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Talk-Line: Elizabeth Accardi on upcoming flu shot clinics · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

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  Speaker 1: Quarter past the hour. This is Monday. It's September, the
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  Speaker 1: eighth of the year twenty twenty five, and it's time
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  Speaker 1: for another informational edition of talk Line here at WIXN Radio.
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  Speaker 1: Good morning, I'm Steve Marco. Time for our bi monthly
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  Speaker 1: look at news and information from your Lee County Health Department.
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  Speaker 1: And lied with us by telephone this morning, is the
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  Speaker 1: Infectious Disease Coordinator of the Lee County Health Department. Her
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  Speaker 1: name is Elizabeth Oacarby, and she is lied with us
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  Speaker 1: by telephone this morning here at WIXN. Elizabeth, Good morning,
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  Speaker 1: Good morning. Nice to have you with us, ma'am, and
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  Speaker 1: thanks for joining us again. Elizabeth's not again a first
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  Speaker 1: time or she was with us last year, as a
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  Speaker 1: matter of fact, in the same rule, and as matter
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  Speaker 1: of fact that this same edition of talk Line last
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  Speaker 1: year is this year's edition. We are repeating kind of
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  Speaker 1: the same information and getting the word out, Elizabeth from
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  Speaker 1: your area and from the Lee County Health Department. Tis
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  Speaker 1: the season right, It's yep, It's time to start talking
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  Speaker 1: about influenza UH, a subject nobody wants to talk about,
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  Speaker 1: but needs to be talked about because of the fact
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  Speaker 1: that we are right around the bend from flu season.
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  Speaker 1: And and Elizabeth, you've got a series of uh, you know,
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  Speaker 1: clinics coming on our way that you were going to
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  Speaker 1: share with us. But first up, I wanted to get
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  Speaker 1: you know, your information concerning influenza. Let's talk about the
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  Speaker 1: flu season coming up? When, when exactly is the time
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  Speaker 1: that we need to be prepared for this?
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  Speaker 2: We need to be preparing now for the flu season.
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  Speaker 2: It's it's typically considered from October through March, but flu
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  Speaker 2: flu can come really at any time. Of course, vaccination
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  Speaker 2: is the best way to protect against influenza infection. The
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  Speaker 2: vaccination can keep you from getting sick with the flu,
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  Speaker 2: it can reduce the risk of flu associated hospitalization, and
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  Speaker 2: if you happen to get sick, it can make your
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  Speaker 2: illness milder. And not only making it easier on yourself,
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  Speaker 2: getting the flu shot can help protect the people around you,
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  Speaker 2: especially those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness,
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  Speaker 2: like children, babies, elderly, and people with chronic medical conditions.
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  Speaker 2: So for this reason, we really do recommend that all
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  Speaker 2: Illinois residents six months and older get vaccinated for the flu.
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  Speaker 1: Six months and older, there's the age bracket it pretty
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  Speaker 1: much takes everybody in six months and older for a
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  Speaker 1: flu shot, right, I mean it, Yeah, it's pretty much everybody.
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  Speaker 1: And you pointed out some very interesting areas, Elizabeth, that
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  Speaker 1: I'd like to querry you on a little bit further. Obviously,
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  Speaker 1: as you're talking about there, flu is very contagious, right,
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  Speaker 1: It's very contagious.
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  Speaker 3: You know, go ahead, go ahead talk about that.
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  Speaker 2: Say, last year there was fifty million people who became
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  Speaker 2: ill with flu, so it is incredibly contagious. That led
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  Speaker 2: to six hundred and ten Blue hospitalizations, and in Illinois
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  Speaker 2: over five thousand of those were hospitalized in the ICU.
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  Speaker 2: So it can be it can be very serious for
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  Speaker 2: many people. And what we're ultimately trying to prevent is
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  Speaker 2: flute illness and flu deaths. And nationwide, there were one
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  Speaker 2: hundred and thirty thousand flu deaths flash year, which was
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  Speaker 2: double that of the year before. So this is very serious.
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  Speaker 2: We just want to we just want to help people
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  Speaker 2: be healthy and and and be safe.
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  Speaker 1: And I'm glad you're you know, it's not a scare tactic.
