Flu outbreak slams county
BY LISA NEWELL Gulf Breeze News lisa@gulfbreezenews.com

Terry

Jennifer Terry learned the hard way the value of a free children’s flu vaccination.

As the public information officer for Santa Rosa County’s Health Department, she’s been advocating that the public take advantage of the free flu shots that are available for children under 18.

However, “I was a day late and a dollar short,” Terry said, and her 13-year-old son contracted the flu.

Now, the consequences are a bill for a trip to the emergency room, plus prescriptions for her son and for other members of the family to try to prevent them from contracting the virus.

Additionally, some people will miss work due to illness or to care for a loved one, adding to the cost of missing the vaccination.

Terry said the waiting room for the ER at Santa Rosa Medical Center was packed in the middle of the night, and doctors said there were at least seven flu diagnoses that night alone.

“It’s rampant,” Terry said of the illness.

Terry said this year’s strains, type A and type B, are occurring earlier than normal.

“The flu virus has visited us a couple of weeks early,” Terry said, a l t h o u g h there’s still plenty of time to get a flu shot. The flu shot will cover both of the strains being seen this year.

“We have plenty of vaccines for $20 or Medicare Part B,” Terry said, although the children’s vaccinations are free through a state grant. “Kids up to 18 are vaccinated free. Older children will require two doses.”

Sandy Johnston, Pensacola Beach Chamber director, has been trying to answer phones and handle customer requests all week due to illness among her employees.

“Both of my employees are sick. I’m having a lot of fun.” Johnston said.

The flu can cause mild to severe illness and at times lead to death, according to information on the Center for Disease Control website.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches and diarrhea and vomiting, especially in children.

The flu spreads from person to person in respiratory droplets when people who are infected cough or sneeze. People may become infected by touching something with the influenza virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. Healthy adults may be able to infect others one day before getting symptoms and up to five days after getting sick. Therefore, it is possible to give someone the flu before you know you are sick as well as while you are sick.

“It’s definitely not too late to get a shot,” Terry said, referring to the vaccines.

Vaccinations are available at the South Santa Rosa County Health Department at 5840 Gulf Breeze Parkway on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4 p.m. Cost for adults is $20 or Medicare Part B. To get more information, call the South Santa Rosa Health Department at (850) 934-4074.

“We’ve got an abundance of the adult vaccine,” Terry said. Adult vaccinations are also available at Midway Fire Department at 1322 College Parkway and Station 2 at 1801 Abercrombie Rd. Cost is $20 per person for adults over 18.

Terry said parents should make every effort to get their children vaccinated now while school is out and most extra-curricular activities are on hiatus.