Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Influenza
When I think about what I will be confronted with if I am the medical director in a school district or college, the flu virus is the first thing that jumps into my mind. No matter where you are, urban or rural, the flu will also be there. I have to be aware of the start of the flu season to make sure I am getting reminders for vaccines out to the kids and families as well as education on the flu, its symptoms and possible complications. There was a sad case in Wayne County this winter where a teen died from the flu virus. Tyler Finn was a 14 year old boy who died from complications of Influenza B in February this year. He did receive the flu vaccine but unfortunately still contracted the virus. The article did not go into details about the complications that led to his death. If the families are better educated on the flu, how the vaccine works, when to seek medical help, hopefully future deaths can be prevented. As medical director at a school, I would take on the job of providing this education to the kids, the families and the whole community.
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Liz,
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad to read that a 14 year old boy died from complications of the Influenza B virus. You are right, it is critically important for families to be better educated on all aspects of the flu: vaccination, when to seek medical help etc... This is certainly something that should be addressed through the school, as it would reach a large population of children and their families.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. The flu is probably the number one thing we should all be thinking about because it affects so many people, can be fatal, and is often totally preventable. I'm so sad to see that a boy so young, who even got the flu shot, suffered this way. Thanks for sharing this, it will be great motivation for us to continually encourage our patients to get the flu shot and to work harder at educating our communities about the dangers of the flu.