January 7, 2014 – Community Encouraged to Book Appointments for Clinic this Saturday, January 11
To accommodate community flu shot demand, Peterborough Public Health has added an extra flu clinic for families with children five years and under this Saturday, January 11 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at 185 King Street, Peterborough.
Residents with young children can book an appointment for all family members by calling 705-743-1000, ext. 349. Spaces are also still available for Public Health’s flu clinic taking place on Saturday, January 18, 2014 as well. The flu shot and parking are both free at these clinics.
“With the H1N1 strain predominantly circulating in the community, we want to make sure our youngest are protected since this strain is known to cause more illness in younger individuals, compared to older adults,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “Pharmacies continue to offer the flu shot to anyone over the age of five, and people can also get it from their family healthcare provider.”
As of January 6, there have been 12 local lab-confirmed cases of influenza, and 11 of these are caused by the H1N1 strain. There have been no local deaths reported to date, however two of the cases were hospitalized. So far, Public Health had distributed 46,420 doses of flu vaccine to pharmacies, family healthcare providers, and other community health partners, representing 34% of our local population.
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Supervisor
(705) 743-1000, ext. 391
January 6, 2014 – The Peterborough Public Health has issued a Frostbite Alert for Tuesday, January 7 because of a forecasted wind chill of -38.
Extreme cold events are a potentially significant health risk and can have a severe impact on the health of vulnerable populations including infants, the elderly, people with circulatory problems, and the marginally housed. Local social service agencies rely on Public Health frostbite alerts to determine if services should be extended or enhanced.
In order to protect the health of people in Peterborough County and City and Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations, Public Health advises local residents to take the following precautions:
- Check face and extremities frequently for signs of frostbite. Exposed skin can freeze in as little as 10 to 30 minutes.
- Consider re-scheduling outdoor recreational activities, especially during the evening. There is a serious risk of hypothermia if outdoors for long periods.
- Use caution when shoveling snow especially for those that have heart, respiratory (breathing) problems or other medical conditions. Snow shoveling is strenuous and can cause an onset of heart or respiratory problems.
- Check on the elderly or people with disabilities living alone.
Cold related illnesses include:
Hypothermia:
Symptoms/signs include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling/uncoordinated
movements, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness.
Frostbite:
Symptoms/signs include: white/greyish skin area, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy, or numbness.
Increases in other health problems can also be seen, especially for those with other chronic medical conditions such as heart conditions.
Further information about the health risks of extreme cold and Public Health’s Extreme Cold Response Plan can be found at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca under “My Home & Environment” by clicking on “Extreme Weather – Cold”.
For further information, please contact:
Wanda Tonus
Public Health Inspector
(705) 743-1000, ext. 285
January 3, 2014 – With the forecast of slightly higher temperatures on Saturday January 4, Peterborough Public Health is downgrading the frostbite warning issued earlier this week to alert status and with warmer temperatures forecasted for Sunday, January 5, the alert will be lifted.
Even though we are expecting warmer temperatures over the next few days, residents are reminded to take precautions in cold weather, including dressing warmly and in layers, watching for signs of hypothermia and frostbite, and checking on the elderly and people with disabilities who live alone. The Public Health will continue to monitor the weather forecasts throughout the winter and issue frostbite alerts, warnings or emergencies when forecasted temperatures or wind chill values reach thresholds as indicated in the Extreme Cold Response Plan.
Further information about staying healthy in extreme cold conditions and Public Health’s Extreme Cold Response Plan can be found at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca under “My Home & Environment” by clicking on “Extreme Weather – Cold”.
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Supervisor
(705) 743-1000, ext. 391
