Delaware health officials are urging citizens to get vaccinated as the flu season approaches.health

Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of public health, said the campaign was grassroots to reach citizens this year with the message that ensuring that individuals are vaccinated against the flu is more important than ever. He said he would focus on the effort.

“Last year, more than 7,000 Delaware people got the flu, nearly 400 were hospitalized and 11 died,” Rattay said. “Every year, at the peak of the flu season, the healthcare system reaches its limits. They are full. Therefore, at this year’s COVID, it is very important to do everything possible to prevent bad things. It’s the flu season for us. “

AJ Schall, director of the Delaware Office for Emergency Management, said the state’s first reduction in the largest PPE store due to the current difficulty in obtaining gloves as manufacturers closed in the summer due to COVID are struggling to catch up. I explained that I was watching. Up to production. And this deficiency occurs when the pandemic tends to be generally positive.

“Dependencies and the number of incoming requests were not seen in April, May, and June. This is a higher level of success for the medical community, such as the first responders. It shows that. Order. ” “But we still want to prepare for the fall, and when we see a surge … with respect to what we have in stock, this means we can’t use these gloves. Not. These are gloves. This is not commonly used by the general public, but it is used by first responders, healthcare professionals, etc. “

The state is also addressing the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in several long-term care facilities, including Kent Mary Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Wilmington, Kadia Healthcare on Silverside, and Country Rest Home in Greenwood. Rattay says.

In each of these locations, multiple residents and staff have recently been tested positive for the virus. Sources are under investigation, but no one can visit directly, so it is not an outsider who brings the virus to the facility. Lack of PPE is also not a concern at this time, but she says it remains vulnerable to greater threats and points to where precautions need to be taken to protect the overall health of the community. Said.

“We really really really want and pray that the flu season is very, very, very mild,” Latai said. “Not only because we need to protect our health care system, but in reality, when one of these infections occurs, we can be vulnerable to the other. Therefore, this Double distress can be very problematic for infected individuals. Either or both infections. “

She cannot be prevented from getting the COVID by receiving the flu vaccine, and the symptoms of the two viruses may look very similar, but at the risk of a more serious illness. It reduces, reduces the potential need for hospitalization, and significantly reduces the likelihood of advertising. Death from the flu.

Anyone over the age of 6 months is encouraged to get the flu vaccine in a particularly high-risk category.

The state has partnered with healthcare, faith-based, and community partners for its campaigns to bring the Community Flu Clinic to:

Friday, October 2, 2020:

• Huge grocery store, Front Street (Route 14), Milford-6 pm-6pm
• Newcastle Farmers Market, Route 13, Newcastle-6 pm-6pm

Saturday, October 3, 2020:

• Newcastle Farmers Market, Route 13, Newcastle-1-10am-1pm
• Westside Family Healthcare, Fox Run Shopping Center, Bear-1-10 AM-1 PM

Beebe Healthcare hosts the following regional influenza clinics:

• September 29, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Milton CHEER Center, 24855 Broadkill Road, Milton
• October 1st, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Rehobos Convention Center, 229 Rehobos Avenue, Rehobos (walk-up and bike only)
• October 2nd, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Crossroads Church, 20684 State Forest Road, Georgetown (drive-through only)
• October 3, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Beebe South Coastal, 32750 Roxana Road, Frankford (drive-through only)

“We strongly recommend that you get the flu vaccine by the end of October,” says Rattay. “It takes about two weeks from being vaccinated against the flu to being protected, so the sooner you get the flu shot, the better.”