It's not too late! Don't be a statistic!

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PRINCETON — With the winter season hitting hard in Bureau County, the Bureau/Putnam County Health Department has announced flu vaccines are still available.

Pat Lebahn, communicable disease coordinator for the local health department, is encouraging people to get their flu vaccines, if they haven’t already. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated next week, Dec. 8 -12, as National Influenza Vaccination Week.

“The flu is serious,” Lebahn said. “Each year, an average of more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and 20,000 of those people are children younger than 5 years old. Statistics show 36,000 people die from flu each year. Getting a flu vaccine can help keep you from becoming a statistic.”

Lebahn said the cost for the flu vaccine is $25 for adults or $10 for children ages 6 months through 18 years. Medicare B, OSF Healthcare Advantage Card and Kid Care cards are accepted.

No appointments are needed to get a vaccine during National Influenza Week, Lebahn said. Health Department hours are 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Kristin Ledergerber, school nurse for the Bureau Valley School District, said the flu season hasn’t hit the district too hard yet. Of course, the winter is young, she said.

“So far, so good this year,” Ledergerber said.

On the positive side, Ledergerber said she does think more students are getting flu shots, which helps a lot. Also, the importance of hand-washing can’t be overlooked, she said.  “That’s what we preach all the time here at the school,” Ledergerber said. 

For young people hit with the flu, Ledergerber said the school policy is a student should be temperature-free for 24 hours before coming back to school. To help alleviate the spread of germs, the custodial staff also disinfects surfaces like desks and doorknobs.

Lebahn agreed that schools, businesses and families need to be proactive when it comes to stopping the spread of the flu. There are some common sense measures to take, she said.

For instance, people should practice good hygiene by frequent hand-washing, covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing, disposing used tissues in trash cans, getting plenty of rest and eating nutritious food, Lebahn said.

“But the big thing is to stay home from school or work if you think you are becoming ill,” Lebahn added.

Most people who get the flu recover completely in a week or two, but some people develop serious and potentially life-threatening medical complications, such as pneumonia, Lebahn said. The elderly and people with chronic health problems are much more likely to develop serious complications from the flu, she added.