Lyme Disease Already Up this Year

The Board of Health office in the Town Hall has detailed fact sheets available on Measles, Influenza, and Lyme Disease. This is a brief synopsis of these Fact Sheets.

Measles
Measles is a disease caused by a virus that  spreads easily from person to person, and lasts a week or two. It looks and feels like a cold at first, a cough, high fever, runny nose and red, watery eyes are common. A few days later, a red blotchy rash starts on the face, then spreads to the rest of the body.

Measles often cause diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia.  Deafness, blindness, seizure disorders and other brain diseases are less common. It is most dangerous to children under 5 and adults over 20. Pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are also vulnerable.

Measles is easily spread by sneezing, coughing or simply talking. The virus can stay in the air for 2 hours and can infect anyone in the area. It is also spread by sharing a cup or touching tissues. Infected people can spread the disease starting 4 days before until 4 days after the rash begins.  Symptoms appear 10-14 days after exposure.

Anyone who has not had measles, or has never been vaccinated, can get measles.

Some people who were vaccinated prior to 1968 can also get it as some early vaccines did not give lasting protection.

The only sure way to know if you have measles is to get a blood test, and sometimes a throat and urine test will also be done.

Protect children by having them vaccinated when they are 12-15 months old, and again when they are about to enter kindergarten.

Measles vaccine is usually given as the combination MMR, which protects meas,mumps and rubella.

Women who plan to have children and are not immune should get MMR at least 4 weeks before getting pregnant.

If you have been exposed to measles, talk to your doctor to see if you need a vaccination.

Influenza
Influenza  (the flu) is an illness with fever, headache, sore throat, cough and muscle ache caused by the influenza virus. It is seasonal, and can be prevented by getting a flu shot, but since the virus changes each year, and new shot and often a new vaccine is needed each year.

The flu is spread person-to-person, even before a person has any symptoms, as well as when they have the flu.  It is spread through wet droplets that are produced when people cough, sneeze or speak. If the droplets get into the nose,mouth or eyes  they can cause the flu. Droplets can contaminate any surface and be carried by the hands to the mouth, nose or eyes and cause the flu.

The flu can be avoided by  keeping a distance of 3 feet from ill people, getting the vaccine and frequently washing hands.

Avian  
(or bird) flu is an infection of birds caused by a virus that is different form viruses that cause flu in people. People rarely get infected with bird flu and the infection does not pass from person-to person. It is safe to cook and eat chicken and other poultry and eggs. There is no evidence that you can become infected with bird flu by eating properly cooked  poultry and eggs.

Pandemic Flu    
Approximately every 20-40 years, a new strain of the flu appears that is very different form the ordinary seasonal flu virus. Since most people do not have any immunity to this new strain, it can spread quickly across the world over a short period of time. Existing vaccines will not prevent people from getting  the new type, and a new vaccine will take 5-6 months to develop. 1968 was the most recent flu pandemic, and another could occur at any time.  Flu illness during pandemics can start at any time during the year, not just the