Page 7 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 10-16-15
P. 7
Thunderbolt NEWS Oct. 16, 2015 7
http://www.luke.af.mil Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt
Flu season in full swing — get vaccinated
6WRU\DQGSKRWRE\$LUPDQVW&ODVV 6HQLRU$LUPDQ.D\OHLJK/\EEHUWWK0HGLFDO2SHUD- it and produces antibodies against it that will later allow
RIDGE SHAN WLRQV6TXDGURQPHGLFDOWHFKQLFLDQDGPLQLVWHUVDÀX your body to kill live virus. That’s how you gain immunity.”
VKRW2FWDW/XNH$LU)RUFH%DVH7KHWK0'26LV
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ¿JKWLQJDJDLQVWWKHVSUHDGRIWKHÀXWKLVVHDVRQZLWKD 7KH ÁX LV VSUHDG E\ PDQ\ GLIIHUHQW ,QÁXHQ]D YLUXVHV
some more common than others, and most of them con-
Cooler weather and browning leaves harken the onset series of vaccination drives. Vaccinations are the most stantly changing. Fortunately, the MDOS is equipped to
of autumn, but so too does a runny nose and sore throat. LPSRUWDQWSDUWRIWKHWK0'26¶VHIIRUWVWRSUHYHQW counter this threat.
WKHVSUHDGRIWKHÀXWKLVVHDVRQ7KHQDVDOPLVWYDF-
7KH ÁX LV D FRQWDJLRXV UHVSLUDWRU\ LOOQHVV FDXVHG E\ FLQDWLRQZLOODOVREHDGPLQLVWHUHG “We carry the quadrivalent vaccine, which protects against
LQÁXHQ]D YLUXVHV WKDW LQIHFW WKH QRVH WKURDW DQG OXQJV IRXURIWKHVWUDLQVRIWKHLQÁXHQ]DYLUXVZKLFKDUHSUHGLFWHG
It can cause mild to severe illness and at times can lead were actually the case, a lot more of these people would be to be the most prevalent this season,” Banghart said.
to death. It spreads around the world every year, typically ending up in a hospital.”
between the months of October and May, according to the In combination with healthy sanitation practices like
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. $VWKHÁXVHDVRQEHJLQVWRVZHHSDFURVVWKHQDWLRQLQ washing your hands often and covering your mouth when
full effect, the Air Force is stepping up its efforts to combat sneezing or coughing, getting a vaccination is one of the
´7KHÁXLVPRVWRIWHQVSUHDGE\FRXJKLQJVQHH]LQJRU VLFNQHVVDQGPDLQWDLQDKHDOWK\DQGUHDG\ÀJKWLQJIRUFH most important things you can do to help prevent the spread
close contact,” said Senior Airman Cassandra Saunders, These efforts are among the top of the 56th Medical Opera- RIWKHÁX
56th Medical Operations Squadron aerospace medical tions Group’s priorities here at Luke, where MDOS Airmen
technician. “You touch your nose, you touch your mouth, DUHSUHSDULQJWRÀJKWWKHÁXWKURXJKERWKDFDPSDLJQIRU “Getting vaccinated will not only protect you, it will pro-
and then you touch something that someone else touches awareness and a drive to vaccinate as many base personnel tect others as well,” Saunders said. “If you get the disease,
and they touch their nose or mouth and suddenly you’ve and community members as possible. chances are good you’ll pass it on to someone else too. There
just spread the disease.” are immuno-compromised people out there who can’t get the
´7KHÁXYDFFLQHLVQRGLIIHUHQWIURPDQ\RWKHUYDFFLQHµ vaccine, say because they are on chemotherapy treatments,
$ YDULHW\ RI V\PSWRPV DUH EURXJKW RQ E\ WKH ÁX LQ- Banghart said. “A vaccine is an inactivated virus. We ex- and you’re putting them at risk by not getting the vaccine.”
cluding fever, chills, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, pose your immune system to it and then your body attacks
cough, headache, and runny or stuffy nose. Many of these Each year, thousands of people in the United States die
symptoms are common in other illnesses, however, and can IURPWKHÁX7KH&'&UHFRPPHQGVWKDWHYHU\RQHUHFHLYH
PDNHWKHÁXGLIÀFXOWIRUXQWUDLQHGLQGLYLGXDOVWRGLDJQRVH DGRVHRIÁXYDFFLQHHDFKVHDVRQ
$GGLWLRQDOO\WKHÁXFDQOHDGWRPRUHGDQJHURXVFRQGLWLRQV
like pneumonia and blood infections, and can even cause “Don’t be afraid of the needle,” Saunders said. “It’s better
diarrhea and seizures in children. to get poked once by a needle now to build immunity than
to have to get poked and prodded repeatedly for bloodwork,
´7KHLQÁXHQ]DYLUXVFDQDFWXDOO\EHGHDGO\HVSHFLDOO\IRU and medication, and IVs in order to combat the disease
young children, elderly patients, or anyone whose immune after you’ve contracted it.”
system is compromised,” said Staff Sgt. Justin Banghart,
56th MDOS allergy and immunizations NCO in charge. 7KHWK0'26ZLOOEHFRQGXFWLQJEDVHZLGHÁXVKRW
“It should not be confused with the common cold. A lot of and vaccine drives noon to 4 p.m. Monday and Oct. 28,
SHRSOH VD\ ZKHQ WKH\ JHW VLFN WKH\ KDYH WKH ÁX ,I WKDW and 7 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the base theater. The vac-
cination is free for enlisted Luke Airmen and will require
YDOLGPLOLWDU\LGHQWLÀFDWLRQ
30-Day Tire Price-Match SERVIC%
