01/14/2015

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Vol. 31, No. 37 | Richmond Suburban News | January 14, 2015

STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN

Flu season: take preventive measures, stay home if sick By Jodi Deal jdeal@mechlocal.com Urgent care clinics, doctor’s offices and hospital emergency rooms across the country have started to fill up with people showing symptoms of influenza, more commonly known as the flu. According to Dr. Thomas Franck, director of the Chickahominy Health District, influenza cases are measured at four levels of activity by the Virginia Department of Health: 0 is no activity, 1 is sporadic activity, 3 is regional activity and 4, the highest level, is widespread activity, which means at least three of Virginia’s five regions have experienced signifiFRANCK cant outbreaks. Virginia hit level 4 in early December 2014 and has remained there since, Franck said. By the end of December, 43 states had reached widespread status, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Despite concern over the effectiveness of this year’s flu vaccine and increased media reports on the illness’s spread, Franck said the progression of flu cases in Virginia has followed a somewhat

Metro Creative

Jodi Deal/The Local

The flu vaccine may not be as effective as in past years, but Dr. Thomas Franck, director of the Chickahominy Health District, still recommends the shot.

Hanover Christmas Mother Melanie McElhinney Goodpasture accepted a check from Martin’s last Thursday. Shown are, from left, Franklin Jones of the Doswell Ruritan Club, Goodpasture, Martin’s nonperishable food manager Curtis Pennington and Christmas Mother treasurer Beverly Samuels.

normal arc this flu season, hitting “widespread” status in about the average timeframe. That said, health officials are bracing for a tougher than normal season as time wears on. “This year, I think we can anticipate it will be somewhat worse in terms of the number and severity of cases,” Franck said. “I think we’re predicting that we’re going to see more hospitalizations this year, and possibly more deaths.” That’s due to something called antigenic drift, or a shift in the makeup of the virus. According to the CDC, the influenza virus is

Christmas Mother gets $13,000 boost from Martin’s holiday program

see FLU, pg. 4

By Jodi Deal jdeal@mechlocal.com

H

anover County’s 2014 Christmas Mother Melanie McElhinney

Goodpasture wrapped up a busy season by accepting a check for $13,120.79 at the Martin’s at Virginia Center Commons on Thursday, Jan. 8. Joining Goodpasture

in the presentation were Franklin Jones of the Doswell Ruritan Club, Martin’s nonperishable food manager Curtis Pennington and see MOTHER, pg. 4

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