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Jen-Ai Hospital - Dali Promotes Flu Vaccination
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2003/09/19
BY MARK K. CHAN
TAICHUNG, JEN-AI HOSPITAL - DALI
As autumn is fast approaching, Jen-Ai Hospital - Dali
is reminding the international community that the best defense
against the flu is to get immunized with a flu vaccination.
The flu can cause serious and sometimes deadly complications
in elderly people or those with certain medical conditions.
Those people who are not in high risk categories still face
a variety of problems, ranging from high fever to passing the
flu to those at higher risk. According to the American Medical
Association, children, adults with chronic illnesses, and pregnant
women in the second or third trimester are especially susceptible
to catch the flu.
The best time to be vaccinated is the end of September to October,
but Jen-Ai Hospital - Dali stresses that the vaccine should still
be effective if received at a later time. Before the flu season
starts, the hospital is encouraging the international communities
to contact the International Patient Center about getting the
flu shot, since for some people, getting immunized could be
a life-saving decision.
Who
Should Get a Flu Vaccination?
Flu shots are recommended for people who are at high risk of
complications from the flu, people who may give the flu to someone
at risk, or people who are planning to travel to developing
countries.
Adults who should get a flu vaccination:
¡@¡Dpeople who are 65 years of age or older
¡@¡Dpeople who have chronic lung or heart disorders
¡@¡Dpeople who in the past year saw a doctor regularly or were
hospitalized for chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus,
kidney disease,
¡@¡@severe anemia, or immune deficiency (including HIV/AIDS and
immuno-suppression caused by drugs)
¡@¡Dpregnant women who will be in the second or third trimester
of pregnancy during flu season
¡@¡Dpregnant women who have medical conditions that increase their
risk for complications, regardless of the stage of pregnancy
¡@¡Dpeople who live with someone in a high-risk group
¡@¡Dresidents of nursing homes and other facilities that care
for people with chronic medical conditions
¡@¡Dhealth care workers and other employees of hospitals, nursing
homes, and chronic care and other outpatient facilities who
care for
¡@¡@patients
¡@¡Dpolice, fire fighters, and other public safety workers
¡@¡Dpeople planning to travel to the tropics at any time or to
the Southern Hemisphere from April through September who did
not receive a flu
¡@¡@vaccine the previous year
Children who should get a flu vaccination:
¡@¡Dchildren who are between 6 and 23 months of age
¡@¡Dchildren who are on long-term aspirin therapy and may be at
risk for Reye syndrome if they catch the flu
¡@¡Dchildren who were born prematurely and are at increased risk
of developing lung problems if they get influenza
¡@¡Dchildren who have chronic heart or lung disorders, including
asthma
¡@¡Dchildren who in the past year saw a doctor regularly or were
hospitalized for chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus,
kidney disease,
¡@¡@severe anemia, or immune deficiency (including HIV/AIDS and
immuno-suppression caused by drugs)
¡@¡Dchildren who live with someone in the high-risk group
Please take special notice that not
everyone should get a flu shot. People who are severely allergic
to eggs and egg products or healthy pregnant women who are not
past the third month of pregnancy should not get the flu vaccine.
For additional information, please contact International Patient
Center at 04-2481-9900 ext. 1995, call our English Information
Hotline: 0963-175-765 or email mchan@mail.jah.org.tw
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