Copy of May 2011 - Lazyfish Technology

May 2011 Kangaroo Valley Voice www.kangaroovalley.nsw.au Page 30
Flu vaccine;
who needs it
Each year in Australia,
influenza causes an
estimated 3,000 deaths in
older people.
There are also the economic
costs to the community of
over one and a half million lost work days,
300,000 doctor visits and 18,000 people
admitted to hospital.
However, it’s not just older people who are
affected by the flu. The fact is, rates of flu
infection are highest among young children;
although children under the age of five are less
likely to show typical symptoms of the flu –
the fever and the cough – so you may not know
that your child has actually contracted the
infection.
Most children generally cope pretty well with
the flu but young children are especially
vulnerable to new strains of the flu such as the
“swine flu” which was first identified in 2009.
Their underdeveloped immune systems can’t
manage the invading virus.
So the flu virus picks its victims, singling out
those people least able to resist the adverse
effects. The greatest concern for doctors and
patients alike is the danger, not just of the flu
itself, but of severe complications such as
pneumonia and the effect of influenza on
existing medical conditions.
People with chronic heart, kidney or lung
disease, diabetes or other long-term illnesses
are particularly at risk. The stress caused by
influenza can worsen these conditions and
even cause premature death.
Today, prevention is our major weapon against
influenza. You can help protect yourself by
making sure your lifestyle is healthy with
regular exercise you enjoy and a daily diet that
includes the widest possible variety of foods.
And, of course, annual vaccination against the
flu is recommended for all people in high risk
categories.
Everyone 65 years or older should have the flu
vaccine. As well, at any age, you should be
vaccinated if you have an ongoing illness such as
diabetes, kidney disease, asthma, heart or
circulation problems, or compromised immunity
as a result of HIV, cancer or longer-term steroid
use.
Now there is also a special effort to ensure
people who might spread the infection to the
above groups are vaccinated.
This includes health workers – doctors, dentists,
nurses, pharmacists, carers and even children.
There is now mounting evidence that widespread
vaccination of children against influenza slashes
infection rates in both children and the more
vulnerable elderly.
This year, however, only certain brands of flu
vaccine are recommended for children under 10
years of age (following evidence of some
adverse effects in young children last year with a
particular brand of vaccine). Your doctor or
pharmacist can give you more details.
The formulation of influenza vaccine for use in
Australia is determined by the Australian
Influenza Vaccine Committee based on
information and recommendations from the
World Health Organization (WHO). The
composition of the 2011 vaccine is similar to last
year’s and includes killed strains of the viruses
first identified in Brisbane in 2008 and in Perth
in 2009 as well as the so-called H 1 N 1 swine flu.
As in previous years the Australian Government
will provide flu vaccine free of charge to
everyone 65 years plus and the “free allocation”
has been extended to include pregnant women,
indigenous people 15 years and over, all
residents of nursing homes and long care
facilities and anyone six months of age and over
with a condition “pre-disposing to severe
influenza illness” – such as heart or lung
diseases.
You can get more advice about whether the flu
vaccine is right for you from pharmacies around
Australia providing the Self Care health
information. Phone the Pharmaceutical Society
(PSA) on 1 300 369 772 for the nearest location,
or visit the website at www.psa.org.a and click
on Self Care Pharmacy Finder.
John Bell
AM BPharm FRPharmSFACPP MSHP
KANGAROO VALLEY PHARMACY
SHOP 2 / 162 MOSS VALE RD.
PH. (02) 4465 2772 FAX (02) 4465 2773
OPEN 6 DAYS: MON-FRI 9 am to 5 pm
SAT 9 am to 1 pm
For all your Prescriptions and all Pharmaceutical Requisites.
NATIO (Natural Australian Beauty) COSMETICS
Tired of misplacing your scripts.....
We can take care of your prescriptions in our filing system.
See us about the Webster-pak System that sets out all tablets and capsules in
blister packs for each time of the day, for each day of the week.
COME IN AND SAY HELLO TO JAN & DAN COLE
AT YOUR PHARMACY
Can you
walk
THE walk
Young people are wanted to trek the
Kokoda Track
Does trekking through mud and rain,
across mountain ranges up to 7,000 feet
above sea level while having a 20kg pack
strapped to your back seem like an
opportunity of a lifetime
ClubsNSW is offering two people between the
ages of 16 and 22 the chance to walk the
Kokoda Track as part of the 2011 Kokoda
Youth Leadership Challenge.
More than 100 young people have already
completed the program, now in its 7th year and
applications have opened for the 2011 trek
which this year will take place between
September 26 and October 7.
ClubsNSW CEO Anthony Ball said it will be a
difficult task to choose the two lucky young
people based on last years’ experience.
More than 1,000 people applied in 2010 with
more expected this year.
“We are not just looking for a young person
who is up to the physical and mental
challenges Kokoda is renowned for.
We will be looking for someone with great
leadership qualities who has already made
great contributions to their local community.
“The chosen two will fly with other successful
young people from across Australia to Papua
New Guinea where they will walk an extended
version of the Kokoda Track, which at 155
kms, is 61 kms further than the usual arduous
route.
‘’Everything from flights, accommodation,
meals, and hiking boots will be provided-the
only thing participants need to do is training to
get a very high level of fitness.’’
Prudence Mewburn, 20, who was selected and
completed the Challenge last year, said it gave
her a bigger appreciation for her great uncle
and late father who both served in the war.
‘’They both enlisted at 16- I can’t get over the
level of maturity they must have had,’’ she
said.
‘’As much as I struggled, the soldiers faced
greater adversity, some younger than me- the
opportunity renewed my enthusiasm to help
my community.’’
At the completion of the ten day trek, the
group will visit the Bomana War Cemetery.
The cemetery contains 3,819 Commonwealth
burials from WWII, 702 of them still
unidentified.
For more information or to obtain an
application form, please visit
www.clubsnsw.com.au/kokoda
or email kokoda@clubsnsw.com.au.
Applications close Sunday 8 May, 11.59pm.
“Our readers write”
contributions always welcome
thevoice@kangaroovalley.nsw.au