Published: September 28, 2008 09:04 pm      

Health officials prepare for flu bug battle

GREEN VALLEY — Autumn’s arrival brings with it colorful fall foliage, cooler temperatures and the annual flu season; while homeowners reach for their rakes, health care providers are readying their vaccinations.

The Mercer County Health Department will start offering flu shots daily beginning Oct. 1, said Judy Bolton, RN. Inoculations will be available 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct .1, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following days. Appointments are not necessary. The cost is $25, but most insurers will pay, Bolton said.

“This year there are new recommendations,” she said. “Now all children ages 5 to 18 should receive flu vaccinations.”

For people who do not like needles, the health department will have access to a new flu mist vaccine. Instead of being administered with a hypodermic needle, the mist vaccine is administered through the nose, Bolton said.

Last year’s flu vaccine was only 44 percent effective, she said. It was not a good match for types of flu that were prevalent in 2007. The vaccine for the 2008 season matches three different strains of flu: two types of Influenza A and one type of Influenza B.

“It means this year it will be more effective and a much better match,” Bolton said.

In the 2007-2008 flu season, West Virginia had 1,037 cases of Influenza A and 815 of Influenza B; the cases were confirmed by laboratories.

Every year, 200,000 people across the nation are hospitalized with flu-like conditions, she added.

Across the state line in Virginia, the Mount Rogers Health District–which includes Bland and Wythe counties–health officials were reminding the public how easily influenza is spread. Anyone can get influenza, but infection rates are highest in young children.

“Influenza spreads very easily, usually through contact with droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person during coughing or sneezing,” said Dr. Craig Smith, MD, director of the Mount Rogers Health District. “It is sometimes difficult for children to remember to follow good health habits that can prevent the flu, such as frequent hand washing, covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve, and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth. This is especially true for children who are in school or in daycare and share items and surfaces with other children.”

The Centers for Disease Control recommends vaccinations for all children from 6 months to 18-years-old and for all adults more than 50-years-old. Women who will be pregnant during flu season, anyone with weakened immune system, a long term health problems such as heart disease or diabetes, muscle or nerve disorders, residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities, and people in the health care professions should get immunizations, health officials said.

The Bland County Health Department can be contacted at (276) 688-3642, and the Wythe County Health Department can be reached at (276) 228-5507.

A message to the Cumberland Plateau Health District, which includes the Tazewell and Buchanan County health departments, about times influenza vaccinations would be available, was not returned Friday. The Tazewell County Health Department can be reached at (276) 988-5585. The Buchanan County Health Department can be contacted at (276)935-4591.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com