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  Speaker 1: We're trying to, you know, deliver today with the Elizabeth
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  Speaker 1: on the air. It's the it's the plain truth of
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  Speaker 1: the right. And and and we want to make sure
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  Speaker 1: that you know the facts, that you know just how
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  Speaker 1: serious this is. It's a serious I think it's as
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  Speaker 1: serious as COVID. I'm sorry, I just do. I think
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  Speaker 1: it's as serious as what we had to go through
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  Speaker 1: with the pandemic. But we we experienced this year after
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  Speaker 1: year after year. Uh and and it is just as serious.
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  Speaker 1: It can hospitalize in certain cases, it could be fatal, right, Elizabeth, I.
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  Speaker 2: Mean that is true, that is true. And but the
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  Speaker 2: good news season is that we have the means to
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  Speaker 2: help her. Yeah, our community, and we're that's why we're
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  Speaker 2: so excited to be able to offer the flu shots
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  Speaker 2: to residents Bubbley County.
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  Speaker 3: And we're going to get to those. We're going to
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  Speaker 3: get to those in just a bit.
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  Speaker 1: We've got a list of flu shot clinics that the
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  Speaker 1: Lee County Health Department has put together that Elizabeth is
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  Speaker 1: going to deliver very shortly here at w ACCENT. Back
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  Speaker 1: to the flu itself, though, Elizabeth, you mentioned six months
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  Speaker 1: and older. What's the most susceptible though age bracket? Where
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  Speaker 1: where are we most conscious of, you know, flu being needed,
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  Speaker 1: flu imanization being needed, that.
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  Speaker 2: Most commonly those that are most vulnerable are the very
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  Speaker 2: old and the very young, and being someone who's not
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  Speaker 2: in that age bracket, I still get the flu shot
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  Speaker 2: to protect those myself and those people in those vulnerable populations.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, because we just talked about the fact that it
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  Speaker 1: is a very contagious again serious situation. It's a contagious
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  Speaker 1: situation that influenza is. It just is and can be
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  Speaker 1: transmitted easily, right, I mean it is washing hands things
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  Speaker 1: like that. Still, you know, even masking is is that
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  Speaker 1: still a good thing?
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  Speaker 2: Oh, those things are very very good. But getting the
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  Speaker 2: flu shot can help minimize your risk of even contracting
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  Speaker 2: the flu. So washing hands I always recommend, that's very important.
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  Speaker 2: Wearing a mask if you are feeling under the leather
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  Speaker 2: to protect those around you, but getting that flu shot
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  Speaker 2: may help you from even having to be in that situation.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, there's nothing wrong with putting on a mask yet, friends,
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  Speaker 1: even after the pandemic has been concluded, there's nothing wrong
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  Speaker 1: with putting that mass back on, especially as Elizabeth just mentioned,
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  Speaker 1: if you are, you know, feeling under the weather and
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  Speaker 1: again know that you're maybe moving in that direction, there's
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  Speaker 1: nothing wrong with putting that mass back on and protecting others.
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  Speaker 3: Is Elizabeth Cardi mentioned.
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth the Cardio is our guest today, our infectious disease
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  Speaker 1: coordinator with the Lee County Health Depomitt is live with
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  Speaker 1: us by a telephone. We're talking about the influenza season,
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  Speaker 1: which Elizabeth mentioned starts very well, it's practically upon us.
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  Speaker 1: You know, usually the months October through March are the
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  Speaker 1: prone months, so to speak, for flu to take place
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  Speaker 1: because of the weather. I'm assuming Elizabeth, you know from
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  Speaker 1: warm to cold, Is that right? I mean?
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  Speaker 2: Is yeah? The virus just becomes more prevalent during that time.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, absolutely, you know because of the I'm sure
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  Speaker 1: because of the elements and what we're looking at. October
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  Speaker 1: through March is the flu season, and we are here
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  Speaker 1: to tell you about the ways that you can combat
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  Speaker 1: the flu. Elizabeth pointed out a couple of those ways
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  Speaker 1: to get started. But now we are going to again
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  Speaker 1: turn loose, Elizabeth on what we need as far as
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  Speaker 1: immunizations are concerned, and what the Lee County Health Department
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  Speaker 1: has set up for us. Elizabeth, where are we going
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  Speaker 1: to start now with this?
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  Speaker 2: So? Yeah, this year, the Lee County Health Department is
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  Speaker 2: offering the standard flu shots and the high dose flu shots.
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  Speaker 2: We also have an egg free vaccine available as well.
