Published: February 21, 2009
The Rockingham County Department of Public Health will offer free flu vaccinations through the end of the month. The vaccinations are being offered in response to the recent widespread flu activity throughout the state.
“Normally, flu does peak during the month of February,“ said Glenn Martin, director of the Rockingham County Department of Public Health. “It’s been relatively mild until we got into the month of February.“
Influenza-like illnesses accounted for 2.55 percent – 434 out of 16,979 – patient visits to North Carolina health providers that regularly report data to the Centers for Disease Control in the week ending Feb. 14. For the same week, influenza-like illnesses represented 6 percent of hospital emergency department visits.
Martin said the health department wants to target children, because when children get the flu, the illness sometimes leads to “tragic outcomes.“ Children younger than 9 receiving the vaccine for the first time or who received the vaccine for the first time last season but received only one dose should receive two doses, at least four weeks apart.
Martin said the predominant isolate strain this flu season is the A/ H1 virus, which has shown some resistance to the antiviral drugs that physicians normally give flu patients.
“That just reinforces the importance of getting the flu shot,“ Martin said.
Martin said it takes two weeks after receiving the vaccine to get full immunity from the flu. Even if a person is exposed to the flu virus within two weeks of receiving the vaccine, the vaccine can lessen the severity of symptoms, said Susan Joyce, clinical supervisor for the Rockingham County Department of Public Health. She said the vaccine contains a dead virus, so it shouldn’t cause flu-like symptoms. Typical side effects from the flu shot are redness and soreness at the injection site.
Flu symptoms begin suddenly and may include fever, severe headache, body aches, sore throat and cough. According to Martin, the best way to avoid the spread of the flu is to stay home from school or work while sick, cover coughs and sneezes, and wash your hands.
Flu vaccines will be available between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the department of public heath on N.C. 65 in Wentworth.
or 349-4331, ext. 35.