Thoughts from Rick Mercer!

That wraps up ‘favourite flu myths’ as reported by the ParaMed Flu Teams.

But before we move on… no one can sum up flu myths like Rick Mercer…  Check this out…   
  http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/Shows/The+Rick+Mercer+Report/ID/2310473107/
 

If your employer offers a flu shot clinic at your workplace we hope you’ll roll up your sleeve…

And isn’t it great that you may also be the one to improve the flu facts being bandied about your company’s water cooler.

 

Have a great flu-free flu season!

 Get it, Don’t Spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
Toronto, ON

MYTH #6: “I don’t trust that the flu vaccine is safe”

FACT: Flu vaccines have been given for more than 50 years and they have an excellent safety record. They are manufactured the same way each year following the highest safety standards and they are continually monitored for safety and effectiveness by the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

Get it, Don’t Spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
Kitchener, ON

MYTH #5: “I got a flu shot last year so I don’t need another one”

FACT: Your immunity from last year’s vaccine is gone as it lasts approx 6 months and so to protect yourself you will need another one. Also, the viruses that this year’s version of the flu vaccine gives protection against may have changed from last year.

Get it, Don’t Spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
St. Catherines, ON

MYTH #4: “I am healthy and I don’t need a flu vaccine. I have never had the flu.”

FACT: Even if you get the flu vaccine there are still reasons why you might have had flu like symptoms. You may have been exposed to a non-flu virus like the common cold. The flu vaccine can only prevent illnesses caused by the flu. Or you might have been exposed to the flu after you got vaccinated but before you built immunity which takes up to 2 weeks.
Get it, Don’t Spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
Kingston, ON

MYTH #3: “Wait a minute, I got a flu vaccine once and still got sick”.

FACT: Even if you get the flu vaccine there are still reasons why you might have had flu like symptoms. You may have been exposed to a non-flu virus like the common cold. The flu vaccine can only prevent illnesses caused by the flu. Or you might have been exposed to the flu after you got vaccinated but before you built immunity which takes up to 2 weeks.
Get it, Don’t Spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
Windsor, ON

MYTH #2: “But what if the flu vaccine makes me sick?”

FACT: The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu; it does not contain live flu virus. The most common side effects are a sore arm and achy feeling.

Get it, Don’t Spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
Mississauga, ON

MYTH #1: “Oh, the flu isn’t so bad… right?”

FACT: The flu is a serious contagious disease. Fever, chills, cough, runny eyes, stuffy nose, headaches, muscle aches, extreme weakness and fatigue are some of the symptoms that even healthy people can get. 

  Get it, Don’t spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
Ottawa, ON

Flu Myths or Flu facts!

Coming Soon:  Flu Shot Myths 101

Some employers offer their staff the convenience of receiving their flu shot at their workplace.  As a result, the flu shot becomes a popular chat item at the water cooler. This may not be the best place to get correct information about the shot.

 

To help out, we will soon be posting Flu Shot Myths and responses to the Myths by CDC / National Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

 

See how well your employees can spot what is fact and what is myth. For instance, “The flu vaccine can give you the flu? Fact or Myth?

But first we want to introduce 2013’s flu clinic program with a cartoon.
Get it, Don’t Spread it!

ParaMed Flu Team
Toronto, Ontario

WHO and the flu virus in humans

What does the World Health Organization say about Influenza virus infections in humans?

This information is of particular importance to individuals live with or who are pregnant, have children under the age of 6, live with people over the age of 65, have or live with people who have chronic illness such as diabetes, asthma, chronic bronchitis, other pulmonary diseases, heart disease, kidney disease (and the list goes on…..)

Seasonal influenza viruses circulate and cause disease in humans every year. In temperate climates diseases tend to occur seasonally in the winter months, spreading from person to person through sneezing, coughing or touching contaminated surfaces. Seasonal influenza viruses can cause mild to severe illness, even death, particularly in some high risk individuals. Persons at increased risk for severe disease includes pregnant women, the very young and very old, immune-compromised people, and people with chronic underlying medical conditions. Seasonal influenza viruses evolve continuously, which means that people can get infected multiple times throughout their lives. Therefore the components of seasonal influenza vaccines are reviewed frequently (currently twice a year) and updated periodically.

