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Autumn Starts the "Flu Season"
Island Hospital is actively working with Skagit County Public Health, hospitals, healthcare providers, laboratories, emergency services, schools, nursing homes and pharmacies preparing for the flu season to prevent the spread and continue surveillance of seasonal and H1N1 flu in our county.
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What is "the Flu"?
The flu (influenza) is a virus spread through respiratory droplets which can live on surfaces for two to eight hours. Those with flu-like symptoms should stay home and isolate themselves from other family members. A doctor should be seen immediately if the person has difficulty breathing, bluish color to skin and lips, coughs up blood, chest pain, dehydration, confusion or convulsions.
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What if I Get Sick?
If you have flu-like symptoms, ask for a mask upon entering a healthcare facility to prevent the spread of flu to others. All of us should should wash hands frequently and cough and sneeze in to our arms/sleeves rather than the hands. Stay home if fever is 100 degrees or higher with cough, chest congestion, sore throat, body and muscle aches, and sometimes vomiting and/or diarrhea. The Centers for Disease Control recommend that all with flu-like illness should stay at home 24 hours after fever is gone, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. This may help to spread the flu at local schools and places of work.
Seasonal flu, which includes the three strains in our flu vaccine available each year, results in approximately 200,000 hospitalizations annually. Each year, more than 30,000 people in the U.S. die as a result of influenza.
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What about the "Swine Flu"?
H1N1 Novel (commonly referred to as the “swine”) flu has continued to be present during the summer months in Washington State and in Skagit County and will likely increase once kids are back in school this fall. Since April in Washington State, there have been 154 hospitalizations, 14 deaths, and more than 750 cases of Novel H1N1 flu confirmed. There have been many other flu-like illnesses not confirmed; as most people who have become ill have recovered without requiring medical treatment.
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How Can I Prevent the Flu?
The best way to protect against the flu is to get a seasonal flu shot every year in the fall. This year Skagit County health agencies will begin vaccinating for seasonal flu in September. The seasonal flu vaccine can be received at your provider's clinic, through local pharmacies and at the Skagit County Public Health facility in Mount Vernon. In addition, Skagit County Public Health offers seasonal flu vaccines at local senior centers from Oct. 1 through Oct. 7.
Seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you against the new H1N1 (swine) flu! The H1N1 vaccine will be available in October or November. Be sure to check our Flu Hotline (see below) for updates.
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FLU HOTLINE - (360) 299-4244
Stay tuned to the local news and the Island Hospital Flu Hotline (360) 299-4244 to determine when vaccine is available and where you can obtain it.
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