Smart Talk: Should Pennsylvanians be concerned about virus?; Needs for your community?

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, September 18, 2014:

Now that school has started and temperatures are getting cooler, illnesses like flu and colds will be spreading.

That’s why you’ll be encouraged to get a flu shot in the next few weeks.

One illness that has already made its way to Pennsylvania and has many people concerned is related to the enterovirus — EV-D68. The Pennsylvania Department of Health has confirmed several cases of the sickness in the Philadelphia and Erie areas.

EV-D68 is rare and has no known cure. It’s been identified in 11 others states by the Centers for Disease Control.

EV-D68 often results in severe coughing, wheezing, and low oxygen levels.

Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Carrie DeLone appears on Smart Talk Thursday to discuss EV-D68, other respiratory illnesses and a recent case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Also, a Keystone Crossroads public forum is scheduled for WITF’s Public Media Center Monday evening to address the challenges facing Pennsylvania’s cities and other communities. Public input into what issues that are of concern will be solicited.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, WITF’s Public Media News Director Tim Lambert and Keystone Crossroads Editor Naomi Starobin and reporter Emily Previti will discuss the project and be open to suggestions for stories about the state’s communities as well.