Morgan fights back against flu, illness

MORGAN—Fall and winter can be a rough time for any illness. Traditionally, doctors and hospitals see a spike in colds, sinus infections, the flu, and worse during this time, which is why the Weber-Morgan Health Department is taking preventative measures to make sure residents stay as healthy as possible.

While the Weber-Morgan Health Department hosts regular vaccination clinics, with the next coming up on Oct. 20, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Lekelsi Talbot, Director of Nursing at the Weber-Morgan Health Department. said that they’re willing and able to bring vaccines to Morgan, if only residents will just call and schedule an appointment. 

These clinics include the updated flu vaccine, as well as that for pneumonia, and TDAP, and can really give residents a leg up when it comes to these illnesses that spike during this season. Generally speaking, a flu vaccine will use a deactivated or weakened form of the flu, which allows the body to recognize the illness, and develop antibodies to fight it without actually getting sick. 

This is slightly different from the COVID-19 vaccine. The worldwide pandemic which caused the death of millions worldwide stemmed, in part, by the tireless efforts of healthcare providers around the globe, and the creation of vaccines to combat the illness. As opposed to the flu vaccine, the COVID vaccines here in the United States don’t contain any live version of the virus, and therefore cannot infect the recipient.

That doesn’t mean the world is out of the woods yet, though. Talbot explained that traditionally fall and winter have seen much higher cases of COVID-19, and that, while still manageable, hospitalizations have been around double since July. It’s something that the health department, and health departments around the state and country are hoping to curb early before it gets out of hand.

So, who needs a COVID booster? Talbot said that the current vaccine booster is recommended for everyone over the age of 5, and while it isn’t required, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Vaccines aren’t the only important things the Health Department is hoping people take advantage of, however.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As such, the Weber-Morgan Health Department wants to remind residents of the availability of screenings, mammograms, and pap smears. Women 40-64 years of age, who meet income criteria, are available to receive free mammogram vouchers this month, whether or not they have insurance. About 240,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States, and, as with all cancers, the chances for survival increase exponentially with early detection. 

More information about these and other public health projects, services, and campaigns can be found at www.webermorganhealth.org, and on their social media pages. λ