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Community Corner

Want to Avoid the Flu?

Get a flu shot and 'wash, wash and wash your hands' to prevent getting sick this season.

With flu season already under way in Buffalo Grove, many are looking for ways to prevent getting sick.

Maggie Henneberry, a registered nurse with the Lake County Health Department, offered basic tips to prevent getting sick.

“The flu’s symptoms include fever, sore throat and feeling like you want to curl up and die,” Henneberry said. "In Lake County, the flu season lasts between November and April, with the peak between January and March.”

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“Wash, wash and wash your hands as a way to prevent getting the flu,” she said. “Things like covering your mouth when you cough and staying home when you’re sick can make a big difference, too.

“Getting a flu shot is really important, too,” Henneberry said, noting that young children, the elderly, anyone with underlying health issues and pregnant women should “definitely” get the shot. According to Henneberry, it takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to be activated once someone is vaccinated.

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While children younger than 6 months of age do not receive the flu shot, Henneberry said the child’s caregivers and immediate family members should receive the vaccine. “We call this ‘cocooning,’ when the people around the baby get vaccinated,” Henneberry said.

“When children get sick with the flu, they tend to just look sick,” said Dr. Richard Burnstine, a pediatrician with .

“If cost is a consideration, then consider this — the cost of the flu vaccine far outweighs the expenses associated with getting sick,” Burnstine said, adding that kids should “definitely get the shot.”

“If you feel lousy, make sure to call your physician right away,” he said. “In the first 48 hours of having the flu, you can be prescribed medications. The flu is serious, and people have died from it.”

The ’s Health Department has a list of stores in Buffalo Grove that offer flu shots. Most insurance plans are accepted at those locations.

Peggy Starczowski, a health inspector with the village, recommended consulting a doctor or checking out the websites of Cook County Department of Public Health and Lake County Health Department for more information on the flu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2011-12 flu vaccine contains strains of an influenza B virus, an influenza A (H1N1) virus, and an influenza A (H3N2) virus. These are the three virus subtypes that are circulating most commonly today.

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