Flu Shot Clinic Next Week

With all the talk of MRSA, the antibiotic-resistant staph infection, that's been going on recently, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that it's a relatively routine thing. The spread of nearly any infection can be controlled by simple things such as proper hand washing. But what's getting lost in the MRSA hype is a fact pointed out by state health officials yesterday. Another common medical occurrence -- the flu -- kills more than twice as many people each year as MRSA -- and that's including the people who die from MRSA in hospitals, where the bacteria is much stronger.

Already, cases of influenza have been reported in California, Florida, Minnesota, Indiana and several other states. Is North Carolina ready? Vaccination rates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that too few in the state have been vaccinated against the disease. Many Americans recommended by the CDC for flu vaccinations do not even realize they are at risk. Of those that do, a good percentage do not know where to turn to receive this year’s vaccine, which fortunately is in abundant supply.

The American Lung Association has just introduced a valuable new and potentially life-saving online resource for anyway with questions or concerns about influenza and its side effects, which together killed some 36,000 Americans last year.

Faces of Influenza (www.facesofinfluenza.org) not only will help visitors determine whether they are in a risk category, e.g., older Americans, health care workers, parents, teachers, children, etc, but the site features a “flu clinic locator” that will direct them to a local clinic in your area where they can be vaccinated.

Wilkes County will host another clinic, following the successful clinics at the four high schools last weekend. Beginning Monday, and running through Halloween Day, Wilkes County Health Department will be holding a “Walk-In Flu Clinic” for the public. The clinic will be held in the Health Department’s waiting room from 9:00 - 11:30 am and 1:00 - 4:00 pm each day.

The cost is $25 -- or for those on various public assistance programs, it's free if you bring y our ID card. Call the Health Department at 651-7450 for more information regarding this clinic.

More Electricity Available

One of the utilities that serves WIlkes has increased its power generation capacity by 50-percent. Blue Ridge Electric yesterday dedicated a $20 million modernization project that includes a new substation in West Jefferson, upgrades to the Beaver Creek and Horse Gap substations, and eight miles of upgraded or new high-capacity power- transmission lines. The project increased the cooperative’s capacity by 50 percent for Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Avery counties. Blue Ridge Electric is a member-owned cooperative that serves about 70,000 members.

Flu Kills More People Annually than MRSA

Cases of antibiotic-resistant infections that have cropped up in schools around North Carolina are not the sign of a major public-health worry, top state health officials said yesterday. School systems around the area have reported cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, in the past week.
MRSA is contagious and is most often spread through direct contact with an open, oozing wound or through sharing such personal items as towels, razors and clothing. Athletes, particularly those who participate in such contact sports as wrestling, are at higher risk for developing MRSA infections. State officials have been working with schools to get students to shower after working out and to avoid sharing towels and equipment.
Schools should also ask students to wash their hands regularly and cover wounds, said Dr. Leah Devlin, the state health director “It’s absolutely not necessary to close schools, or to cancel athletic events because MRSA has been diagnosed in a school or on a team,” Devlin said. “It would be like trying to disinfect the school to prevent the common cold.”
Devlin said that MRSA infections are not reported to the state because they are common. Although they are resistant to some anti­botics, they are treatable with others. State health officials- who yesterday gathered to talk to media about the coming flu season - noted that twice as many Americans die of seasonal flu.

Rep. Foxx to Hold Teplephone "Town Hall" Oct. 30

As a constituent in North Carolina's Fifth Congressional District, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx invites you to participate in a telephone town hall that she will be hosting on Tuesday, October 30. Constituents can call into the town hall meeting by dialing 1-877-850-4133.

"As your member of Congress, it’s important to hear directly the issues that are important to you,” Foxx said. “On Tuesday, October 30 from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, I am hosting a “Telephone Town Hall Meeting.” It’s easy to participate – just call the toll free number 1-877-850-4133. You can listen in or ask questions at our telephone town hall meeting by calling 1-877-850-4133. The password for the call is F-O-X-X."

Constituents will be connected to a live conference call with Rep. Foxx and other constituents in the Fifth District when they call 1-877-850-4133 on October 30 at 7:30 pm. Participants will be able to ask Rep. Foxx questions about the issues that are important to them.