 World Health Organization July 2013

http://www.who.int/wer/2012/wer8747.pdf

Composition of the 2013-2014 flu vaccine

World Health Organization, February 21, 2013

The recommended composition of influenza virus trivalent vaccines for use in the 2013-2014 northern hemispheres (winter) influenza season contain the following:

•  A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09 like virus
•  A(H3N2) virus antigenically like the cell propagated prototype virus A/Victoria/361/2011
•  B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus

Arming yourself with information is the first

Are Health Care Workers Who Decline Flu Shots Irresponsible?

Scientific American article noting that more than a third of U.S. health care employees were not vaccinated last flu season. Research shows that the unvaccinated staff are at risk of getting sick--and passing that infection on to at-risk patients.

Many of those in the health care field who opted not to get the shot did not think that the vaccine "was worth the time and expense" or that it could "protect them and the persons around them from the disease," according to a recent CDC report. About 40 percent of the health workers who did not get vaccinated said that they did not consider influenza a serious threat to the health of people around them—and about 55 percent said that they did not think the vaccine would protect those around them.

Unvaccinated health care staffers are second only to unvaccinated adults living with kids in their likelihood of coming down with the flu. About 18.7 percent of unvaccinated health workers versus 24 percent of unvaccinated adults with children in the home get the flu each year, according to Allison McGeer, a microbiologist and infectious disease consultant at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. McGeer notes that there is "no question in my mind, from a scientific point of view, that no one should be working in health care without being vaccinated." 

Work Place Flu Clinic Program

Did you know? According to Health Canada, 10 to 25% of Canadians may get the flu each year. Although most of these people recover completely, an estimated 4,000 to 8,000 Canadians, mostly seniors, die every year from pneumonia related to flu and many others may die from other serious complications of flu.

Influenza is a common respiratory illness affecting millions of Canadians each year and many employers recognize that this is a significant cause of lost work time. Influenza has a propensity to spread rapidly in closed working environments, leaving several employees off sick at the same time and the remainder struggling to cope with the increased workload. The best way to prevent influenza and limit its spread within the workplace is to offer the opportunity for employees to get a flu shot. The most convenient and cost-effective place to immunize employees is at the worksite.

Workplace Flu Shot Clinics Benefits to Organization

• Decrease the spread of influenza to co-workers

• Decrease employee absenteeism by reducing time lost from work

• Decrease short-term disability claims

• Reduce cost of replacement personnel

• Increase productivity
  
• Minimize disruption of routine activities and programs

Workplace Flu Shot Clinics Benefits to Employees

• Provide an opportunity to receive the flu vaccine in a convenient location

• Decrease the risk of catching the virus by approximately 75%

• Decrease the spread of flu to family members

• Increase the chances of having a "flu-free" Christmas and winter vacation

Flu Clinic Questions

How do I organize my company’s flu clinic?

It’s virtually one stop shopping…call our flu team and we’ll begin the arrangements. 1-866-512-5629 or OnSiteFluShots

What information will you need from my company?

We will ask for:
Your preferred clinic dates
The total number of employees in your company
The number of employees that will be receiving the flu shot

Why do you need to know the number of total employees?

We use a simple guide to help you approximate the attendance of your clinic. On average 25% of your employees will want the flu shot.

How many employees can be immunized in an hour?

10-12 participants an hour. Safety is paramount; this gives the nurse ample time to meet with your employee to review and discuss the consent form, answer any questions and give the flu shot.

What may our company do to help create a successful flu shot clinic?

Give your employees plenty of notice for the upcoming clinic:

Posters: Post throughout your facility with clinic information (date, time, location). Download our Flu Tool Kit to obtain your poster
Email Alerts: Use emails alerts to announce and remind employees of upcoming flu shot clinic.
Appointment Booking Sheet: Have your employees choose their appointment times on a booking sheet. Download our Flu Tool Kit for an appointment booking sheet

When may I book my flu clinic?

You can reserve your spot and pre-book your flu clinic now. Call 1-866-512-5629 or email us at OnSiteFluShots@paramed.com. Flu clinics are delivered between mid-October and December depending on the availability of the publicly funded vaccine.

How much does an onsite flu clinic cost?

The cost varies depending on the number of employees you wish to vaccinate and where the clinic is being held. Flu clinics are reasonably priced as the cost of the vaccine is publicly funded. For more info on cost, please contact ParaMed at 1-866-512-5629 or email OnSiteFluShots@paramed.com

What happens if I need to cancel or re-schedule my flu shot clinic?

ParaMed requires a minimum of 48 hours notice to cancel or re-schedule a flu clinic.

