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The INDEPENDENT, October 19, 2011
First Oregon 2011 flu hospitalization reported October is named Domestic
Oregon Public Health offi-
cials have received the first re-
port of an Oregonian hospital-
ized with the flu. The Lincoln
County Health Department re-
ported that a 61-year-old wo-
man who was hospitalized with
influenza has recovered. Al-
though flu activity remains low
so far this season, this is the
first report of hospitalization for
flu.
“Every flu season is differ-
ent, and influenza can affect
people differently,” said Paul
Cieslak, M.D., of Oregon Public
Health. “Even healthy children
and adults can get very sick
from the flu and spread it to
others. The best way to prevent
the flu is by getting vaccinated
each year.”
There are plentiful supplies
of flu vaccine throughout Ore-
gon. Public Health officials rec-
ommend that everyone 6
months of age or older get vac-
cinated. Vaccination is espe-
cially important if you’re in one
of these groups:
• Pregnant women.
• Children 6 months through
4 years of age, and especially
those 6 months to 23 months of
age.
• People 50 years of age or
older.
• Anyone with underlying
medical conditions such as
chronic pulmonary conditions
including asthma; cardiovascu-
lar conditions, (except isolated
hypertension); renal, hepatic,
neurological, hematologic or
metabolic disorders including
diabetes mellitus; and immuno-
suppression, including those
caused by medications or HIV.
• People in long-term-care
facilities.
• People who live with or
care for those at high risk for
complications from the flu.
In addition to getting immu-
nized, it’s also important to
ward off the flu and other virus-
es and bacteria by these meth-
ods:
• Protect yourself and others
by washing your hands often.
• Cover your mouth with
something other than your
hand when you cough.
• If you’re sick, go see the
doctor but otherwise try not to
go out and expose others to
your illness.
To get more information
about influenza and to find out
where you can get vaccinated
against the flu, visit flu.ore
gon.gov.
ODFW says be “Bear Aware” this fall
With the arrival of fall,
wildlife biologists from the Ore-
gon Department of Fish and
Wildlife are reminding Oregoni-
ans that, at this time of year,
bears are on the move and
conflicts between these ani-
mals and humans can occur.
Biologists say that by following
a few simple steps people can
minimize the possibility of con-
flicts with bears.
“Fall is a critical season for
Oregon’s black bears,” said
Tonya Moore, a wildlife biolo-
gist with ODFW’s North
Willamette Watershed District.
“Winter is around the corner
and bears must get down to the
business of accumulating fat
reserves to see them through.”
Moore explained that during
503-901-1705
late summer and fall, bears typ-
ically consume large amounts
of tree fruits, berries, and nuts
in order to increase their body
fat by as much as 35 percent in
preparation for winter. To meet
these extra demands for food,
bears also look to other
sources of food to gain the
extra fat they need to tide them
over through the winter.
ODFW often receives more
bear damage complaints in the
fall as a result of bears moving
into residential areas to find
easy meals, including garbage,
fallen fruit, compost piles, pet
foods and livestock feed.
Moore said black bears may
forage up to 20 hours a day
and roam constantly through-
out their home range to find a
meal.
Once habituated to finding
food near homes, bears can
quickly become a threat to
human safety and must often
be killed. ODFW recommends
that people follow these guide-
lines to protect both humans
and bears:
• Keep pet food indoors.
• Remove fruit that has fallen
from trees.
• Add lime to compost piles
to reduce odors – do not com-
post meat, bones, fruit, dairy
products or grease.
• Secure garbage cans in a
garage, shed or behind a chain
link or electric fence.
• Purchase bear-proof gar-
bage cans if necessary.
• Clean garbage containers
regularly with diluted bleach to
reduce odors.
• Use electric fencing to
keep bears from orchards, gar-
dens, compost, beehives and
berries.
• Store livestock food in a
secure place.
• Never, ever feed a bear.
Moore noted that dispensing
foods for other wildlife like
birds, squirrels and deer can
also attract black bears and is
therefore discouraged. She
recommends that people in
areas where bears show up
from time to time, play it safe
by refraining from feeding
wildlife. In addition, working
with neighbors to remove at-
tractants can benefit the whole
neighborhood, including the
wildlife.
“Working with your commu-
nity to make sure everyone is
doing their part to avoid attract-
ing bears is the best step you
can take to minimize the risk of
a serious bear conflict,” Moore
said.
For more information about
living with black bears, see the
ODFW website at www.dfw.
state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/b
lack_bears.asp .
Violence Awareness Month
Domestic violence is every-
where. One in four women will
be assaulted by a partner at
some point in her lifetime, re-
gardless of her socioeconomic
status, race, religion, age or
education level.
Domestic violence has a sig-
nificant impact on the commu-
nity, affecting children, schools,
employers, hospitals, law en-
forcement and the judicial sys-
tem.
Statewide:
• Safety from domestic vio-
lence would save more than
$35 million a year in health
care costs in Oregon.
• Safety from domestic vio-
lence would save more than
$9.3 million annual lost rev-
enue and prevent a leading
cause of homelessness for
women and children.
• 1/3 of child welfare cases
have a domestic violence com-
ponent.
• Domestic violence is a fac-
tor in 1/3 of all violent crimes in
Oregon.
• Access to domestic and
sexual violence services re-
duces re-assault by 70%.
In Columbia County:
• Last year the Columbia
County Women’s Resource
Center (CCWRC) fielded al-
most 1,750 crisis line calls and
had to turn away 220 individu-
als seeking shelter.
• Approximately 225 people
were served in the emergency
shelter last year, including boys
up to age 17.
• Over 3,000 services were
provided to men, women and
children.
Domestic and sexual vio-
lence services save lives, fami-
lies and communities.
During October, CCWRC is
joining
with
communities
across the nation to recognize
Domestic Violence Awareness
Month, celebrating progress
made in reducing domestic vio-
lence, and to recommit to mak-
ing everyone's home a safe
place for them.
Throughout the month of
October (and all year long)
shop at Norma’s Place, 164 Lit-
tle Street, St. Helens, where
your thrift store purchases sup-
port the Resource Center and a
successful job training program
that is building new lives.
CCWRC is the only agency
in Columbia County that serves
survivors of domestic and sex-
ual violence.
Columbia County
Domestic Abuse
Mental Health
Hotline
800-294-5211
503-397-6161
-----------------
or
Suicide Hotline
866-397-6161
1-800-
-----------------
784-2433
or
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
Military Helpline
888-HLP-4-VET
(888-457-4838)