Monthly Archives: January 2018

Here’s what to do if you get sick with the flu

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No one wants to get the flu. The contagious respiratory illness can range from being mild to severe and can cause you to miss work or school. It also can lead to hospitalization — or even death.

The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each year.

In the unfortunate event that you get sick with flu symptoms, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with the flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are in a high risk group, or are very sick or worried about your illness, contact your health care provider.

The CDC recommends you follow these steps if you get sick:

Take Antivirals Drugs, if prescribed by a doctor. Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) and are not available over-the-counter. They can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. It’s very important that antiviral drugs be used early to treat people who are very sick with the flu (for example, people who are in the hospital) and people who are sick with the flu and have a greater chance of getting serious flu complications, either because of their age or because they have a high risk medical condition.

 Take everyday precautions to protect others.

  • Limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. Call in sick from work and stay at home from school if you must; your coworkers and classmates will be thankful.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

Stay home until you are better.

  • If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. When you return to work or school you should no longer need medicine to reduce your fever.

Visit the CDC’s website for more information for people who are sick.

DHEC in the News: Opioids, smoking, flu

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Here’s a look at health and environmental news from around South Carolina.

Florence VA addresses opioid issues among veterans

FLORENCE COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – The Pee Dee Area Veterans Advisory Council held a forum on the opioid epidemic Tuesday morning.

Veterans, caregivers and others gathered at the Florence County Veterans Affairs building to learn more about the dangers of opioid and possible alternatives.

Smoking cost runs high in South Carolina

To encourage the estimated 36.5 million tobacco users in the U.S. to kick the dangerous habit, the personal finance website WalletHub calculated the potential monetary losses — including the lifetime and annual costs of a cigarette pack per day, health care expenditures, income losses and other costs — brought on by smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. The news for South Carolina smokers is not good.

General Interest

School closes for remainder of week due to flu outbreak

CLARENDON COUNTY, SC (WIS) – A school in Clarendon County will close its doors for a week after a number of students and staff members contracted the flu.

Officials say Clarendon Hall will be closed from January 24-26 after several people within the school tested positive for the influenza virus.

Here’s How Health Care Workers Can Protect Themselves As Well As Older Adults And The Chronically Ill From The Flu

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Given the widespread flu activity in South Carolina and across the nation, it is important for vulnerable populations, such as people 65 and older and those living with chronic medical conditions, to get vaccinated.

The flu is a serious health threat to people in those groups, who account for the majority of flu hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you live with or care for high-risk persons, it is important to take steps to protect yourself and those you care for during flu season.

Health care staff should get vaccinated 

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the flu, and DHEC and the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated annually.

It is recommended that health care workers be vaccinated against the flu. Some employers require vaccination. Staff in doctors’ offices, hospitals and long-term care facilities have direct or indirect contact with patients.  Health care staff are at risk not only of becoming infected with influenza at work, but also of spreading it to patients and coworkers.

It’s important for staff to get vaccinated

Vaccination of long-term health care staff is especially important because most of their patients are elderly or have chronic health issues and are at higher risk of flu complications.  Residents and staff in long-term care facilities often have regular close contact.  According to the CDC, studies show that during a confirmed influenza outbreak in a long-term care facility, up to one in three residents and one in four staff develop an influenza-like illness.

Visit the CDC’s website to see how to improve vaccination coverage among long-term health care personnel. Visitors at the website also can access an influenza toolkit for long-term care employers.

You can still get a flu shot

It’s not too late to get your flu vaccine!  Even if you don’t have a regular health care provider the flu vaccine is available in many settings. In addition to DHEC clinics, many local providers — including doctors’ offices, clinics, pharmacies, college health centers, schools and workplaces — now offer flu vaccines. DHEC encourages everyone to find the facility that works best for them.

Flu vaccines offered at DHEC Health Department clinics are available by appointment. Call 1-800-868-0404 to make an appointment or go to scdhec.gov/flu/FluClinics to find the location closest to you. For more information about the flu, visit scdhec.gov/flu.

DHEC in the News: Focus On The Flu

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Here’s a look at health and environmental news from around South Carolina.

Good Question: Is it too late to get a flu shot?

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) – Nine deaths in just one week.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control says that’s how many people died from the flu in South Carolina between January 7 and January 13.

In all, 24 people have died of flu-related complications in the state since flu season started in October.

CDC: Flu season deadly for many SC residents, especially bad for kidney disease patients

It’s a fresh start to the year since flu season is finally over, right?
Wrong. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while seasonal flu outbreaks can start as early as October, they can last as late as May.
Since chronic kidney disease and dialysis patients already suffer from weak immune systems, they are at a high risk of catching the flu, which could lead to feeling miserable, hospitalization – along with an increased risk of infections and medical errors – and even death in some.

Aiken Regional hospital limits visitations amid peak flu season

Medical experts at Aiken Regional Medical Centers are providing important reminders amid this year’s flu season.

In an effort to help prevent the spread of influenza virus and other circulating respiratory illnesses, the Aiken hospital has implemented the clinically appropriate infection control precautions to keep not only visitors and patients healthy, but staff members, too.

“In response to the increasing number of influenza cases, Aiken Regional Medical Centers is temporarily restricting hospital visitation of friends and family age 12 and under,” according to a news release from ARMC. “The only exception is children under 12 years old are allowed to visit our Labor and Delivery area.”

Think flu season’s been rough in York County? Brace yourself: it hasn’t peaked yet.

ROCK HILL — Flu season hasn’t peaked yet in York County, according to Piedmont Medical Center infectious disease specialist Dr. Arash Poursina.

“Traditionally, in this part of the country, we peak sometime around February or the end of January,” he said. “I expect it to actually increase over the next few weeks.”

The hospital is full of flu patients with significant complications, many suffering from flu-related pneumonia, sepsis and respiratory failures, Poursina said.

“It’s been crazy this year,” he said.

School custodial staff extra busy with flu season in full swing

Horry County, SC (WPDE) — Florence districts and Horry County Schools report no abnormal numbers for flu cases so far this flu season.

“There’s always something to be wiped down, cleaned, vacuumed, there’s always something to do,” said Shannon Angelo, the custodial supervisor at River Oaks Elementary.

There is extra cleaning during flu season.

DHEC in the News: Flu, opioids, child vaccine rates

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Here’s a look at health and environmental news from around South Carolina.

9 Died from Flu in South Carolina Last Week Alone

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – State health officials say nine people have died from the flu in South Carolina in the past week.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control said the deaths during the second of January mean that two dozen people have died from influenza this season, which started in October.

General Interest

Walmart is giving away free opioid disposal kits

Walmart is trying to help curb America’s opioid crisis.

The retail chain said Wednesday that its pharmacies will offer a free kit that allows patients to safely throw out unused opioid prescription pills at home. The packet, called DisposeRx, dissolves pills into a biodegradable gel.

Child vaccine rates higher in South Carolina than national average even as more parents refuse

More than three-quarters of South Carolina children insured by BlueCross BlueShield received their recommended vaccines for measles, mumps, hepatitis B and other infectious diseases between 2010 and 2016, even as a growing number of parents refuse to vaccinate their children, a new national report shows.

In this state, 77.8 percent of these children were appropriately vaccinated, compared to 73.5 percent nationally.