Richland Public Health Offers Drive-Through Influenza Vaccine at Trade Fair on October 13 | News

MANSFIELD — Vaccination against the flu this year is more than just preventing the flu. By reducing the burden of flu illness, hospitalization and death, the medical system helps conserve medical resources to treat people infected with COVID-19 during the typical flu season.

Richland Public Health is a drive for Richland County residents at Richland County Fairgrounds (750 N. Home Road, Mansfield, Ohio) from 1 pm to 4 pm on Tuesday, October 13. We will hold a through influenza vaccine clinic.

Everyone stays in their car. Everyone must wear a mask (except under 2 years old).

Multiple people may be vaccinated against the flu in a car, but each individual will need to do some paperwork.

There is a station for drive-through to distribute forms and collect information.

Public health nurses will be stationed on each side of each vehicle to collect documents and then provide each person with the appropriate vaccine dose.

Richland Public Health recommends that all people over the age of 6 months be vaccinated against the flu (“influenza”). This recommendation follows the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Influenza vaccine is free (no out-of-pocket payment) when using participation insurance approved by Richland Public Health. Please bring your insurance card and photo ID. The cost of Richland Public Health for the flu vaccine depends on the age and type of vaccine used.

The Richland Public Health Influenza Vaccine is also available by appointment after the drive-through clinic on October 13. Detailed information will be available after that date.

For more information on influenza, please visit our website. www.richlandhealth.org, Or consult your pediatrician or your doctor. For special home services, please call 419-774-4540.

Influenza is an infectious disease that spreads throughout the United States each year, usually from October to May. Influenza is caused by the influenza virus and spreads primarily through coughing, sneezing, and close contact. Anyone can get the flu. The flu can strike suddenly and last for several days. Symptoms vary with age, but include fever / chills, sore throat, muscle aches, malaise, cough, headache, runny nose and stuffy nose.

Influenza is more dangerous for some people. Infants, people over the age of 65, pregnant women, certain health conditions or people with weakened immunity are at greatest risk.

“No one likes to get sick. When you get the flu, you can’t go to work or school, and you can’t do your favorite activities,” said Amy Schmidt, director of nursing at Richland Public Health. “It can also spread the flu to family, friends and colleagues. Protect yourself and others. Get the flu shot.”

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cold and flu season is around October-May and peaks somewhere between December-February. Influenza can be widespread, with up to 49 million cases each year in the United States.

Everyone over the age of 6 months should get a flu shot every year. The CDC recommends getting a flu shot in October, but if you miss that month, get a flu shot as soon as possible.

About influenza vaccination

No vaccine is 100% effective in preventing the flu, but there are many benefits to getting vaccinated. vaccine:

Reduce flu doctor consultation by 40-60%. *

The incidence of cardiac events is low.

Reduce hospitalization for people with diabetes and chronic lung disease.

Less admission to the intensive care unit, longer ICU and longer hospital stays.

Vaccination against the flu can reduce the chances of missing work or holiday activities.

Richland Influenza Recent Influenza Number

By 2020, 1,063 cases of influenza have occurred in Richland County, most of which occur in January and February.

It’s not just that I feel sick. 93 residents of Richland County were hospitalized for influenza in 2019 and 94 in 2020 (mainly from January to March).

The Richland Public Health Influenza Vaccination Program is partially funded by local taxes.

*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

FAQ about Flu2020 and COVID-19

Will influenza occur with COVID-19 in the fall and winter?

I can’t say for sure what will happen in the fall and winter, but the CDC believes that both the flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are likely to spread. Influenza vaccination is more important than ever in this context. The CDC recommends that all people over the age of 6 months be vaccinated against the flu every year.

Can I have influenza and COVID-19 at the same time?

Yes. Influenza (and other respiratory illnesses) and COVID-19 can occur at the same time. Experts are still studying how common this is.

Does the flu vaccine protect me from COVID-19?

Influenza vaccination does not prevent COVID-19, but influenza vaccination has many other important benefits. Influenza vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of influenza illness, hospitalization and death. Influenza vaccination this fall will be more important than ever, not only to reduce the risk of influenza, but also to conserve potentially scarce medical resources.

