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Firefighters quickly extinguish fire in Wilkes-Barre

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Do your health a favor and go to sleep

<p>In 1942, after a victory in the second battle at El Alamein, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said:</p><p>&#8220;Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.&#8221;</p><p>So it is today regarding the 2018-2019 influenza season.</p><p>As of last week in Pennsylvania the flu is in high gear. The state reports that flu has broken out in 66 of Pennsylvania&#8217;s 67 counties. More than 6,400 cases have been proven by lab tests and thousands more are likely but confirmatory tests were never requested.</p><p>Flu activity is highest in the northeastern and southeastern parts of the state and Luzerne County&#8217;s 952 reported cases lead the state with Lackawanna working hard to catch up with 339. The percentage of visits to medical practices, urgent care centers and emergency facilities for flu-related problems has reached the official definition of an epidemic. In one local hospital admissions for the flu is at six times the level it was at this time last year.</p><p>Eight adults have died in Pennsylvania this year but thank goodness kids have so far been spared. But let&#8217;s not take too much comfort; last season&#8217;s estimate that more than 79,000 Americans died of the flu was the most in the last 10 years.</p><p><strong>So what should you do?</strong></p><p>Well it&#8217;s still not too late to get vaccinated. This remains the best way to protect yourself, your contacts and us as a whole from the flu. The H1N1 strain of flu that is most common this year is covered by this season&#8217;s immunization. There are multiple ways to administer the vaccine and standard flu vaccines do not contain live virus particles and can&#8217;t give you the flu.</p><p>It&#8217;s especially important that individuals at high risk of flu and flu complications get vaccinated, even now. This includes kids under 2, adults over 65, pregnant women, those with asthma, other lung conditions, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, neurologic disorders and most chronic medical conditions. Check with your doctor. After the vaccine is given, it takes two weeks to develop enough of an immune response to protect from infection, so don&#8217;t delay any more.</p><p>Flu symptoms include fever, headache, extreme fatigue, a dry nonproductive cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and often severe body aches. At the first sign of these, I strongly recommend that you contact your medical team. There are four medicines, pills, inhaled powders and an IV drug that can decrease the severity and duration of the flu but only if used with the first few days.</p><p>You&#8217;re contagious for a day or so before and about 5 to 7 days after symptoms appear so PLEASE stay home; cover your mouth; wash your hands a thousand times a day; don&#8217;t share utensils, towels or objects and keep your distance from others as best you can.</p><p>If you&#8217;re not infected, you too should be on guard. Avoid those who are. Wash your hands often and certainly before eating. Keep your hands off your face. Drinks lots of water. Sleep and rest well. Eat smartly. Bundle up. Exercise carefully.</p><p>Don&#8217;t become a statistic this year. Flu season lasts through March most years. Keep your guard up and like Churchill: &#8220;Never, never, never give up.&#8221; </p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Alfred Casale</p><p>To Your Health</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is associate chief medical officer for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart Institute. Readers may write to him via ae@www.timesleader.com.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

‘The end of the beginning’ of flu season