Vaccines: What Can Make it Easier?

Receive vacation hours for getting scheduled immunizations including the flu vaccine. 

See the activity menu for more details!

We know why we should get ourselves and family members vaccinated but even with it's importance, things sometimes get in our way. This may be cost, accessibility, we may not know we need certain vaccines, or we just plain forget! Here are some resources that will help you to kick those barriers out of the way!

Cost

Adult and Well-Child immunizations, including the flu shot, may be covered 100% by your insurance – call your insurance provider for more information.

Vaccine for Children program is for children who do not have insurance. Required childhood immunizations are available through this program at Local Health Departments for $15 per shot.

Accessibility

Use the HealthMap Vaccine Finder to find where to get vaccinated in your area. The HealthMap Vaccine Finder includes locations that provide the flu shot and 10 other vaccines, including:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
• HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
• Meningococcal
• Pneumococcal
• Td (Tetanus and Diptheria)
• Tdap (tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertusis)
• Varicella (Chickenpox)

Vaccination Schedule

Children and adults need vaccinations to prevent disease. But which vaccinations do you need? Take this Vaccination Quiz to determine which vaccines are recommended for you. Make sure to review immunization records to determine which vaccinations you or family members are lacking. Immunization records are available through Local Health Departments for a $2 fee. You can also visit Utah Statewide Immunization Information System's website and request Immunization Records for FREE. 

Don't Forget!

Immunize Utah provides an email immunization reminder to parents regarding which immunizations are recommended for children 2 months through 18 months of age. The information provided is based on the Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There are also several SmartPhone applications available for download for FREE or for purchase that will alert you when a vaccination is due and will also keep track of what vaccinations have been received.

Back to School Could Mean a Poke!

Receive vacation hours for getting scheduled immunizations including the flu vaccine. 

See the activity menu for more details!

This time of year is filled with Back-to-School activities; purchasing school supplies, picking out the perfect first day of school outfit, and Back-to-School Nite! Through all the hustle and bustle to make it to the first day of school, don't forget to make sure your children are protected from vaccine-preventable disease.

Immunizing our children is a great way to keep them happy and healthy. Proof of immunization is a requirement for attendance at any school (kindergarten - 12th grade), Head Start, or childcare facility in Utah. An exemption may be granted for medical, religious, or personal reasons.

Kindergarten Entry Requirements

The following vaccines are required for students entering Kindergarten:

• 5 DTP/DTaP/DT - 4 doses if 4th dose was given on/after the 4th birthday
• 4 Polio - 3 doses if 3rd dose was given on/after the 4th birthday
• 2 Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• 3 Hepatitis B
• 2 Hepatitis A
• 2 Varicella (Chickenpox) - history of disease is acceptable, parent must sign verification statement on school immunization record

Seventh Grade Entry Requirements

The following vaccines are required for students entering seventh grade:

• 1 Tdap
• 3 Hepatitis B
• 2 Varicella (Chickenpox) - history of disease is acceptable, parent must sign verification statement on school immunization record
• 1 Meningococcal

Early Childhood Programs

(Includes children in a licensed day care center, nursery or preschool, child care facility, family home care, or Head Start Program)

Children attending early childhood programs are required to be immunized appropriately for ge. This means a child has received all of the doses of each vaccine appropriate for the child's age. Children should be immunized according to current immunization schedules.

Diphtheria	Polio
Tetanus	Haemophilus Influenza Type b
Pertussis	Hepatitis A
Measles	Hepatitis B
Mumps	Pneumococcal
Rubella	Varicella (chickenpox)

http://www.immunize-utah.org/school%20and%20childcare%20requirements/school%20and%20childcare%20immunization%20requirements/index.html

Why Are Childhood Vaccines so Important?

Receive vacation hours for getting scheduled immunizations including the flu vaccine. 

See the activity menu for more details!

It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it after it occurs.

Diseases that used to be common in this country and around the world, including polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella, mumps, tetanus, and rotavirus can now be prevented by vaccination. Thanks to a vaccine, one of the most terrible diseases in history - smallpox - no longer exists outside the laboratory! Over the years vaccines have prevented countless cases of disease and saved millions of lives.

Immunity is the body's way of preventing disease.  The immune system recognizes germs that enter the body as "foreign invaders" and produces proteins called antibodies to fight them. 

The first time a child is infected with a specific antigen, say measles virus, the immune system produces antibodies designed to fight it. This takes time...usually the immune system can't work fast enough to prevent the antigen from causing disease, so the child still gets sick. However, the immune system "remembers" that antigen. If it ever enters the body again, even after many years, the immune system can produce antibodies fast enough to keep it from causing disease a second time. This protection is called immunity. 

Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way to give children immunity to a disease without their having to get sick first? Well there is!

Vaccines contain the same antigens that cause diseases. But the antigens in vaccines are either killed, or weakened to the point that they don't cause disease. However, they are strong enough to make the immune system produce antibodies that lead to immunity. In other words, a vaccine is a safer substitute for a child's first exposure to a disease. The child gets protection without having to get sick. Through vaccination, children can develop immunity without suffering from the actual diseases that vaccines prevent.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review immunization schedules for children and for adults.

article found on www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

Why Vaccinate?

Receive vacation hours for getting scheduled immunizations including the flu vaccine. 

See the activity menu for more details!