Is COVID-19 more dangerous than influenza?

Both influenza and COVID-19 can cause serious illnesses, including those that lead to hospitalization and death. There’s still a lot to learn about COVID-19, but at this point, COVID-19 seems to be more deadly than seasonal flu. However, it is too early to draw conclusions from current data. This may change as we learn about the number of infected people with mild illness.

Influenza activity

Will a new influenza virus be prevalent this season?

Due to the constant change of influenza virus, it is not uncommon for new influenza viruses to emerge each year. More information on changes in the influenza virus is available.

When does influenza activity begin and when does it peak?

The timing of influenza is difficult to predict and can vary from region to region and from season to season. In general, the flu season begins in December and lasts until April. However, some flu seasons start earlier and last longer. The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine this season by the end of October.

This year is more than a flu vaccine

The CDC recommends an annual influenza vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against the influenza virus. Influenza vaccination between 2020 and 2021 will be more important than ever.

Influenza vaccines do not prevent COVID-19, but they reduce the burden on the medical system for influenza illness, hospitalization, and death, and save scarce medical resources for the care of people with COVID-19.

The CDC estimates that less than half of Americans were vaccinated against the flu last season and at least 410,000 were hospitalized for the flu. Expanding the scope of vaccination will reduce the burden.

Most flu vaccines protect against the four flu viruses that studies suggest are the most common.

All people over the age of 6 months should be vaccinated with the flu vaccine annually by the end of October.

Vaccination of high-risk individuals is especially important to reduce the risk of severe influenza.

People at high risk of serious flu complications include infants, pregnant women, people with certain chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart and lung disease, and people over the age of 65.

Many people at high risk for influenza also appear to be at high risk for COVID-19.

Vaccination is also important for healthcare professionals and others who live or care for high-risk people to prevent the spread of the flu. This is especially true for those who work in long-term care facilities, where many of the most vulnerable to influenza and COVID-19 live.

Children under 6 months are at increased risk of severe flu, but are too young to be vaccinated. The person who cares for the baby should be vaccinated instead.

It can be difficult to distinguish between flu symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms

Symptoms of the flu include:

Fever and chills

cough

sore throat

Runny nose or stuffy nose

Body pain

headache

Malaise

vomiting

diarrhea

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

Fever or chills

cough

sore throat

Stuffy nose or runny nose.

Body and muscle pain

headache

Malaise

Nausea or vomiting

diarrhea

Shortness of breath or dyspnea

Loss of taste and smell

Take daily precautions to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Take routine precautions that are always recommended to reduce the spread of influenza.

Avoid close contact with sick people.

If you are ill, limit contact with others as much as possible to prevent infection.

Covers coughing and sneezing.

If you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash after use.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, rub with an alcohol-based hand.

Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Bacteria spread like this.

Cleans and disinfects surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with the virus that causes the flu.

In the case of the flu, the CDC recommends staying at home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone, except for medical and other necessities. The fever should go away without the use of antipyretics. Home guidance for COVID-19 may vary.

In the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the local government or public health department may recommend taking additional precautions in the community. Follow those instructions.

Take flu antivirals if prescribed by your doctor.

If you have the flu, you can use antiviral drugs to treat the disease. Influenza antivirals are not designed to treat COVID-19.

Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription drugs (pills, liquids or inhaled powders) and are not commercially available.

Antiviral drugs can relieve the flu illness and reduce the duration of the illness. It can also prevent serious flu complications.Pdf icon for people with high risk factors[308 KB, 2 Pages]Treatment with antivirals means the difference between a mild illness and a very serious illness, which can lead to hospitalization.

Studies show that flu antivirals are best treated if started within 2 days of getting sick, but later, especially if the sick person has a high risk factor or is very afflicted with the flu. It’s also helpful to get started.

If you are at high risk of influenza and have symptoms of influenza, contact your healthcare provider early so that you can be treated with influenza antivirals as needed. Follow your doctor’s instructions to take this medicine.