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Show Flu -$ho-CUmcs Slated For Garfield Next Week Swine Flu shots will be given to residents of Garfield County ages 18 and over, Tuesday and Wednesday in the following areas: Panguitch Tuesday, 3 to 8 p.m. at the Panguitch Social Hall. Tropic Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Tropic Cultural Hall. Escalante Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Escalante cultural hall. The following questions and answers from the Department of Health Education and Welfare, Public Health Service and Center for Disease Control explains some of the background and answers questions concerning the swine flu vaccinations. Flu has a special place in the history of epidemic diseases. Plague, small pox, yellow fever, typhus, and the classic scourges have now generally been controlled Flu, however has not. This is so because the virus which causes the disease changes its makeup so often that man cannot build up specific immunity to it. Once every ten years or so, there occurs what sicentists call a major antigenic shift. When this happens, the flu virus has changed so much that almost nobody has any immunity to it. The population is wide open, unprotected against infection. This happened in 1957 with what was called the Asian flu, and again in 1968 with Hong Kong flu. In both years, millions of Americans were sick within a period of a few months. Scientists have now Identified a swine flu virus which represents a major antigenic shift from viruses currently circulating in the human population. The new strain was first identified in early 1976, following an outbreak of flu at Fort Dix, N.J. Several hundred recruits were infected and one died. Scientists do not know for certain if this virus will spread to the general population during the next flu season. If it does, it could cause a worldwide epidemic with extensive illness and death. There is no known cure for flu, although antibiotics are important for treating some of the complications of the disease. Vaccination before exposure to the disease is the only way an individual can protect himself. This year, the nation is carrying out an unprecedented effort by the public and private sectors to make vaccine available to all U.S. citizens. A vaccine to provide protection against swine flu will be available for persons 18 years of age and older who wish to take advantage of it. The vaccine is also expected to be made available to children following vaccine field trials which are currently underway. Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions about influenza: Q. How effective is the new swine influenza vaccine? A. Recently completed field trials showed that approximately 90 percent of persons oyer age 24 responded well to even the lowest dose of vaccine tested. While persons 18 through 24 had less favorable (Continued on Page 7) Flu Shots . . . 'Continued from Page 1 1 rponse. the trials showed that round S3 percent of persons In J ge group can expect to vlop some Immunity following a single dose of vaccine. Additional trials, now underway, are expected to determine a satisfactory age level for children and we advisability of a second dose vaccine for persons under age 25. Q Will the flu vaccine make me ill? A. Most people will have no side effects from the vaccine. About 3 percent may experience some minor discomfort for a short period, such as low grade fever. No serious side effects developed among the more than 5,000 persons who participated In field trials for the swine flu vaccine. Extensive use of flu vaccines during the past 20 years has shown that it has rarely, if ever, been associated with severe reactions. Moreover, flu vaccines of recent years have been less likely to cause even mild side effects than earlier vaccines. Q. Can I get flu from the vaccine? A. The flu vacdne contains a virus that has been killed. No one will get flu from taking the vaccine. Because the virus used In making the vaccine Is grown in eggs, people who are highly allergic to eggs should not take it. Q. What can I do for protection if I am allergic to eggs? A. Persons known to be hypersensitive to egg protein should be given a skin test or other allergy-evaluating test using the swine flu vaccine as the antigea Many of those who are allergic may be safely vaccinated under the care of physician experienced In dealing with allergies. Even If an Individual cannot take the flu vaccine, he will get some benefit from the mass vac-dnation program. This is so because the unvacdnated will be living In a more protected population and therefore will be less likdy to be exposed to the disease. mmmmmmmmmmammmim |