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  Speaker 2: There are going to be eight flu clinics this fall
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  Speaker 2: to help protect the residents of Lee County. Three of
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  Speaker 2: them will be held at Lee County Health Department. Those
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  Speaker 2: dates are Thursday October ninth from two to four pm,
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  Speaker 2: Tuesday October fourteenth from nine to eleven am, and Thursday
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  Speaker 2: October sixteenth from three to five pm. We're also going
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  Speaker 2: to be holding flu climics at various sites in Lee County.
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  Speaker 2: We're going to be at the Dixon Senior Center on Tuesday,
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  Speaker 2: September thirtieth from one to four and at the Grace
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  Speaker 2: United Methodist Church on Saturday, October twelfth from nine to
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  Speaker 2: eleven am.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, you go ahead, continue continue, yes, yes.
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  Speaker 2: After that, we're going to head to the Amboy Fire
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  Speaker 2: Department on Friday October seventeenth from nine to eleven am,
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  Speaker 2: and then the Paw Paul Community Building on Tuesday October
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  Speaker 2: twenty first from nine to eleven am, and then the
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  Speaker 2: Village of Ashton office on Thursday October twenty third from
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  Speaker 2: nine to eleven am. And if you didn't catch all
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  Speaker 2: those dates and times and locations. Just head over to
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  Speaker 2: our Facebook page and we have all of that information posted.
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  Speaker 3: Good. So again, just answer my next question, where can
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  Speaker 3: we get this?
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  Speaker 1: You know, if we didn't catch one of the dates,
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  Speaker 1: and we need to know again in our area. And remember, friends,
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  Speaker 1: this is not just Dition, this is Lee County. We're
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  Speaker 1: talking about the Lee County Health Department here, and we're
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  Speaker 1: talking about Lee County and they cover a wide area,
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  Speaker 1: and so they are going to be visiting outside of
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  Speaker 1: Dix in October, mainly across our Lee County area providing immunizations.
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  Speaker 1: When we get to that site then, whether it be
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  Speaker 1: the Lee County Health Department offices or whether it be
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  Speaker 1: to pop Pause Community building, what are we going to
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  Speaker 1: see and what do we have to go through?
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  Speaker 3: What's the procedure? Now?
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  Speaker 2: Listen, Yeah, for those flu clinics, there are no appointments needed,
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  Speaker 2: so you can simply just show up and we will
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  Speaker 2: build insurance for those who have it if not, the
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  Speaker 2: cost of the standard flu vaccine is pretty affordable at
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  Speaker 2: fifteen dollars, and then if you choose to do the
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  Speaker 2: high dose flu vaccine and don't have insurance, the cost
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  Speaker 2: is eighty two dollars. We do accept cash, credit card,
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  Speaker 2: or check at those locations. So all you really need
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  Speaker 2: to do is come to the flu clinics with your
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  Speaker 2: insurance information or payment and then simply roll up your sleeve.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, I mean we're in Lee County. Is it, you know,
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  Speaker 1: restricted to Lee County residents?
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  Speaker 2: Oh? No, we could. We would be happy to help
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  Speaker 2: vaccinate anybody outside of Lee County.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, all right, so you really don't need any identification then, uh,
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  Speaker 1: in order to you know, get in line and get
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  Speaker 1: your flu shots on these days that Elizabeth just pointed
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  Speaker 1: out again, just have the you know, uh uh uh.
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  Speaker 1: The financial again needs in place for payment of the
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  Speaker 1: flu shot at the various clinics, and as Elizabeth mentioned,
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  Speaker 1: you can pay inconvenient fashion at all of these clinics
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  Speaker 1: being offered through the Lee County Health Depomit.
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  Speaker 3: Are we combating?
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  Speaker 1: You know? I always hear of it, Elizabeth. Are we
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  Speaker 1: combating a certain type of flu each and every year?
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  Speaker 1: I mean, does it change? These you know, inoculations change
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  Speaker 1: year by year. I mean it seems like, you know,
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  Speaker 1: we're always going in a different direction as far as flu.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, the composition of the of the flu shot they
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  Speaker 2: try to attempt to include the most common strains when
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  Speaker 2: they make up the flu shots each year, and it does,
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  Speaker 2: it does vary from year to year. Last season was
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  Speaker 2: particularly a challenging flu season. There was a lot of
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  Speaker 2: illness from from influenza as well as COVID and RSB
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  Speaker 2: in our community and it just it just breaks my
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  Speaker 2: heart every time I see a new infection and wonder,
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  Speaker 2: you know, could we have prevented them?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah?
