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October 14, 2009
Page A 7
H ealth matters
Officials Prepare for
Long, Deadly Flu Season
Your Care
O u r F ir s t P r io r ity
Dr. Marcelitte Failla
Chiropractic Physician
We are located at
1716 N.E. 42nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97213
H1N1 vaccine
arrives for use
in Oregon
• Automobile accident injuries
• Chronic headache and joint pain
• Workers Compensation injuries
by J ake T homas
T he P ortland O bserver
1 for an appointment! (503) 228-6140
In a conference call last week,
Washington officials said they
are bracing for a particularly
nasty flu season that has been
complicated by the presence of
H1N1 virus,
Health and Human Services
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
told reporters that her depart­
ment was seeing as much flu
activity this fall as during the
height of the previous flu sea­
son.
The flu, sometimes referred
to as “swine flu,” is an espe­
cially dangerous strain of the
virus that has killed 240 and
hospitalized nearly 4,000 people
since August.
Sebelius explained that there
is a myth that minorities are at
greater risk of catching the vi­
rus.
While this isn’t true, people
with asthma, heart disease, and
diabetes are mpre likely to be
significantly affected by the flu.
All of these afflictions dispro­
portionately affect African
Americans.
“It’s a different kind of vi­
rus,” said Sebelius, who ex­
pects the flu season, which
officially began last week to
be p a rtic u la rly long. She
added that vulnerable people
might want to get a vaccina­
tion against pneum onia as
well, since contracting it in
addition to H1N1 could be
very serious.
According the Sebelius the
recently-approved vaccine is
just now starting to trickle in
across the country. For now, it’s
being given prim arily to
healthcare providers, pregnant
women, childcare givers, and
people who are likely to develop
serious complications from ex­
isting illnesses.
She stressed that no safety
precautions were skipped over
in manufacturing it, and none
will be skipped over in distrib­
uting it. Everyone who wants
the vaccine will have access to
it, she added.
“There will be enough vac­
cine for everybody,” she said.
“The vacciniation program is
starting, but i t ’s starting
slowly.”
Sebelius said that her depart­
ment has partnered with vari­
ous community and faith orga­
nizations across the country to
distribute the vaccine, and it will
be available at various commu-
(Between Broadway
and Sandy Blvd.)
Now Enrolling Preschoolers
Ages 3-5 years
PE N IN S U LA C H IL D R E N ’ S CENTER
Our Children. Our Community. Growing Together.
A Providence health care worker receives the nasal m ist form o f the H1N1 vaccine.
The H1N1 vaccine
arrived in Oregon and is
being distributed to high-risk
groups.
The Pacific Northwest Jurisdiction 33rd Artpual Holy Convocation
of the Church of God in Christ United will convene Oct. 21st -25th
at headquarters Emanuel Church of God in Christ United
4800 NE 30th Ave.
Hosted by:
nity hubs, like schools and even
box stores.
The government has pur­
chased the vaccine and is not
charging for it, she said. How­
ever, some distributors might
charge an administration fee.
“We don’t want finances to
be a barrier for anyone being
vaccinated,” she said.
Anne Schuchat, Director of
Center for Disease Control's
National Center for Immuniza­
tion and Respiratory Diseases,
said that the government has
250 million doses of the vaccine
ready to go, and more in the
pipe.
She also said that the virus
was widespread in 27 states and
20 were seeing regional out­
breaks.
“The H1N1 is just starting to
come out in little dribs and
drabs,” she said.
Schuchat said that some
people might come down with
the virus and quickly recover,
while others m ight have a
tougher tim e. R egardless,
prompt treatment with medi­
cines like Tamiflu can help,
she said.
In Oregon, the first ship­
ments of the vaccine have just
recently arrived, with the na­
sal mist form being distrib­
uted to healthcare workers
and other priority groups.
Since April, 200 Oregonians
have been hospitalized, and
15 have died.
Most Oregonians should be
able to get the vaccine
through their healthcare pro­
vider, and state and local
health clinics will begin dis­
tributing the vaccine once
more is available later this
month.
\ Jurisdictional Prelate
International
Artice Wright
Prelate James Feltus
will be speaking on
Thursday Oct. 22
Services begin nightly at 7:30PM and 3PM Sunday Oct. 25
Daily Seminars 11AM - 1PM
Come join us for this glorious occasion
Contact Supervisor Wright 503.287.3848 or 503.335.8772
Bishop H.L. Hodge 503.639.4231
•Helping Families «Transforming Lives
Invites you to come out and
Health Clinics to Offer Free Screenings
Two health free health clin­
ics will be offered in the next
two weeks that will give free
and low-cost health screen­
ings for the region's African
American populations.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, from
9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Afri­
can American Health C oali­
tion will be offering a health
clinic at the B lazers Boys
and Girls Club at 5250 N.E.
Martin Luther King Jr. Bou­
levard.
The clinc will includ flu
shots, dental screenings, vi­
sion and glaucom a checks,
d iabetes foot checks, and
massage therapy.
The early detection of pros­
tate cancer can save lives. Af­
rican American males have a
very high rate of prostate can­
cer. Identifying and treating
it early improves the odds of
surviving the malady.
The clinic will offer free
prostate cancer screenings to
the first 100 African American
males that pre-register by call­
ing: 503-413-1850.
The clinic will also be offer­
ing screening of colorectal
cancer, which claims the lives
of many men and women in
Oregon, and disproportion­
ately affects African Ameri­
cans.
The second event, offering
similar healthcare services, is
scheduled Saturday, Oct. 24
at the Community AME Zion
I I I A lT H tu S C Ii N C E
univfrmty
Church, 3605 East 13th St. in
Vancouver.
Healthcare providers will
offer free HIV testing, in ad­
dition to basic medical ser­
vices for children and adults.
There will be information on
food assistance, Head Start,
and the H IN I virus.
Free massages and healthy
snacks will be provided.
For more information on the
Vancouver event, call 360-
693-4566.
ADHD Research Study
You and your child are invited to participate in a study
investigating the causes and assessment o f ADHD.
PARENTS OF 7 & 8 YEAR OLDS!
Child must he:
Parent and child will attend:
• 7 or 8 years old
• In good physical health
• With or without ADHD.
• A 2-hour screening visit
• Possibly one annual visit
for 3 years
Diagnostic feedback and compensation are provided.
(503)418-5508 • ohsuADHD@ohsu.edu
OHSU Psychiatry Department • Funded by NIH
Services will be held a t
New Song Community Center
2511NE Martin Luther King Blvd
Comer of M MIK Bli/d and Russell St
Infant and Toddler care will be provided. Doors open at 6pm for every service
For directions or more information, call
503-488-5481 or log on to www.mfhmportland.com