and this may seem unavoidable, but limit traveling by air. There appears to be a direct correlation between those who catch the flu and those who have recently flown in an airplane. And air travelers are a major reason the flu moves from the ‘sporadic’ to ‘regional’ outbreaks in terms of picking up the flu and than scattering it at every port of call.
Contact your health care provider if you have questions about whether you should get the shot. Do not wait until you start to feel achy—get your influenza vaccination as early in the season as possible.
Battle Creek Health System, sponsored by two parent organizations--Trinity Health (the fourth largest Catholic health system in the U.S. with 12 hospitals, 9 nursing homes, 19 senior house facilities, 8 home health care agencies, and 4 hospices in Michigan alone) and BCHS Community Partners, is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Battle Creek Health System as a recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Orthopaedic Surgery Excellence Award™. HealthGrades is a leading health care information company that provides objective ‘report card’ ratings nationwide. BCHS provides excellent health care for the community and promotes wellness for the whole person with access and compassion for all. For the latest medical information, visit the BCHS web site at www.bchealth.com or call the BCHS Marketing Department at (269) 966-8132.
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