ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Cooler weather is coming through the area, which means people can be more susceptible to the flu and other respiratory illnesses.
With that in mind, the Seward County Health Department (SCHD) is advising people to make sure and get their flu shot.
“We've had the flu vaccine available since the middle of September, and that's when we started giving them. The CDC recommends everyone six months old and older get vaccinated every season, especially since there are many flu viruses, which are always changing,” SCHD Registered Nurse Evelyn Aragon said. “We don't do the nasal mist, but we do offer the Fluzone in both regular and high-dose shots. Each year brings a new vaccine to protect against the strains most likely to cause particular hardship, and even if the vaccine doesn't 100 percent match the strain, it will still provide some protection. It's better to be protected during this season and come in and get your flu vaccine – the flu can be super contagious and spreads especially when the weather is cooler. The flu can strike anyone, but it's definitely more dangerous for some people, including infants and younger children, senior citizens 65 years old and older, those who are pregnant, and people who have certain other health conditions or are otherwise immunocompromised.”
Aragon said so far, there has been a rather steady stream of people coming into the SCHD for their vaccinations.
“We have had people coming in for their flu shots in the past several weeks, and for the children who come in for their regular vaccines, we offer the flu shot to them. We've seen quite a few children who have gotten their flu shot – it's not a mandatory vaccine, but we do offer it and there have been several parents who have approved us giving them that shot,” Aragon said. “A lot of people come in earlier in the season when we start offering the vaccine, and it's better to come in then rather than in the late winter or spring, because you want to be protected for the full season. We have had people come in in February and March for their flu shot, and we provide it to them, but we do encourage people to come in earlier so they can get themselves protected when the flu season officially starts.”
Aragon added getting vaccinated is all about remaining healthy in an easy way.
“It's all about protection – and not just for yourself, but the rest of the community. I know a lot of people will probably say 'I've never gotten a flu shot, and I've been fine, so I'm not going to get it,' or 'The flu shot makes me sick every time,' so they end up not getting vaccinated,” Aragon said. “But the point of the vaccine isn't necessarily to prevent the illness, it's to help lessen the impact if you do end up getting sick. And ultimately, it's not just about you, it's also about the people around you and it's an added layer of protection. We want to do our part to help prevent the flu from spreading as much as we can.”
Some symptoms to look out for with the flu are fever and chills, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, coughing, headaches, and nasal congestion/runniness. The flu can also cause other complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections, and if for those dealing with heart disease, cancer or diabetes, the flu can actually make those conditions even worse.
“If you do get sick – and we say this about every other illness – stay at home, rest and make sure you're getting plenty of fluids,” Aragon said. “We also highly recommend people wash their hands really well and keep themselves clean in order to help prevent themselves from getting sick, and we recommend passing that hygiene advice to your children if you have them. And if you feel especially bad, we highly recommend visiting your personal care physician so they can help you and prescribe some medication if you need it.”
Aragon said she and other staff at the Seward County Health Department are ready to help.
“We're currently doing walk-in appointments for flu shots at the Seward County Health Department during our regular business hours, you don't need to make an appointment,” Aragon said. “We at the Seward County Health Department are here to help, so if anyone has any questions or concerns about anything, they are more than welcome to get in touch with us at (620) 626-3369, and we'll be happy to help however we can.”
