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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 2018)
SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2018 | 7A VACCINATE from page 1A Comparatively, flu symp- toms can be much worse, including fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea and vomit- ing. Traditional flu vaccines, or “trivalent vaccines,” protect against three strains of in- fluenza. The vast majority of doses available for the 2018- 2019 season will be “quadriva- lent vaccines,” which protect against the same viruses as the trivalent vaccine and an addi- tional B virus. For those with an aversion needles, vaccination in nasal spray form is also returning as a recommended option this year after a two-season hiatus. The spray, FluMist, is quad- rivalent and was re-approved this year by the CDC’s Advi- sory Committee on Immuni- zation Practices for non-preg- nant individuals aged two through 49. Age and health may deter- mine which vaccine is appro- priate. Particularly, individu- als who have egg allergies or have ever suffered from Guil- lain-Barré Syndrome (a severe paralyzing illness, also called GBS) should talk to a doctor before getting a vaccine. Flu vaccines are generally reported to be between 60 and 80 percent effective, though Davis stressed that falling short of 100 percent effective- ness should not dissuade the public from getting vaccina- tions. “You’ll hear people often use this excuse not to get im- munized — they don’t believe the immunization works be- cause they got the immuniza- tion and then got the flu,” he said. Even in these cases, vacci- nated individuals will see a decrease in illness severity and lower the chances of spreading the virus. “Usually it’s not nearly bad as it would have been had you not gotten the immuniza- tion,” Davis said, “so it actual- ly lessens the impact on your body.” Widespread immunization is also regarded as an effec- tive way to disrupt the chain of infection. Herd immunity, a form of infectious disease resistance which is enabled by a high proportion of immune individuals in a population, slows the spread of disease and helps prevent infection of those who may be at greater risk for flu-related complica- tions. The proportion needed for effective herd immunity varies by disease. “With flu, it’s only 50 per- cent of the community that needs to be immunized and we’ve never been close to 50 percent (in Lane County),” said Davis. “Our highest is around 33 percent.” Reaching that 50 percent mark could prevent large- scale outbreaks like the one seen in Florence two years ago, Davis added. Lane County immuniza- tion numbers are reflective of an overall Oregon trend, which has placed the state among the lowest flu vaccina- tion rates in the country for at least 17 years, according to CDC data. Flu vaccines are offered in most doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments and phar- macies. Because the virus can be spread through direct contact and airborne particles, health authorities recommend other preventive measures on top of getting the vaccine. Washing hands with soap and water, covering the mouth when coughing and sneezing and staying home from school or work when symptoms devel- op can all help diminish in- fluenza’s effects. For more information, visit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc. gov. Florence Food Share provides food to those who are hungry in our community. If you have four hours a week available, we are in need of vol- unteers to staff our Front Desk and also act as Guides as clients walk through the pantry. Please call our volunteer coordinator, Sarah Lovejoy, @ 541-997-9110 (Monday – Friday, before noon) to learn more about volunteering. info@lorence- foodshare.org 2190 Spruce Street. Volunteer Get involved Florence Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a place to put your talents to work. From customer service to furniture repair, we offer volunteer opportunities geared toward individual interests and skills.By giving your time, you help Florence Habitat ReStore do more to support building projects that benefi t families in our community. 2016 Hwy 101 or email volunteer@fl orencehabitat.org Store hours 9am – 5pm Monday- Saturday 541-997-5834 www.facebook.com/restorefl orence Donate PLASTIC from page 1A Coastal communities, like Florence, are especially vulner- able to plastic bag pollution be- cause of the likelihood of some of those bags ending up in the Pacific Ocean and the Siuslaw River. Plastic waste, but espe- cially single-use plastic bags, work their way through the food chain in the ocean as many sea creatures misidentify plastic as food. Birds, fish and crustaceans then eat the bits and pieces of the different types of plastic that are deteriorating in waterways, with some dying as a direct re- sult. The City of Florence Envi- ronmental Management Ad- visory Committee (EMAC) is contemplating a recommenda- tion that would codify a ban on single-use carryout plastic bags. To assist in these deliberations, the city is asking for input from residents on the issue by offer- ing a survey online that asks five questions related to plastic bag usage. EMAC Chairwoman Mau- reen Miltenberger said she feels the time has come to consider the possibility of eliminating single-use plastic carry-out bags in Florence. “If each one of us thought about where those bags would end up and the long-term im- pact each bag can have on streams, our ocean, storm drains, wildlife and our overall environment, then taking the small action to purchase an in- expensive bag to use over and over again becomes one of the logical actions we can take,” Miltenberger said. EMAC’s survey asks consum- ers about their shopping habits, preferences regarding bags and their willingness to support a ban on single-use