Flu season on the wayRemember ?the three Cs? and get vaccinated

Officials say Iowans can help stop the flu bug and other viral illnesses from spreading this fall and winter.

After last season?s outbreak of H1N1, the Iowa Department of Public Health says all indications point to a typical flu season this time.

?I think it takes everyone working together to protect the health of the public,? said Jefferson County Public Health Director Chris Estle-Tedrow. ?People need to remember the three Cs.?

?Clean your hands frequently with soap and water; cover your coughs and sneezes with your sleeve or a tissue; and contain germs by staying home when ill,? advised Iowa Department of Public Health Medical Director Patricia Quinlisk. Although the flu season in Iowa typically doesn?t get under way until December or January, now is the time to consider vaccinations.

?It takes a couple of weeks to develop full protection after you get your flu shot,? said Estle-Tedrow, explaining the shot?s protection lasts one year. She also pointed out it?s important for people to get vaccinated now because today?s society is so mobile, and the flu strikes different parts of the country at different times.

?The flu vaccine is widely available this year and includes both the seasonal influenza strain and last year?s H1N1 strain,? Quinlisk said.

Estle-Tedrow said she has heard from individuals concerned about the inclusion of H1N1 in the vaccine. She said the flu vaccine has protected against two strains ? Influenza A and Influenza B ? for years.

?As a healthcare provider, I?m very happy it?s included because I think it?s important to protect against,? Estle-Tedrow said. It translates into only one shot for an individual instead of two like last year, she added.

A common misconception is that a person can contract the flu from the shot ? Estle-Tedrow said that?s not possible because the shot is not a live virus. Even with the live nasal mist vaccine, she said the strain is too weak to cause the flu.

For the complete article, see the Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.