Local influenza vaccinations soar

CELINA - Mercer County residents are stepping up to receive their flu vaccine, with 1,048 administered in December, according to Mercer County Health District Director of Nursing Julia Shaffer.

Shaffer told health board members on Tuesday that only 636 flu shots had been given by district personnel from January through November last year. The total number for 2017 - 1,684 - was the same as in 2016.

Also, 21 cases of flu-related hospitalizations were reported in Mercer County between Dec. 15 and Jan. 11, Shaffer said. As of last week in Auglaize County, seven cases had been reported in December and another seven were reported in January. The common influenza strain circulating this season is the H3N2 variety, she added.

"The vaccine is protecting against that, but there is more than just one strain of the H3N2 that is going around," Shaffer said.

All reported H3N2 cases have been the influenza A variety. According to Shaffer, 20 of the 21 Mercer County cases have been influenza A.

Shaffer also noted that 14 of the 21 cases have been in people aged 65 and older and three cases were children under age 12.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 20 pediatric influenza-related deaths have occurred in the U.S. so far this season. Nearly 90 percent were the H3N2 strain, Shaffer said. Two pediatric flu deaths have been reported in Ohio, a 4-year-old Montgomery County boy and an 18-month-old Lucas County child. The Ohio Department of Health has reported 3,854 flu-associated hospitalizations since October.

Shaffer said she continues to recommend all people aged 6 months and older get the vaccine, and if people get sick, they should stay home until 24 hours after the fever is gone without medication.

Also on Tuesday, board members,

• voted to lease a 2018 Ford Escape locally for $280 per month. A 1998 Ford Expedition will be traded.

• voted to increase the pay scale of all eligible employees hired prior to July 1 by 2.2 percent.

• passed a functional needs policy for the district.

• passed an updated edition of the health district bylaws.

• passed a revised copy of the district's strategic plan needed for accreditation.

• gave first reading to revisions of the property maintenance code.

• heard a report from workers with the Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps, which is a tax-supported health care program that helps support any child under age 21 who is a resident of Ohio and has an eligible, chronic, medical diagnosis.