bags. It also asks local business owners if they would support a ban and why or why not. Florence Planning Director Wendy FarleyCampbell coordi- nates the work done by EMAC, which advises the city council and planning commission. She wants to encourage residents to take the survey to provide guid- ance as the city deliberates the issue. “The plastic bags under con- sideration are the type used in grocery stores at checkout. It would not include produce bags, trash bags or paper bags,” FarleyCampbell said. In Oregon, major popula- tion centers like Eugene, Salem, Bend and Portland have passed regulations restricting the use of plastic bags. Miltenberger believes that the recent action taken by the city to ban, over time, the use of styrofoam takeout containers provides a model that indicates residents may be ready to take another step in the direction of eliminating unnecessary waste from our landfills and water- ways. 45% OFF Implants NOW Dr. James Ridley,DDS FREE CONSULTATION See the DentureMaster’s difference, we do it all right here! 206 Nopal Street Florence, OR 97439 CALL NOW 541-997-6226 Do your part and volunteer today to help support We are looking for new volunteers to join Friends of Florence Van Fans ! Please join us at a meeting! these local non-proft Meet 1st Wednesday of every month Luncheon Meeting ($8.50) Shorewood Senior Living 1451 Spruce St 541-991-3209 or sgelmstedt@gmail.com organizations in our community! Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers. <RXZLOOÀQGDQDUHDRILQWHUHVW in a caring organization. Peace Harbor Volunteers Buying or Selling? I can help. Price Reduction 400 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439 541-997-8412 ext. 2218 Volunteer Get involved Meals on Wheels are available to people over the age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness or advanced age and who are not eating properly, regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those who prefer to make new friends in a dining room setting. 1570 Kingwood • PO Box 2313, Florence 541-997-5673 laneseniormeals.org 89510 Hwy 101 #15 – Cute as a bug’s ear! This 1991, 2 bdrm, 1 bath mobile only has an addi- tional 10x10 enclosed porch with a doggie door. All appliances are included with a new shower/ sink, and 2016 refrigerator. Buck Lake is stocked with fi sh, so bring your pole and tackle! $55,000. #2880-18535864 Melody Beaudro Principal Broker 541 991-2151 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 Operating Monday, Wednesday and Friday Donate Do your part and volunteer today to help support these local Saving men one PSA test at a time. 541-997-6626 maribob@oregonfast.net Someone to talk to... who understands! non-proft organizations in our community! To include your organization in this directory, please call us @ 541-997-3441 See Jim for your auto sales needs! 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 “We recently took the action to ban polystyrene, and during that process found that most businesses and customers were willing to do whatever it takes to help keep our rivers and land free of a substance that will take 500 years to forever to break down. In researching the life of plastic bags, we found the same to be true,” Miltenberger said. “We are asking shoppers to consider making a one-time purchase of bags that can be used over and over again, and for stores to provide those bags. That does not seem dramatic to me. What does seem dramatic is the long-term effect that plastics have on our environment and what our world will be like for coming generations if we don’t take some kind of action now.” There are other smaller mu- nicipalities, similar in size to Florence, that have instituted a complete ban or a surcharge on the single-use plastic bag. These smaller towns include Corvallis, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Beaver- ton and Ashland. Nationally, California, Wash- ington D.C., Seattle and Boston have adopted single-use plastic bag bans or fee plans. Interna- tionally, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Chile and Kenya have instituted either an outright ban or a fee for using a single-use plastic bag. The Chinese government recently reported that plastic waste from single-use plastic bags has decreased by almost 70 percent since the introduction of the ban. The City’s EMAC survey will be open at ci.florence.or.us until Nov. 1. Spirituali-Tea to discuss equality of men, women Anyone interested in dis- cussing diverse spiritual ideas in an atmosphere of respect and inquisitiveness is invit- ed to join a group that meets Monday evenings at 875 Sev- enth St., beginning at 6:30 p.m. This Monday’s meeting will discuss the equality of men and women. The equality of men and women is a fundamen- tal Bahá'í principle, that is explicit in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In the Bahá'í view, women have always been equal to men, and the reason why women have so far not achieved this equality is due to the lack of adequate educational and social op- portunities, and because men have used their greater physi- cal strength to prevent wom- en from developing their true potential. All thoughts and perspec- tives will be important to the group, so come prepared to share. At the end of the gathering, prayer requests that have been left in the Prayer Pole in the garden of the Florence Play- house, 208 Laurel St., will be read aloud. Volunteer for Friends of Florence The nonprofit Friends of Florence, which pro- vides free bus transporta- tion for cancer patients, is seeking volunteer drivers. A commercial driver’s license is not required. For more info, call 541- 997-8663. Since the first trip to Eugene back in 1985, the Friends of Florence pro- gram has transported well over 30,000 patients, log- ging more than 1.3 mil- lion miles.
