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October
12, 2004
Jameson Health System Responds to Flu Vaccine
Shortage
New Castle, PA – Due to the national
flu vaccine shortage, and to assist with meeting the needs of
those in the community most at risk, Jameson Health System has
canceled its flu shot clinics and developed a policy based on the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, to disseminate its
limited supply of vaccine. Jameson
will work with the local physicians to attempt to vaccinate those
identified by the physician as being at the highest risk, at
private flu shot clinics. Please
contact your local physician if you are at high risk.
Jameson will vaccinate health system
employees who provide direct patient care and volunteers meeting
the CDC guidelines. All
others need to contact their local physicians.
The supply is limited and will be administered on a first
come, first serve basis.
The CDC recommends vaccinating:
- Persons
65 years and over;
- Adults
and children with a chronic health condition – heart
disease, diabetes, kidney disease, asthma, cancer, or
HIV/AIDS;
- Children
aged 6 months – 23 months old;
- Women
who will be pregnant during the flu season;
- Residents
of nursing homes and long-term care facilities;
- Children
aged 6 months to 18 years on chronic aspirin therapy;
- Healthcare
workers involved in direct patient care;
- Out-of-home
caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6
months.
If you are not in one of these groups, you
should not get vaccinated, to allow those at highest risk to get a
shot.
Ways to prevent the flu include:
- Avoid
close contact – Avoid close contact with people who are
sick. When you
are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from
getting sick too.
- Stay
home when you are sick – If possible, stay home from
work, school, and errands when you are sick.
You will help prevent others from catching your
illness.
- Cover
your mouth and nose – cover your mouth and nose with a
tissue when coughing or sneezing.
It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
- Avoid
touching your eyes, nose, or mouth – Germs are often
spread when a person touches something that is contaminated
with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
During the flu season, Jameson will limit the
number of visitors in the hospital to reduce the potential spread
of the flu.
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