Never mind that it's the middle of October and it's 85 degrees outside. Winter is coming, right? Well that's what they say, and with winter comes the flu. To head that off the County Department of Health is offering free flu shots to county residents. Information on the clinics is available on the department’s Web site, www.aahealth.org, and on the Flu Information Phone Line, 410-222-7343.
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend vaccinations for anyone who wants to prevent the flu, as well as certain priority groups. Priority groups are: persons 50 years of age and older; individuals with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, cancer and HIV/AIDS; children 6-59 months old; pregnant women; health care personnel who provide direct patient care; and household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 5 years old.
Both the injectable and nasal-spray vaccines will be provided at the Health Services Building clinics on November 13 and December 11. The nasal-spray vaccine is for healthy people ages 2 to 49. The nasal-spray flu vaccine is not for pregnant women.
Pneumococcal vaccine will be also available at all clinic locations. Pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for persons over 65 years old, for persons with chronic heart and pulmonary conditions, and particularly for persons who have lost their spleen or have sickle cell anemia. For most people, pneumococcal vaccine only needs to be given once in a lifetime.
Although immunizations are free, the Department appreciates donations to help pay the cost of administering the vaccines. The suggested donation is $20. Medicare Part B will cover the $20 donation for both flu and pneumococcal vaccines; however, individuals must bring their Medicare cards.
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
2007 FLU IMMUNIZATION CLINICS
October 22 - Pascal Senior Center, 125 Dorsey Road, Glen Burnie
9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
October 25 - Annapolis Senior Center, 119 South Villa Ave., Annapolis
9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
October 30 - O’Malley Senior Center, 1275 Odenton Road, Odenton
9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
November 3 - Owensville Primary Care Health Fair, 134 Owensville Road, West River
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
November 6 - South County Senior Center, 27 Stepneys Lane, Edgewater
9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
November 8 - Pasadena Senior Center, 4103 Mountain Road, Pasadena
9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
November 13 - Health Services Building, 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
November 27 - Maryland City Fire Station, 3498 Fort Meade Road, Laurel
9 a.m. to noon
November 28 - Glen Burnie Improvement Association, 19 Crain Highway South, Glen Burnie
9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
November 30 - Anne Arundel Community College, CALT Building, Room 100, 101 College Pkwy, Arnold
9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
December 4 - Orchard Beach Fire Station, 7549 Solley Road, Glen Burnie
9 a.m. to noon
December 6 - Arnold Senior Center, 44 Church Road, Arnold
9 a.m. to noon
December 10 - Brooklyn Park Senior Center, 202 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park
9 a.m. to noon
December 11 - Health Services Building, 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For additional information, call the Flu Line at 410-222-7343 or visit www.aahealth.org.
While asthma features obstruction to the flow of air out of the lungs, usually, the obstruction is reversible. Between "attacks" of asthma the flow of air through the airways typically is normal. These patients do not have COPD. However, if asthma is left untreated, the chronic inflammation associated with this disease can cause the airway obstruction to become fixed. That is, between attacks, the asthmatic patient may then have abnormal air flow. This process is referred to as lung remodeling. These asthma patients with a fixed component of airway obstruction are also considered to have COPD.
Posted by: pulmonary disease | Jan 13, 2010 at 03:37 PM