Radio Smart Talk: Flu strikes early and often

Radio Smart Talk for Thursday, January 10:

Headlines about the onset of the flu season are astounding. The mayor of Boston declared a public health emergency because some 700 people came down with the flu already this season. So many were showing up at an Allentown hospital with flu-like symptoms that an emergency triage tent was set up. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 18 flu-related deaths last week and 22 for this flu season.

The calendar hasn’t reached mid-January yet. The Centers for Disease Control says the flu season began earlier this year than it has for at least the past decade.

It’s anecdotal but almost everyone you talk to has been or knows someone who has been sick.

Dr. John Goldman, an infectious disease specialist with PinnacleHealth, will appear on Thursday’s program to answer questions about this year’s flu strain.

We’ll ask Dr. Goldman about the symptoms to look for, how to treat the flu, and maybe more importantly, how to avoid becoming ill in the first place. Other questions include how effective are flu shots and who should be getting a shot?

Listen to the program: {mp3remote}http://witf.vo.llnwd.net/o35/smarttalk/radiosmarttalk/RST_January102013.mp3{/mp3remote}

Here are some flu prevention tips from the state Department of Health:

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and following food preparation, before eating and after using restrooms or changing diapers. Be careful what you touch. Hands transmit germs. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing by washing with soap and water or cleaning with an alcohol-based hand cleaner. Get plenty of rest, eat properly, and dress appropriately for the weather. When ill, prevent the spread of germs by staying home from school or the workplace, if possible. Return to work only after being fever free for 24 hours, without the use of fever reducers. During flu season, minimize time in crowded areas, such as shopping centers, and avoid contact with those at high risk for the flu, such as the elderly and those with chronic illness. If over the age of 65, pregnant, or if you have a chronic illness or disease, talk with your doctor about a flu and pneumonia vaccination.