Influenza

Medical professionals encourage vaccinations as influenza and COVID cases predicted to spike

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Dr. Christine Hartford, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, is warning local residents to get the influenza vaccine.

She works as a pediatric hospitalist at St. Bernards Medical Center and during the last week or more she’s noticed a significant uptick in respiratory illnesses at the hospital.

“I worked two hospital shifts last week and every single pediatric admission I had was a respiratory virus infection,” Hartford said. “They were all either RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), flu or both. We anticipate an increase in COVID infections over the next couple of weeks as well. All things combined, it makes it as important as ever to get vaccinated to protect yourself and others.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/11/medical-professionals-encourage-vaccinations-as-influenza-and-covid-cases-predicted-to-spike/

Influenza could threaten state’s poultry industry

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Disease, especially avian influenza, could impact Arkansas poultry producers in 2022.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is urging poultry owners to increase biosecurity measures on their operations in response to several reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in other states to include some in the Mississippi Flyway.

HPAI is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry and wild birds. HPAI virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to chickens, and can spread rapidly from flock to flock. Symptoms can include sudden increase in bird deaths with no clinical signs, lack of energy and appetite, decrease in egg production, soft- or thin-shelled or misshapen eggs, and more.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/02/influenza-could-threaten-states-poultry-industry/

Department of Health Urges Arkansans to Get Flu Shot

By DANIEL CARUTH & KYLE KELLAMS

The Arkansas Department of Health is encouraging people to get vaccinated for the flu this fall to avoid an outbreak and potential strain on the state's hospitals. After a mild flu season in 2020, ADH officials say immunity to new strains of influenza could be worse if more people aren't vaccinated. Health units across the state are offering the flu shot to anyone at no cost.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/department-health-urges-arkansans-get-flu-shot

Free flu shots are available through mass clinics and at local health units across the state this fall.

COURTESY / ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH