While last year's mass influenza immunization clinic held at the Champaign County Fairgrounds was successful, the Champaign Health District leadership hope that smaller clinics over a week-long period at 13 locations throughout the county will reach more people, said Health Commissioner Shelia Hiddleson.
"We're trying to go to every township and village," said Sheila Pena, director of nursing. "It's still emergency preparedness for training our Medical Reserve Corps volunteers, but this is also testing our ability to get out in the community. We're doing it like this so we don't congregate in a big group, which could be a bad idea if we have a scenario where a virus is highly contagious and easily transmissible in crowds."
Pena said the health district is looking for more volunteers to help staff the flu clinics.
"People can call and talk to Mary Collier at 484-1605 to sign up to help," she said.
The cost of the flu vaccine is the same as last year, and Medicaid and Medicare Part B insurance will also be accepted.
"The flu serum is plentiful this year, and there will be plenty at each of the clinics," Pena said.
Seasonal flu vaccines combine three killed strains of the virus into an injectable medium grown from eggs.
"The typical method is to use two strains from the year before and trade one out, based on the most recent research and data about flu cases," Pena said. The 2007-2008 vaccine combines a new "A/Solomon Islands/3/2006" (H1N1) strain with "A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)" and "B/Malaysia/2506/2004" strains.
The dreaded H5N1 "Asian bird flu" has not made the jump across the Pacific, but the virus constantly mutates, which is why health practitioners recommend getting a flu shot each year for individuals who suffer the most from flu symptoms.
The Champaign Health District continues to hold pandemic flu training sessions to prepare for the possibility of an outbreak that affects a large percentage of the population. While seasonal flu cycles happen every year, the threat of a mutation in the flu virus that could cause devastating illness, as the "Spanish flu" did in 1918, is the target of large-scale regional disaster preparation.
On average, 226,00 people are hospitalized with the flu annually, and some 36,000 individuals die of flu complications, especially pneumonia. Children and elderly are especially susceptible, but it is also recommended for people who live in dormitories and nursing homes, and other living quarters where outbreaks can quickly spread.
People who are moderately or severely ill should wait until they recover before getting the vaccine. Individuals with allergies to eggs should not have the shot, and people who have had severe reactions to vaccines before should consult their doctors. Signs of a serious allergic reaction can include difficulty breathing, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, an increased heart rate or dizziness.
Minor side effects may include soreness, redness or swelling around the injection site, fever and aches. These symptoms usually last 1-2 days, compared to the fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, chills, headaches and muscle aches that sideline flu victims for a week or longer, if there are complications such as ear and sinus infections or a pneumonia. Flu can also worsen chronic medical conditions.
Clinics will be held Oct. 24-Nov. 1. For more information or to schedule an appointment for a flu shot at the health district office, call 484-1605.
Breanne Parcels can be reached at bparcels@urbanacitizen.com
"Ads published on this site are not for republication in print or web media without the expressed written consent of both the advertiser and The Brown Publishing Company."