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  Speaker 1: Well, you know, the the the again doses are in
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  Speaker 1: place though, the the again remedies are in place through
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  Speaker 1: the Lee County Health Department.
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  Speaker 3: You're right, I'm sure it does.
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  Speaker 1: But again, the Lee County Health Department does all it
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  Speaker 1: can in order to get back and again you know,
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  Speaker 1: alleviate these symptoms even taking place through these inoculations. So
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  Speaker 1: this will do it again. As Elizabeth mentioned, through these immunizations,
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  Speaker 1: you are again protecting yourself better against You can't be
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  Speaker 1: one hundred percent, right, Elizabeth, you can't be. Yeah, but
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  Speaker 1: this is better for you.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, this definitely improves.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely absolutely, there you go, improving your odds of getting
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  Speaker 1: the flu.
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  Speaker 3: Who wants it?
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  Speaker 1: I don't, And I'm gonna be one of those that
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  Speaker 1: like getting one of these inoculations when it comes time
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  Speaker 1: to do that again. They're just fifteen bucks and they're
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  Speaker 1: available at all kinds of areas.
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  Speaker 3: Through Lee County.
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  Speaker 1: As Elizabeth pointed out, go to their Facebook page for information.
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  Speaker 1: And again the Lee County helped a POMED again center
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  Speaker 1: stage now for the next two months at least September
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  Speaker 1: into October. For forgetting the inoculations out to our areas.
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  Speaker 1: I don't know how much or we could say, just
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  Speaker 1: do it and get it. As as Elizabeth mentioned, you know,
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  Speaker 1: breaks are hard to see any good, anybody suffering, you know,
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  Speaker 1: through these symptoms and not getting what you could have,
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  Speaker 1: you know, through one of these areas.
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  Speaker 3: And you did mention COVID.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, are we still you know, kind of watching
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  Speaker 1: out for that as well, even.
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  Speaker 2: Though yeah, I know no one, no one wants to
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  Speaker 2: think about it, but COVID is still around. We do
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  Speaker 2: have test kits available at the Lee County Health Department.
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  Speaker 2: You can call to arrange pickup for those, all right,
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  Speaker 2: because you just want to do what's right for our community.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely absolutely, and so those those items are still in place.
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  Speaker 1: Even though the pandemic is coming gone, we are still
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  Speaker 1: you know, seeing symptoms and seeing situations involving even COVID nineteen.
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  Speaker 1: But again, we're battling the influenza season coming our way
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  Speaker 1: very shortly through these flu clinics and the Lee County
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  Speaker 1: Health Department Facebook page easy to access phone number at
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  Speaker 1: the Lee County Health Department, Elizabeth.
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  Speaker 2: Our phone number is eight one five two, eight four
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  Speaker 2: three three seven.
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  Speaker 1: If you have questions about the upcoming flu clinics, please
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  Speaker 1: give the Lee County Health Department a call. Their office
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  Speaker 1: is conveniently located on Galena Avenue, right in the heart
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  Speaker 1: of downtown Dixon, right next to the Lee County Courthouse.
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  Speaker 1: That's where they're located, and that's where they'll be conducting
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  Speaker 1: a series of clinics, at least three of them through
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  Speaker 1: the Lee County Health Department to get us started. And
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  Speaker 1: again it is necessary, really is necessary, get your flu
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  Speaker 1: shots please and be protected from the flu season coming
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  Speaker 1: our way very shortly here in our northern Illinois area.
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  Speaker 3: Elizabeth O.
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  Speaker 1: ACCARTI, we thank you so very much for joining us
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  Speaker 1: for all the information. Appreciate your time taking and I
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  Speaker 1: hope everybody gets the word that they need the flu shot,
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  Speaker 1: and I hope we've passed along emphasizing it enough here
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  Speaker 1: at WI exent, Elizabeth, thanks for joining us today.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you Steve.
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  Speaker 1: Our infectious disease coordinated the Lee County Health Department, Elizabeth OCCRDI,
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  Speaker 1: our guest on the talk line today here at WY extent.
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  Speaker 3: Time to go to press next, which