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"For the last two years, flu season has come early in Washington," said Phyllis Shoemaker, an epidemiologist at Department of Health. "It takes a week or two for the shot to become effective. It protects healthy children and adults against flu, or makes symptoms less severe, for several months."
Flu vaccine is recommended for high-risk groups, such as the elderly; residents of nursing homes or other chronic care facilities; persons with chronic lung, heart, or kidney diseases; individuals with severe anemia or diabetes; and people who have diseases or are taking medical treatments that suppress their immune systems.
"Doctors, nurses and other people who provide services for high- risk groups should also be immunized," said Shoemaker. "An outbreak in a chronic care facility can be caused by a visitor. We try to immunize patients well before their families visit them during Thanksgiving vacation."
Every year, the flu causes thousands of illnesses and some deaths in Washington, according to Shoemaker. It also causes many workers to miss work so that some employers now offer flu shots to employees. Influenza, commonly called the flu, may be spread through the air or by direct hand contact. The victim becomes acutely ill with fever, chills, weakness, loss of appetite and muscle aches. Some also have a sore throat, dry cough, nausea and burning eyes. Fever mounts quickly, often as high as 104 degrees. After two or three days, the fever drops but the patient is left exhausted for several days.
For people who are not healthy to begin with, flu can be severe and even fatal. Most complications are caused by bacterial infections that grow quickly because the body has been weakened by the flu. Pneumonia is a most common complication of pneumonia. Many doctors recommend that high-risk groups receive both pneumonia and flu vaccinations.
People wanting flu shots should call their health care provider or their local health department for information on location of immunization clinics. They also may get information from the Lung Association by calling (800) LUNG - USA (800-586-1872).
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Note to editors: For more information call Phyllis Shoemaker, Department of Health, 206/361-2914.
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CONTACT: Washington State Department of Health Linda Waring, 360/753-3237
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