A Message From CARE, Inc: Louisiana Office of Public Health to Hold Special Patient Vaccination Day on December 13, 2018

BATON ROUGE, La., December 10, 2018 (Newswire.com) - ​As one of the longest-serving and largest home care service providers in Louisiana, CARE, Inc. is committed to providing exceptional care, advice and counseling for the retired, elderly, disabled, and those with special needs – especially when it comes to taking better preventative measures for improved health. With the increased diagnosis of the virus trending up throughout Louisiana each year, CARE encourages all employees, clients and their families to be vaccinated against the Influenza or ‘the flu,’ virus for free at the East Baton Rouge Public Health Unit on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018.

According to the Louisiana Office of Public Health, the flu causes approximately 500 deaths and nearly 3,000 hospitalizations each year in Louisiana alone. Additionally, in Louisiana last year, there were more than 15,000 hospitalizations and more than 1,600 deaths from the flu. Since Influenza is common, can make you very ill, and occasionally results in death, CARE is committed to aiding the Office of Public Health spread the word about the virus and how you can protect against it. Here’s a quick run-down of the virus:

·        Influenza is a serious respiratory disease that kills an average of 36,000 persons and hospitalizes more than 200,000 persons in the United States each year.

·        You are likely to be exposed to the influenza virus through the community, at your school, or in the workplace.

·        If you contract influenza, you will shed, or release, the virus for 24-48 hours before influenza symptoms appear. The shedding of the virus can spread the influenza disease to patients, to colleagues, and family. Even when your symptoms are mild or non-existent, you can spread severe illness to others.

·        The strains of virus that cause influenza infection change almost every year. A different influenza vaccine is recommended each year.

The Office of Public Health has also provided CARE, Inc., with some useful tips every Louisianian should be aware of for family protection:

·        Wash your hands frequently throughout flu season, especially before eating and touching your face.

·        Sneeze and cough into your elbow to avoid spreading illnesses to those around you.

·        Most importantly, all employees should get an influenza vaccination to protect colleagues and family members from its complications, and death. Not being vaccinated could have life-threatening consequences to your health and the health of those with whom you have contact, including co-workers, family and your community.

Lastly, the Louisiana Office of Public Health invites everyone to get their flu shot for free this year! The Department of Health Office will hold a special, no cost to the patient vaccination day on Thursday, Dec. 13 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the East Baton Rouge Public Health Unit. CARE, Inc., encourages all employees and clients as well as their families to participate in the vaccination day.

For a full list of sites participating in this vaccination day, visit ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/subhome/16.

Source: CARE, Inc.

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