Workplace Flu Shots Clinics

Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that spreads easily in workplaces. The best protection against it is immunization (flu shot). Workplaces can help employees and their families by organizing workplace influenza immunization clinics this fall. It's easier than you might think and it's cost effective¹. Research conducted by Buffet Taylor² showed workplace immunization programs as providing employers with a return on investment of over $60 for each worker vaccinated.

Know the facts about influenza and its impact on your employee's health. Get informed by visiting credible websites such as:

• www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/vpd-mev/influenza-eng.php
• www.influenza.cpha.ca

Source:  Workplace Clinics

National Immunization Awareness Week 2011

National Immunization Awareness Week 2011 / Semaine nationale de promotion de la vaccination 2011

Immunization is successful and effective

Immunization is one of the most successful and effective health interventions. Immunization has reduced morbidity and mortality across the world in a safe and cost-effective manner. It is an important investment for all countries. From infants to senior citizens, immunization prevents debilitating illness, disability and death from vaccine-preventable diseases. Moreover, the benefits of immunization are increasingly being extended to adolescents and adults, providing protection against life-threatening diseases such as influenza, meningitis, and cancers that occur in adulthood.

Related links

http://www.who.int/immunization/newsroom/events/immunization_week_2011/en/index.html

http://www.who.int/immunization/en/index.html

http://www.ammi.ca/pdf/news_April25_11b.pdf

Click on the link and check out this information from The Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.fightflu.ca/howdoyoufightflu-eng.html

Seasonal Influenza is a serious infection How can you tell the difference between flu (influenza) and the common cold?

http://www.msss.gouv.qc.ca/sujets/prob_sante/influenza/index.php?influenza_cest_quoi_en#symptoms

Alberta’s Seasonal Influenza Immunization Programs for 2011

In February 2011, ParaMed was part of a group of 55 participants who met with Alberta Health Services to discuss Alberta’s Seasonal Influenza Immunization Programs for 2011 and beyond.

“How can we best deliver a quality seasonal influenza immunization program in Alberta in 2011-2012 and beyond to reach the largest number of Albertans?”

The key messages to come from this group of diverse participants were:

• Challenges – decreased demand, vaccine and disease myths, lack of public interest and lack of collaboration amongst all stakeholders involved in flu program
  
  
• Opportunity – Immunization is the most cost effective health intervention of the 21^st century, we need to work together to improve access and increase immunization rates
  
  
• How to do this – communication plan to increase knowledge, roles and responsibilities, expectations and guiding principals
  
  
• How to do this – collaborative partnerships between Alberta Health Services, Alberta Health and Wellness, community service providers, pharmacists, physicians, colleges, hospitals and Health Canada.
  
• How to do this – target specific populations with appropriate messages, through existing and new media
  
  
• How to do this- enhance the program, sustainability, use data and technology solutions, training , process mapping, alternative distribution models and quality and standards.
  
  
• The Payoff – healthier population, quality, cost effective program, increased access, increased immunization  rates, stronger partnerships

What's the difference between a cold and the flu?

What's the difference between a cold and the flu?
http://resources.cpha.ca/CCIAP/data/176e.pdf

Handwashing with soap and water

To wash hands properly, rub all parts of the hands and wrists with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand

rub. Wash hands for at least 15 seconds or more. Pay special attention to fingertips, between fingers, backs

of hands and base of the thumbs.

• Keep nails short • Wash wrists and forearms if they are likely to have

• Remove watches, rings and bracelets been contaminated

• Do not use artificial nails • Make sure that sleeves are rolled up and do not get

• Avoid chipped nail varnish wet during washing

Source: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/pubhealth/pdf/handwash_tech.pdf

Cold and flu season in Canada runs from November until April

Influenza (or the flu) is a common respiratory illness that affects millions of Canadians each year. The flu can cause a range of problems from a few sick days, to hospitalization and even death. The seasonal flu vaccine is the most effective method of preventing influenza that Canadians have access to every year, in time for the flu season.

Certain groups should not be vaccinated. These include children under six months of age and people who have had an allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous dose of the flu vaccine.

Regular hand washing is another way to help minimize your risk. By washing your hands often, you will reduce your chance of becoming infected after touching contaminated surfaces.

If you get the flu, you should increase the amount of fluids you drink (water, juice, soups) and get plenty of rest for seven to ten days. You may also wish to speak to your health care provider about medications to treat the flu. If you take them within 48 hours of the start of your symptoms, they may reduce the length of your illness by an average of one or two days. For more information on the flu, see the It's Your Health article on the Health Canada Web site.

Source: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2007/2007_166-eng.php