Logan County Department of Public Health: First case of Influenza B diagnosed in Logan County

[October 28, 2016]   LINCOLN - The Logan County Department of Public Health has received the first positive influenza test result of the 2016–17 influenza season from a 5 year old child residing within the County. With the influenza virus circulating throughout the area, LCDPH encourages all County residents 6 months of age and older to be vaccinated against the flu at their earliest convenience.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 25,000 people in the United States die each year from influenza, and 966,000 medical visits and 67,000 hospitalizations were prevented last year by the vaccine.

While everyone 6 months of age or older should get a flu vaccine this season, it is especially important for certain groups at higher risk of medical complications from the flu get vaccinated for their own safety, including:

• Children aged 6 months through 4 years of age
• Pregnant women
• Adults 50 years of age or older
• People who are immunosuppressed
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, including asthma, heart disease, diabetes, or chronic lung disease

People who live with or care for those at high risk of flu complications should also be vaccinated including:

• Health care workers
• Household contacts of persons at high risk of complications from the flu
• Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children younger than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated and are at risk to become infected)

Influenza can be a serious disease of the lungs, nose, and throat. The illness is spread from person to person through contact with infected respiratory secretions transmitted by coughing and sneezing. Typical flu symptoms include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches.

The flu season usually lasts from October through May, so the CDC recommends that everyone who is at least six months of age be vaccinated by the end of October.

Flu vaccinations are available at the Logan County Department of Public Health, located at 109 Third Street, Lincoln. The walk-in clinic hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For your convenience, the department now accepts all major insurance cards. If you have questions, please contact the Logan County Department of Public Health at 217-735-2317. For more information regarding services offered at the department, you can also log onto their website at WWW.LCDPH.ORG

[Don Cavi, MS, LEHP
Public Health Administrator
Logan County Department of Public Health]