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Steubenville, Jeferson County health departments still have flu shots available as cases rise

Steubenville Health Commissioner Nicole Runco on Monday gave a flu vaccine to city plumbing inspector John Shanley. Runco said local officials have seen an increase in the number of patients hospitalized in January with flu symptoms. — Dave Gossett

STEUBENVILLE — Local health officials are seeing an increase in the number of flu cases resulting in hospitalization from December to January.

The local numbers are reflecting an increase in Ohio cases, according to the Bureau of Infectious Diseases of the Ohio Department of Health.

“We had one case in December where the patient was hospitalized compared with three cases so far in January,” reported Steubenville Health Commissioner Nicole Runco on Monday.

The flu season in Ohio generally lasts from October to May, with flu-associated hospitalizations typically peaking between December and February,” Runco said.

Jefferson County Health Department Director of Nursing Cindy Deavers said her department has recorded eight flu cases requiring hospitalization to date this month compared with four cases in December.

“Most of these flu cases are Type A and are generally older patients. The Steubenville Health Department still has the flu vaccine available and we still have flu vaccines available at the county health department in the Towers building on Market Street. It is not too late to get the flu vaccine,” stated Deavers.

The state health department issued a report this week citing 287 new confirmed flu-associated hospitalizations in Ohio last week compared with 157 cases the week before.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity is on the rise across the country and this trend is expected to continue for at least several more weeks.

Runco said the known flu cases that require hospitalization are limited to hospital statistics “because a lot of people may just go to their physician for treatment.”

“The influenza vaccination is the safest and most effective way to prevent the flu, except for infants younger than 6-months old who aren’t eligible to receive it. Vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits and missed work and school,” said Deavers.

“While vaccinations provide the greatest protection against the flu, other effective ways to avoid getting or spreading the flu include washing hands frequently or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer; covering coughs and sneezes with tissues, or coughing or sneezing into elbows; avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth; and staying home when sick and until fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication,” suggested Runco.

Symptoms of influenza can include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

The flu vaccination is available at most health care providers’ offices, local health departments and retail pharmacies, Runco added.

“There are no flu vaccine shortages across Ohio.The short time it will take to get a flu vaccine is much less than the time it will take you to recover from the flu,” noted Deavers.”

(Gossett can be contacted at dgossett@heraldstaronline.com.)

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