This week is National Influenza Vaccination Week, just in time for the third projected wave of the H1N1 flu pandemic.
Dr. Vicki Whitacre of the Zanesville Muskingum County Health Department says flu pandemics tend to have several waves.
"Usually when you have pandemics, which H1N1 is considered to be, you will have three waves," she said. "We've had two and we're expecting the third in a month or two. "The first one started in the late spring...
As flu season continues to run rampant throughout the United States, measures to detect which strain you have may be getting easier.
Currently the "rapid test" is used by doctors to detect which strain of the flu patients have. It does not test specifically for H1N1, which is a sub-type of influenza a, but new tests are on their way to the market which will test for H1N1.
The current rapid tests do give quick results, but they're not always reliable.
"They...
Pregnant women in Muskingum County are still waiting for their H1N1 and seasonal flu shots.
Today's clinic at Rambo Memorial Health gave 150 H1N1 shots to pregnant women. Bebout says there are still 200 pregnant women on a list to get their seasonal flu shot and 40 women on the list to get their H1N1 shots. Bebout says she is hoping more vaccine will come in soon.
"I called Ohio Department of Health today and they basically told me that it would be...
There are three upcoming flu clinics to be held at the rambo Memorial Health Center in Zanesville in the coming weeks.
The first is a seasonal flu vaccine clinic for children ages 7 through 18 who do not have health insurance or are enrolled in Medicaid. That clinic will be held this Thursday, Nov. 5 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The second clinic is an H1N1 flu vaccine clinic for pregnant women. It will be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
A third clinic will be...
Starting November 2nd, the Genesis Healthcare System will limit visitations due to the flu.
Both Bethesda and Good Samaritan will only allow visitors over the age of 18, immediate family who are free of flu symptoms and only two visitors per patient. Also, only parents or grandparents may visit infants in the nursery or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Genesis says these precautions are needed to protect their patients and stop the spread of the flu.
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In response to the high incidence of flu in the community, Genesis HealthCare System is requesting the support of the community to protect patients and help prevent the spread of the flu. On Nov. 2, the hospital will limit patient visitation at both its locations, Genesis-Bethesda and Genesis-Good Samaritan to:
• Individuals age 18 and older
• Immediate family only (parents, grandparents and adult children)
• Two visitors per patient
• Those who are...
Muskingum County's first doses of the H1N1 vaccine are being given out today.
Four hundred intranasal spray doses are being used to immunize the Tier 1 priority group.
"The Emergency Medical Services which includes the EMTs and paramedics and also we are including firefighters because they are also part of that Tier 1 group, that priority group," says Jeff Michaels, the preparedness coordinator for Public Health.
Michaels says the spray is all...
The next round of doses of the H1N1 vaccine will be making its way to Muskingum County this week.
Unfortunately, those doses will be given out to healthcare workers, firefighters and EMTs and physicians. Muskingum County Health Commissioner Corey Hamilton says based on the amount of doses ordered by the state, she is expecting a similar amount of vaccine to come in. She says it will probably be a combination of the injection and mist.
"It's the mist that's the...
Being prepared is more important than ever this flu season. Whether a person contracts seasonal flu or the H1N1 virus, it is a good idea to have a pre-made flu kit ready.
"It is always helpful to have things that you can keep well hydrated with and water you already have in the house, but if you would like to take drinks like Gatorade or something hydrating if that is something you would like to drink that is fine. With that, having things that are easy on your stomach because...
Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department Health Commissioner, Corey Hamilton, says the Zanesville City School District isn't the only district seeing peaks in absences.
She says it's been a problem all across the county.
"From what we're hearing from parents, it sounds like kids are having some sort of a virus-possibly the flu. We can't confirm that that's H1N1, but we suspect that there's something circulating in the county, and we're glad that parents are keeping...
