{"id":29474,"date":"2021-12-03T16:09:40","date_gmt":"2021-12-03T21:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=29474"},"modified":"2021-12-03T16:09:40","modified_gmt":"2021-12-03T21:09:40","slug":"genesee-orleans-county-health-department-flu-season-is-here-help-protect-yourself-and-your-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/12\/03\/genesee-orleans-county-health-department-flu-season-is-here-help-protect-yourself-and-your-family\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS County Health Department\/Flu season is here: Help protect yourself and your family"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Press release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The smell of the evergreen trees, the taste of warm hot cocoa, and the cheerful
Christmas songs are some lovely things that bring family and friends together during
this festive season. With cold weather moving people indoors, there is also an
increased risk of the spread of illnesses such as the flu, also known as influenza.
However, there are ways to lower your risk of getting sick with the flu.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is December 5-11, 2021. NIVW is an
annual observance in December to remind everyone that there is still time to get
vaccinated against the flu to be protected during the upcoming winter and holiday
months. \u201cYou can protect you and your family members by getting vaccinated against
the flu each year,\u201d said Paul Pettit, Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health
Departments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe vaccine lowers the chance of getting you and those around you
sick with the flu. We also encourage those that have not received the COVID-19
vaccine, to get vaccinated as soon as possible ahead of the Holidays.\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the
nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. Experts say that flu viruses are spread mainly
by tiny droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets
can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby.
The runny nose, sore throat and slow development of symptoms which are common
for a cold, are not as common for the flu which tends to appear suddenly and includes
a fever, body aches, chills, fatigue, chest discomfort and cough. Although a cold can
be a bother, you usually feel much worse with the flu and sometimes influenza\u2019s
complications could be deadly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone 6 months or older should get a flu vaccine every year. It’s best to get the flu vaccine early in flu
season, ideally by the end of October. That way, the body develops antibodies in two weeks\u2019 time which
provides protection from the influenza virus. You might wonder, is it too late to get vaccinated? The simple
answer is no. \u201cGetting the vaccine later is better than not getting it at all,\u201d said Mr. Pettit. \u201cOnce you have the
flu vaccine, research shows that the vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness if you do get the flu.\u201d
Below are the number of reported flu cases for Genesee and Orleans Counties since 2018 according to the
New York State Department of Health. You will notice that there was limited flu in 2020-2021 because
people were practicing public health precautions such as frequent hand washing, social distancing, limiting
social gatherings, wearing face coverings, and staying home when ill. In addition, less germs were spread
because people were staying home and limiting their contact with people outside of their household as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New York State Department of Health Confirmed Cases of Influenza
Genesee County Orleans County
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GEN. CO\/ORLEANS CO<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2018-2019 581 270
2019-2020 598 266
2020-2021 7 8
2021-2022 3 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flu seasons are unpredictable every year, so there is a new flu vaccine developed to potentially provide
protection for the viruses that are considered to have the most potential to cause serious illness. As long as
flu viruses are spreading and causing illness, vaccination should continue throughout the flu season in order
to protect as many people as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have not received your annual flu vaccine this year, now is the time! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It generally takes 2 weeks after receiving the vaccine for your body to develop immunity.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk with your primary care provider or visit your local pharmacy to get the flu vaccine. To make an
appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the GO Health website: https:\/\/gohealthny.org\/covid-19-vaccine\u0002information\/<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to see weekly flu updates, you can use the NYS Flu Tracker:
https:\/\/nyshc.health.ny.gov\/web\/nyapd\/new-york-state-flu-tracker<\/a>. For more information about Genesee and
Orleans County Health Departments, visit www.gohealthny.org<\/strong> You can also visit Facebook at: Genesee &
Orleans County Health Departments, Twitter, and Instagram: @GoHealthN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Press releaseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The smell of the evergreen trees, the taste of warm hot cocoa, and the cheerfulChristmas songs are some lovely things that bring family and friends together duringthis festive season. With cold weather moving people indoors, there is also anincreased risk of the spread of illnesses such \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,6],"tags":[2066,2866],"class_list":["post-29474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genesee-county","category-orleans-county","tag-genesee-orleans-county-health-department","tag-influenza"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-7Fo","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12554,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2019\/12\/03\/genesee-orleans-wyoming-counties-its-national-influenza-vaccination-week-public-health-column-december-1st-7th\/","url_meta":{"origin":29474,"position":0},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/WYOMING COUNTIES\/It\u2019s National Influenza Vaccination Week\/Public Health Column\/December 1st\u20137th","author":"aka","date":"December 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release As family and friends are gathering for the holidays, flu activity is increasing. NIVW serves as a reminder it is not too late to get a flu vaccine. Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of Genesee and Orleans Counties wants to remind folks that when you get a flu\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37760,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/11\/21\/genesee-orleans-health-department-reports-increased-flu-activity\/","url_meta":{"origin":29474,"position":1},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/Health Department reports increased flu activity","author":"aka","date":"November 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release Tis the season to bundle up, spend more time indoors, and enjoy family and friends over the holiday season. Unfortunately for some, it is also the time of colds, flu, COVID and RSV. We are already seeing an increase in flu activity across Genesee and Orleans Counties. Everyone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48747,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/12\/04\/national-influenza-vaccination-week-december-4th-8th\/","url_meta":{"origin":29474,"position":2},"title":"National Influenza Vaccination Week: December 4th-8th","author":"aka","date":"December 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release National Influenza Vaccination Week is December 4-8, 2023. This is the time of year to remind everyone that there is still time to get vaccinated against influenza (\u201cthe flu\u201d). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), everyone 6 months and older should get a flu\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "WNY"","block_context":{"text":"WNY","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/wny\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot_20231204_164741_Outlook.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot_20231204_164741_Outlook.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot_20231204_164741_Outlook.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot_20231204_164741_Outlook.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot_20231204_164741_Outlook.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19088,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/08\/27\/genesee-orleans-county-health-department-national-immunization-awareness-month-2020\/","url_meta":{"origin":29474,"position":3},"title":"GENESEE & ORLEANS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT\/National Immunization Awareness Month 2020","author":"aka","date":"August 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). Today\u2019s vaccines protect against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases such as polio, pneumonia, and cancers caused by HPV. Because of advances in medical science, your children and family can be protected against more diseases than ever before. As schools\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58818,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/11\/08\/genesee-orleans-protecting-yourself-this-respiratory-illness-season\/","url_meta":{"origin":29474,"position":4},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/Protecting yourself this respiratory illness season","author":"aka","date":"November 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release As the temperatures drop, people in our community will spend more time indoors, increasing the chance of spreading respiratory illnesses like Influenza (flu), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and COVID-19. \u201cDuring the fall and winter season, we typically have more people getting sick,\u201d said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21092,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/12\/02\/genesee-orleans-health-dept-covid-19-update-two-deaths-and-53-new-positive-cases-reported\/","url_meta":{"origin":29474,"position":5},"title":"GENESEE ORLEANS\/Health Dept.\/COVID-19 Update\/Two deaths and 53 new positive cases reported","author":"aka","date":"December 2, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"We can\u2019t stress enough the importance to limit time with non-household members. Continue to do your best to limit the spread of COVID-19 and the flu by frequently washing\/sanitizing your hands, wear a mask\/face-covering over your mouth and nose when out in public and keep at least 6 feet from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/B.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/B.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/B.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Gen-Co-Health.png?fit=127%2C112&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29474"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29474\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29478,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29474\/revisions\/29478"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}