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May 28th, 2009
Health commissioner urges continued caution with flu

STAFF REPORT

The commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) is urging students and parents to continue to take precautions to reduce the risk of spreading the H1N1 flu, despite the ending of the school year.

The city passed along the health department’s advise in a release this week.

So far, there have been 1,041 H1N1 flu cases in 65 of Texas’s 254 counties, according to TDSHS.

“The virus continues to circulate,” said TDSHS Commissioner David Lakey, M.D. “We need to continue to take those personal steps to keep from getting, or spreading, H1N1 flu.”

Symptoms of H1N1 flu usually include high fever with a cough, sore throat or both. Some with H1N1 flu also have reported extreme tiredness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

According to Lakey, people should:

  • Stay home if influenza-like symptoms, or other symptoms of respiratory illness, are present.
  • Cough or sneeze into the crook of the elbow, or into a tissue that is properly disposed.
  • Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth, to reduce the risk that germs on the fingers enter the body.

“We’re dealing with a newly discovered form of the flu virus,” Lakey said. “There is little to no natural immunity among the population and at this point we have no H1N1 vaccine to protect us. That makes following the personal precautions extremely important.”

Lakey also said that staff in child care centers, which will take in additional children during the summer, should make sure children follow all precautions to reduce the risk of spreading the flu.

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0 thoughts on “Health commissioner urges continued caution with flu”

  1. I just found this video on You Tube that really shows how germs and viruses spread. It is so cool. It’s meant for kids but I even learned a lot!

  3. Bill,
    Why? Too lazy to get a spam filter and a moderator? It would help many of the discussions. I know many much larger and busier sites that don’t have that rule. Catch up with the modern world…

  4. or maybe Bill, you could go away so that the rest of us can enjoy this free, valuable resource. How about that?

  5. IN case you missed it, Bill is the Executive Editor of Newstreamz. He is one of the folks that helps make “this free, valuable resource” available so you can enjoy it.

  6. This site has had a policy from the start of its time, which is a long time before I showed up, of not allowing off-site links on comments.

    Thanks for my back, COS.

  7. I’m still in time-out, but like my son I will escape for a few seconds and say this:
    This is the only source for real news in this town, and Peterson is the one who makes the site go. He actually has ethics, which is rare around here.
    We should all be buying him lunch for the work he does instead of throwing rocks at him from behind the anonymous fence. just so sad…
    Going back to my time-out chair now.

  8. I have no problem with Bill and I appreciate the resource for local news and viewpoints that Newstreamz provides. I think it is a policy that is limiting the utility of the site and should be re-evaluated. It is unnecessary, and it is frustrating that the owners have not seen fit to change it or at least justify it. There need rules about what links are acceptable, but that’s what filters and moderators are for. I made a flippant remark about it, but I stand behind it because they have repeatedly said “we just don’t.” instead of “here’s why…” or “maybe we should think about it…”

  10. Does anyone else have a problem with “That was meant for Jessie, not Bill?” Let’s look at what Patriot said, “or maybe Bill, you could go away so that the rest of us can enjoy this free, valuable resource. How about that?”
    Patriot, Your stated the desire for Bill (or anybody else with whom you disagree,) to “go away” is an affront to free speech. I don’t know who you are, but your views contradict the very notion of free speech and patriotism. At the very least, have enough respect for true patriots not to sully the name.
    You attack without even knowing whom you are attacking.
    There is a way to give anyone the information to google that will enable any of us to get the information desired. Grow up and admit when you act childishly!
    Perhaps you should change your name to ignorant, prejudiced, or stupid, but Patriot seems out of place.

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