"I look forward to hearing from you on October 30,” Foxx said. “Please join us on the telephone town hall. This will be a great opportunity to let your voice be heard on the important issues facing Congress."

This telephone town hall is open only to constituents in North Carolina’s Fifth District. To find out if you are a Fifth District constituent click here.

Water Conservation Tips from Governor Easley's Office

In the Bathroom

• Replace older plumbing fixtures with newer, low-flow models or install water-saving devices, such as faucet aerators.
• Place a water-filled bottle or brick in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water needed to fill it.
• Put food coloring in your toilet tank and watch if the coloring shows up in the toilet bowl before flushing. If so, replace the leaking flap.
• Check tub and sink faucets for drips and replace washers and “O-rings” as necessary.
• Turn off all water to your home and look at the readout dial on your water meter. If the dial moves, you have a leak.
• Check pipes coming into the house for leaks and have them repaired immediately. Don’t forget to check outside faucets and garden hoses.
• Turn off water while lathering, shampooing, shaving and brushing your teeth.
• Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, and then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
• Take showers instead of baths.
• Time your shower to keep it as short as possible.
• Collect water from the bath/shower while waiting for it to heat up and use it to water plants.

In the Kitchen

• Run washing machines and dishwashers only with full loads to maximize efficiency.
• Avoid using sink disposals for food scraps. Composting food scraps is much more economical than using a garbage disposal.
• Don’t rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, or use a pan of water in the sink and re-use the water as long as possible.
• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible. This minimizes rinse water needed.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks.
• Don't defrost frozen foods with running water. Either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost them in the microwave.
• Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables. Rinse them in a filled sink or pan.

Reuse and recycle

• Catch rainwater from your gutters with a rain barrel and use it to water your flowers and vegetables.
• Collect natural water with a rain barrel for car washing.

Outdoors

• Take time to locate your main water shut-off valve and the water meter in your yard. For instructions on how to read your water meter, go to: http://www.h2ouse.net/resources/meter/index.cfm.
• Use dry cleanup methods to reduce both indoor and outdoor water use.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk.
• Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer grass means less evaporation.
• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Chunks of bark, peat moss or gravel slow down evaporation.

Education

• Put up signs around your home and office to remind others to conserve water.

School Officials Confirm 5 MRSA Cases in WIkles

School district officials confirm, five students have been reported to have one of the mildest forms of infection from the antibiotic-resitant staph bacterium known as MRSA. The district is not disclosing which county schools the students attend, saying to do so might start a panic in the affected schools. According to Associate Superintendent Kaye Lamb, they've already taken thorough precautions against MRSA, including sanitizing all surfaces regularly. Each of the five cases is in the earliest stage, where they present as a skin rash. The kids are not attending school currently, but Lamb expects them all to retunr by week's end

MRSA Facts and Tips

Preventing the spread of MRSA and HA-MRSA is the best answer to fighting this painful and sometimes deadly virus. Since it is almost always spread by touch, the most important thing to do is thorough and frequent hand washing with soap and water or alcohol based hand sanitizer.

• Wash for at least 10 seconds to assure enough germ killing time. This is the length of one chorus of 'Happy Birthday.' Hand washing is the best way to stop the spread of many germs and viruses.

• Keep all skin irritations or open wounds, even paper cuts, clean and covered with bandage. Do not touch anyone else’s wounds or bandages without gloves.

• Keep surfaces clean with alcohol based sanitizers, disinfectants, or soap according to product cleaning guidelines.

• Wash clothing, bedding, bath towels and wash clothes in warm or hot water, detergent and dry in hot dryer if possible.

• Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing to help prevent spread of MRSA and many other viruses.

• Always request that any health care professional you see, wash their hands before making contact with your body. Also inquire as to how often office equipment and examination instruments are cleaned, ex. stethoscope, blood pressure cuffs, etc.

• Surfaces in your home, car or work areas, such as any items you touch or are in close contact with, ex. keyboard, doorknobs, toys, pens, movie rentals, towels, razors, light switches, handrails, telephones, etc., should be cleaned and sanitized regularly and not shared, if possible.

• Symptoms of the MRSA virus may not always look the same in each patient, but will show signs and characteristics that should alert one to seek medical attention

• Sudden skin irritations, bumps resembling insect bites or pimples, redness or inflamed tissue around opening or injury in skin. The infection site and skin around it may become tender. At times, fever occurs or a patient will suffer boils, abscesses or cellulitis, (a potentially serious skin infection that affects the skin and soft tissues). Skin becomes red, hot to touch and swollen at times).

MRSA and HA-MRSA is a serious infection that left untreated can become fatal without fast and proper medical care. Those infected can be treated with antibiotics specifically chosen to fight MRSA. The infected sites can be drained and other treatments can be done to greatly increase the odds of healing and survival. Temporary isolation of the patient may be necessary until the infection is under control.

An Easy Way to Save Water -- Fix Leaks

The governor wants everyone to cut their water use in half. That may sound impossible until you realize you may be wasting water and not know it. Leaky faucets and toilets can lead to 15 percent of all household indoor water use. A stop at your local hardware store can remedy most leaks for $25 or less.
Hardware store owner Gail Lanier says it's an inexpensive repair that can be the first step towards reaching the governor's goal of cutting your water use in half. "A lot of times what will happen is the flapper will just get warped and water will seep under it, and it just keeps running until somebody pays attention."
Another good place to check to make sure you're not wasting water is your water bill. Lanier suggests looking for spikes in your bill. It may mean something is leaking or running that you didn't know about. If it's a serious leak then you may want to call in a professional.

MRSA Facts

With the confirmation of five cases of MRSA being reported in various Wilkes County Schools, we're passing along the follwoing information to help avoid the hype and scare tactics being employed by some other media in the coverage of the spread of MRSA.
MRSA is the short name for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria that lives on the skin and in the nose of as many as one in ten people. In some otherwise healthy people, MRSA causes a skin infection that usually begins with a small bump resembling a pimple or insect bite, that may become red, swollen and painful or have pus or other drainage. People with those symptoms should see a doctor and follow the doctor’s advice. Most MRSA infections can be treated with antibiotics. More rarely, MRSA can cause pneumonia or other severe infections.
Outbreaks of MRSA occur in places and during activities where people have close contact with one another and share equipment and personal items, including gyms, daycare centers, and during sports activities, as well as in healthcare settings. MRSA is usually spread through direct physical contact with an infected individual, but can sometimes be spread by touching objects such as bandages, towels, sheets, or clothing that have been contaminated with the bacteria.
To prevent the spread of MRSA in sports teams and health clubs, athletes with draining lesions should not participate in contact sports unless the abrasion or cut can be covered completely with a clean, dry bandage. Public health experts also recommend that all athletes:
• shower with soap and water immediately after each game, meet or practice;
• keep abrasions or cuts covered with a clean dry bandage, and change the bandage at least daily;
• do not share personal items, such as towels, razors, soap, or deodorant with others;
• use a barrier such as clothing or a towel between their skin and shared equipment;
• wipe down surfaces of equipment or gear before and after use with alcohol or an approved antibacterial solution (such as Lysol®, Mr. Clean®, or a household bleach solution); and
• report skin lesions to the school or facility nurse, coach or manager immediately.
People with MRSA can prevent spreading staph or MRSA skin infections to others by covering their wounds, washing their hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; not sharing personal items; washing clothes and bedding in hot water with detergent and drying them in a hot dryer; and carefully following doctor’s directions, including taking all prescribed antibiotics.

Pickup Stolen

Wilkesboro police are looking for a black 1992 Ford pickup reported stolen yesterday. Linda Woody says she stopped at the Goodwill on Highway 421 yesterday afternoon, and ran inside to get a couple of things. She left the keys in the truck, thinking because it was so old it was probably safe from being stolen. Wrong thought, it turns out, as someone hopped in and drove it off -- possibly never to be seen again. She told officers the vehicle has a number of distinguishing characteristics, including red step bars and several obvious dents. Woody says the truck is worth about 15-hundred dollars. The investigation of the case continues.