Sep 11, 2013 4 min read

Don’t forget your flu shot!

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. There are two types of flu virus that cause seasonal influenza in humans, influenza A and B. Both viruses are constantly mutating and changing as they spread through a population and new strains of flu appear almost every year. Sometimes a major genetic change occurs that then causes a global disease outbreak, or pandemic. In the United States, flu season can range from November to as late as May. In the recent past, flu activity has most commonly peaked in February.

The flu is different from a cold. The symptoms and possible complications are more severe. The influenza viruses may cause a fever, headache, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, body aches, and a feeling of being ill and without energy.

Over the last 30 years, in the United States, there have been thousands of flu-related deaths – a low estimate is 3,000 but experts suggest that it could be as high as 49,000 – and people 65 and over make up approximately 90 percent of its victims.

Older people, young children, and people with chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for influenza-related complications, which is why there is an annual push to promote flu shots for persons:

• 50 or older, residents of long-term care facilities housing persons with chronic medical conditions;

• who have a long-term health problem with heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, metabolic disease such as diabetes, asthma, anemia and other blood disorders;

• who have weakened immune systems due to HIV/AIDS or other diseases that affect the immune system, long term treatment with drugs such as steroids, cancer treatment with X-rays or drugs;

• who are 6 months to 18 years old on long-term aspirin treatment;

• who are past the third month of pregnancy during the flu season; and

• who are physicians, nurses, family members, or anyone else coming in close contact with people at risk.

If you ever had a serious allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous dose of influenza vaccine, or if you have a history of Guillain Barré Syndrome, you should talk with your doctor before you take the vaccine. If you are ill at the time the shot is scheduled, you should also talk with your doctor or nurse about whether to reschedule the vaccination.

The following flu shot sites have been established in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging service area. For more information on sites administering shots, call your local senior center or the Area Agency on Aging.

Centerville Clinics Sites:

• Bobtown Satellite Center, 10:30 to 11 a.m. Oct. 8

• Carmichaels Senior Center, 9 to 10 a.m. Oct. 8

• Clarksville Community Center, 9 to 10 a.m. Oct. 1

• Eldercare Adult Day Care, 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 10

• Jefferson Satellite Center, 9 to 10 a.m. Oct. 9

• Mt. Morris Senior Center, 10:30 to 11 a.m. Oct. 9

• Waynesburg Community Center, 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 10

• West Greene Senior Center, 9:30 to 10 a.m. Oct. 10

• Greene County Senior Expo at Greene County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 4

Centerville Clinics Sites:

• Bentleyville Senior Center, 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 25

• Beth-Center Senior Center, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 18

• Center in the Woods, California, 9 to 11 a.m. Sept. 25

• Riverside Place, Charleroi, 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 25

Cornerstone Care Sites:

• Bellemeade Apartments, Washington, 1:15 to 3 p.m. Sept. 26

• Burgettstown Senior Center, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13

• Burgettstown Senior High Rise, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 25

• Canonsburg Senior Center, 9 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 18

• Cross Creek Senior Center, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 24

• Heritage House, Houston, 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 18

• McDonald/Cecil Senior Center, 9 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 24

• McGuffey Senior Center, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 23

• Midway Senior Center, 9 to 11 a.m. Sept. 16

• Washington Senior Center 9:15 a.m. to noon Sept. 26

• Washington County Senior Expo, Washington Crown Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 19

Community Provider:

• Peters Township, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 21