Free shots offered to employees “LOCAL EMPLOYERS are offer- ing fu shots lo their staff mem- bers in hopes of reducing the number of sick days taken. Seven. private--companics in Terrace along with the school dis- trict are providing free influenza vaccinations (o employees this year, according to public health nurse Ronel Vanrensburt. She said these employers pur- chase their own vaccine through a pharmaceutical supplier and then contract a nurse to give the shots, ‘This is one way for companics to try'to keep a healthy staff and .cut back on the amount of time taken off for sickness,” Vanrens- the schools.”’ The district purchases its own vaccine directly through drug suppliers and arranges for public health nurses to administer the shots. A mobile clinic travels to 20 district schools offering the free shots to those staff members who want vaccination. The $3,000 program started about a weck ago and runs for at least two weeks, said Piersdorff. George Clark, owner of Terrace Travel, also began offering flu vaccinations to his employees last year, “I bought the vaccine myself burt said. and arranged The local Tit. ot for a friend school dis- This is one way for who is a trict first of- companies to try to keepa nurse to fered the fee — healthy staff and cut down come down shots to their = the amount of time taken 4nd give the last. year ‘be, off because of sickness.’ sftemoon.” cause there said Clark. was a threat of serious flus, said secretary treasurer Barry Piersdorff, adding that receiving the shot is entirely voluntary, ‘We offer this program for a number of reasons but mostly out of concern for the health of our emmployces,”’ Piersdorff said. ‘We were also concerned about people gelling sick and missing work, plus these people have the possibility of coming into contact with a large number of people in Seven staff members took the shots last year at the cost of $50 for the vaccine. “It sure seemed to work be- cause no one got sick Jast winter,’’ Clark said. . He pians to offer the free flu shots to his staff again this ycar. “One of the reasons for oller- ing this is really quite selfish,”’ said Clark. ‘Winter is a very busy time for us and I need people to be able to work,’’ re aid Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, Rootbeer, Orange Crush 12/355 ml | Jumbo Purex Bathroom Tissue George Clark ON THE RECEIVING end of public health nurse Heather Tingle's needle is Anna Yuner, one of some over 2000 senior By DANA HUBLER VACCINES ARE being offered to seniors and people with chronic lung and heart diseases to help ward off three flu strains. This season’s flu vaccine is designed to protect against three Strains that were strong last year: A Texas, A Shangdong and B Panama. “The strains most prevalent towards the end of the previous season are always put into the fol- lowing season’s vaccin¢,’” ex- plained local medical health of- ficer Dr, David Bowering. The vaccine contains dead A Texas, A Shangdong and B Panama viruses. “These killed viruses can’t ac- tually prodice iifection. but they can stimulate production ~ of antibodies to fight the infection,’’ said Bowering. Because these antibodies last only a year and new fu strains appear every year, he said, it is important for people in high risk categories to get a shot every year. Included in the high risk group are people over the age of 65° years and people with chronic . heart and lung discases or other chronic conditions such as can- cer, immune system disorders or diabetes. . Bowering said the vaccine is 75-85 per cent effective in seniors. ‘For people over the age of 65, who may have lowered im- munity, it, drastically reduces mortality rates and rates.of hospi- ‘lalization.. for. pneumonia,’? he said citizens expected to receive a free flu vaccination from the Skeena Health Unit between now and December. , _ The Skeena Health Unit pro- vides free shots for seniors, along with adults and children with chronic health diseases, This area has one of the highest rates of people with pneumonia in the province, according to Mar- lene Traviss, public health nurs- ing assistant administrator. “The high rate is one of the reasons we really try to run a good program,’’ said Traviss, ad- ding that shots should be done by the end of November so the antibodies have time ta develop before the flu season starts in De- - cember and January. Those who do not fall into the high risk categories but still want the flu vaccine can purchase their own vaccine at local pharmacies ‘and arrange for public health nurses to administer the shot, she Health unit prepares for flu season said. People with allergies to. eggs or eps products cannet receive the shot as there are minutes traces of egg protein in the vaccine. Traviss also said people with an acute allergy to thermasol, a pre-- servalive in the vaccine, should not get the flu shots. : While mest people have: no reaclion to the shots, she said, some may cxpericnce tenderness where they reccived the needle, a slight fever, mild nausea, chills or a headaches. © Last year the Skeena Health Unit gave shots to 252 people un-- der the age of 18 and 5281 adults, . 933 of whom provided their own vaccine, The health unit will be provid- ing vaccinations by appointmen until December, 7 {+N 66% more per roll 1.99 /4 roll . 21.99 12/4 roll case, it Catelli Pasta | 900 g box. 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