I think the big question is whether we’ll all get a super hero Band-Aid after we get our flu shots this year.

Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen got that super hero Band-Aid on Monday after he rolled up his sleeve and took his annual shot in the arm. For the past three years, Lauzen has served as poster child for the Kane County Health Department’s campaign to remind folks that flu season has arrived.

What’s interesting is that there are benefits beyond the Band-Aid. Lauzen told the Public Health Committee on Wednesday morning that he was enlisted to the cause by Kane County Health Department Director Barb Jeffers, but now he can testify as a true believer.

“Barb said do it, so I did it,” Lauzen said. “The thing is, I used to come down with something every six to nine months, and now, for three years, no illness at all.”

Kane County Health Department Public Health Nurse Kathy Swedberg visited Lauzen in his office to administer the annual influenza vaccination. “She told me I hardly cried at all,” Lauzen said afterward.

The flu season runs from October through the end of April, and we usually see the most flu activity in January and February. The trouble is the “peak” can be unpredictable, sometimes coming earlier, sometimes later. Flu vaccine provided now will give protection throughout the season, Health Department Communications Coordinator Tom Schlueter said.

Influenza affects everyone differently; even healthy individuals can get the flu and it can be serious. By being vaccinated you can protect yourself from influenza and help to prevent spreading it to others.

At Wednesday’s Public Health Committee meeting, Jeffers underlined that coming to work when you’ve got the flu is simply a disservice to the people work with and the place you work.

“Influenza can be quite debilitating,” she said. “For those with compromised immune systems, it can be devastating. We have an opportunity to control it and minimize it — and that’s what these flu shots can do.”

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory disease that infects the nose, throat and lungs and can lead to serious complications (pneumonia and bronchitis), hospitalization or even death. Influenza is spread by coughing, sneezing, or nasal secretions.

Anyone can get influenza, but rates of infection are highest among children. The symptoms include fever, sore throat, chills, fatigue, cough, headache and muscle aches. Flu vaccinations are available at your primary care provider and many local pharmacies.

Even if you were vaccinated last year, it is important to get an annual flu shot because flu viruses are constantly changing and vaccines are usually updated from one season to the next to protect against the most recent and most commonly circulating viruses. A person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time and annual vaccination is needed for optimal protection.

Individuals with the following conditions are highly encouraged to get an annual flu shot:

• Young children
• Pregnant women
• Individuals who care for children younger than 6 months of age
• People with chronic health conditions such as heart, lung or, diabetes, or a weakened immune system.
• Healthcare workers
• People 65 years of age and older

Other diseases may get the headlines, but this is the start of the cold and flu season and the Kane County Health Department encourages everyone to take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones. More information about the flu, including local weekly flu activity reports, is available by visiting the “flu page” on the Health Department’s website.

In addition to receiving your flu vaccine, you can take these everyday preventative actions to help stop the spread of germs and prevent the flu:

• Clean your hands: Wash your hands with soap and warm water after coughing, sneezing or using the bathroom.
• Cover your nose and mouth: Use a tissue when coughing or sneezing; if you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow—not your hands.
• Contain your germs: Stay home if you have the flu. If you have fever or chills and a cough or sore throat, call your doctor.

SOURCE: Kane County Health Department