Living with the Flu » Prevent the Spread

H1N1 Vaccine Now Available to All

KETC Community Engagement — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:36:37 +0000

Due to an increase in the availability of H1N1 vaccine, the St. Louis County Department of Health is now able to offer H1N1 vaccine to any county resident 6 months of age or older.

The vaccine is available free of charge at the North Central Community Health Center, 4000 Jennings Station Road in Pine Lawn, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, except Thursday when the H1N1 clinic will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The vaccine is also available at the South County Health Center, 4580 South Lindbergh Boulevard in Sunset Hills, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

According to Dr. Delores Gunn, St. Louis County Director of Health, the H1N1 vaccine will be available in additional locations in the near future.

This information was provider by Barbara Fraser, St. Louis County Council, District 5 Newsletter.

Free Nov. 17 Webinar Focuses on Resources and Strategies to Help Students Understand How Germs, Viruses and Vaccinations Work

stripodi@ketc.org — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:09:03 +0000

PBS Teachers is hosting a free webinar for educators on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m. ET about “Helping Kids Understand Viruses and Vaccinations with SID THE SCIENCE KID.” Webinar participants will learn strategies and resources they can immediately use in the classroom to teach students about the critical topic of viruses, how vaccinations work if their families choose to get them, and how to stay healthy.

The featured speakers are Dr. Cyrus Rangan, from the L.A. County health department, and early childhood education expert Moisés Román. They served as advisors for a special new episode of SID THE SCIENCE KID that focuses on the science behind germs, viruses and vaccines using age-appropriate vocabulary and concepts.

Educators play an important role in helping students stay healthy during the cold and flu season. The new SID THE SCIENCE KID episode, “Getting a shot: You Can Do It!,” provides teachers and childcare providers with helpful resources to handle questions children may have around getting sick, why their parents want them to get a flu shot, and what they can do to stay healthy, while teaching science concepts. For more information, visit www.pbs.org/teachers/webinar.

Living With the Flu: A Living St. Louis Special – Watch the Full Episode

KETC — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:12:24 +0000

On Monday, November 2, KETC broadcast Living With the Flu: A Living St. Louis Special. If you missed the episode, it will be rebroadcast on Saturday, November 7, at 3:30 p.m. You can also watch the full episode here:

Anne-Marie Berger talks with her oral communications class at Florissant Valley Community College about their thoughts and concerns about this flu season. Next, Ruth Ezell discusses the current situation and steps you can take to avoid the flu with Dr. Jeffery Lowell, professor of surgery and pediatrics at Washington University Medical School and a member of the board of STARRS: the St. Louis Area Regional Response System; Jan Polizzi, Nurses for Newborns; and Dave Reddick, Pandemicprep.org. For more information about H1N1 and to find out about resources are available in the Greater St. Louis area, call the United Way’s helpline at 1-800-427-4626 or 2-1-1.

Sid the Science Kid: Getting a Shot: You Can Do It! — Watch the FULL EPISODE!

KETC — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:38:22 +0000

Getting a shot can be scary, for adults and kids alike. But it can be easier if you know you don’t have to go through it alone. That’s what a speical episode of the PBS Kids! program Sid the Science Kid teaches kids everywhere.

You can watch the full episode here.

Everyone’s favorite preschool scientist, Sid is hearing a lot of talk this fall about how to stay healthy, which leads him to ask lots of questions. In this new special episode from the Emmy-nominated series, Sid and his friends learn the basic science behind germs, viruses and why their parents chose for them to get vaccinations using age-appropriate vocabulary and scientific concepts that have become a hallmark of the series.

Red Cross Poll Shows Women Taking More Precaution Against Flu

Red Cross STL — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:15:52 +0000

It’s refreshing to see that most Americans are taking the flu seriously. According to an recent Red Cross survey, 78% of adults are washing their hands more carefully and frequently compared to only 55% in May. (Remember 20 seconds!) Also 75% of adults are taking more care in making sure they are covering their coughs and sneezes. Women are more like than men to be taking these steps, for instance women are almost 20% more likely than men to be cleaning surfaces with disinfectant at home and at work than men (72% of women and 53% of men.) One thing that may not surprise American men is that women are also 20% more likely then men to be giving others advice on how to avoid the flu (58% of women are giving out advice, compared to 38% of men.)

It’s easy to understand why people are taking these precautions, since 1 in 5 Americans knows someone who has had the flu.

Those are great first steps but there are still things to do to prepare for the flu: only 20% of Americans have talked to their supervisors about they should do if they have to take time for because they have the flu. This is something you definitely want to do before you are home sick! Also, only about half of Americans have gathered an adequate (2-weeks) supply of food and water in their homes in preparation for the flu.

People do have some concerns: about half of Americans are concerned about the H1N1 flu vaccine. Flu.gov has great information on the vaccine and its safety.

Tune-in for Living With the Flu – Monday, November 2, 7:00 p.m. on KETC

KETC — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:05:22 +0000

What will this flu season bring? Will there be enough of the H1N1 vaccine for the St. Louis area? What should you do if you or someone in your family becomes ill?

These and other questions will be addressed by a panel of experts on KETC Monday, November 2, at 7:00 p.m. when Channel 9 presents Living With the Flu. Ruth Ezell will discuss the latest information on the H1N1 flu pandemic with group of local experts.

Scheduled to appear are:

Dave Reddick − Pandemicprep.org
Jan Polizzi − Nurses for Newborns
Dr. Jeffery Lowell − professor of surgery and pediatrics at Washington University Medical School and a member of the board of STARRS: the St. Louis Area Regional Response System

Need a Flu Education Presentation? The Red Cross Can Help

KETC — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:26:21 +0000

If you would like a flu education presentation for your company, organization, or other group, the St. Louis chapter of the American Red Cross can help.

For more information on the FREE pandemic flu education presentations to adults and children, visit their Web site or contact Elena Sabin, at esabin@redcrossstl.org or 314-516-2753.

Living With the Flu – Our Goals

KETC — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:04:02 +0000

H1N1. A combination of two letters and two numbers very few people knew seven or eight months ago, but now have taken on an ominous meaning for many. As we enter the 2009-2010 flu season, most in the St. Louis region—and across the country—are wondering what will happen and how they and their family can best prepare for “Living With the Flu.”

To help our community during this time, KETC is using our capabilities on-air, online and in the community as the region’s trusted public media organization to connect residents to H1N1 prevention and immunization resources through a network of trusted community agencies. Watch our broadcast for tips on how you can prevent the flu and what to do it you or someone in your family is infected. We’ll be posting information and links to resources here, and we want to hear from you if you know of resources we don’t have here.

We are all going to be living with the flu this year, but by staying informed and being prepared, we call all try and prevent the spread.