Why immunize? Sometimes we are confused by the messages in the media. First we are assured that, thanks to vaccines, some diseases are almost gone from the U.S. But we are also warned to immunize our children, ourselves as adults, and the elderly.

Diseases are becoming rare due to vaccinations.

It's true, some diseases (like polio and diphtheria) are becoming very rare in the U.S. Of course, they are becoming rare largely because we have been vaccinating against them. But it is still reasonable to ask whether it's really worthwhile to keep vaccinating.

It's much like bailing out a boat with a slow leak. When we started bailing, the boat was filled with water. But we have been bailing fast and hard, and now it is almost dry. We could say, "Good. The boat is dry now, so we can throw away the bucket and relax." But the leak hasn't stopped. Before long we'd notice a little water seeping in, and soon it might be back up to the same level as when we started.

Keep immunizing until disease is eliminated.

Unless we can "stop the leak" (eliminate the disease), it is important to keep immunizing. Even if there are only a few cases of disease today, if we take away the protection given by vaccination, more and more people will become infected and will spread disease to others. Soon we will undo the progress we have made over the years.

Japan reduced pertussis vaccinations, and an epidemic occurred.

In 1974, Japan had a successful pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination program, with nearly 80% of Japanese children vaccinated. That year only 393 cases of pertussis were reported in the entire country, and there were no deaths from pertussis. But then rumors began to spread that pertussis vaccination was no longer needed and that the vaccine was not safe, and by 1976 only 10% of infants were getting vaccinated. In 1979 Japan suffered a major pertussis epidemic, with more than 13,000 cases of whooping cough and 41 deaths. In 1981 the government began vaccinating, and the number of pertussis cases dropped again.

What if we stopped vaccinating?

So what would happen if we stopped vaccinating here? Diseases that are almost unknown would stage a comeback. Before long we would see epidemics of diseases that are nearly under control today. More children would get sick and more would die.

We vaccinate to protect our future.

We don't vaccinate just to protect our children. We also vaccinate to protect our grandchildren and their grandchildren. With one disease, smallpox, we "stopped the leak" in the boat by eradicating the disease. Our children don't have to get smallpox shots any more because the disease no longer exists. If we keep vaccinating now, parents in the future may be able to trust that diseases like polio and meningitis won't infect, cripple, or kill children. Vaccinations are one of the best ways to put an end to the serious effects of certain diseases.

article found on www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

Cancer Screening for Men

Getting screened for cancer can earn you vacation hours. See the Activity Menu for more details.

Men age 50 and older are most at risk for prostate cancer. It is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting on in six men. The American Cancer Society recommends that you receive either a digital rectal exam (DRE) or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test every year starting at age 50. However, you should begin discussing prostate screening with your doctor as early as  age 40, especially if there is a family history of prostate cancer.

During a DRE, the doctor inserts a finger into your rectum and examines the prostate for any irregularities. A PSA blood test involves an amount of blood drawn from the arm, and the level of PSA is tested. Both tests can easily be performed within the doctor's office and only take a few minutes. 

For younger males, testicular cancer is a concern. Testicular cancer most often affects men between the ages of 20 and 39. While the incidence of testicular cancer has risen in recent years, more than 95% of cases can be cured! Most times, the cancer is detected unintentionally or by self-examination. Routine testicular self-examination increases your chances of finding a tumor which often feels like a pea-sized, painless lump.

The best time for you to examine your testicles is during or after a bath or shower, when the skin of the scrotum is relaxed. 

Hold your penis out of the way and examine each testicle separately. Hold your testicle between your thumbs and fingers with both hands and roll it gently between your fingers. Look and feel for any hard lumps or nodules (smooth rounded masses) or any change in the size, shape or consistency of your testicles.

Big or Small; Save Them All!

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer. But there are things you can do that might lower your risk., such as changing risk factors that are under your control. For example, body weight, physical activity, and diet have all been linked to breast cancer, so these might be areas where you can take action. Sign up for this Summer’s Wellness Challenge to both earn vacation hours and increase healthy behaviors!

Breast cancers that are found because they can be felt, tend to be larger and are more likely to have already spread beyond the breast. But screening exams, like mammograms, can often find breast cancers when they are small and still confined to the breast.

The mammogram and clinical breast exam are the main tests recommended by the American Cancer Society to find breast cancer early. For women who are at high risk of breast cancer due to certain factors, the American Cancer Society also recommends breast MRI. Receive a mammogram and earn a half hour of vacation time when you submit your End-of-Year summary. For more details see the 2015 Activity Menu.

It’s also recommended that all women, beginning in their 20s, perform monthly self-breast exams. Lie down on your back and place your right arm behind your head. The exam is done while lying down, not standing up. This is because when lying down the breast tissue spreads evenly over the chest wall and is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all the breast tissue.

Use the finger pads of the 3 middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads to feel the breast tissue.

Use 3 different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. Light pressure is needed to feel the tissue closest to the skin; medium pressure to feel a little deeper; and firm pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs. It is normal to feel a firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast, but you should tell your doctor if you feel anything else out of the ordinary. If you’re not sure how hard to press, talk with your doctor or nurse. Use each pressure level to feel the breast tissue before moving on to the next spot.

Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone (sternum or breastbone). Be sure to check the entire breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone (clavicle).

There is some evidence to suggest that the up-and-down pattern (sometimes called the vertical pattern) is the most effective pattern for covering the entire breast without missing any breast tissue.

Repeat the exam on your left breast, putting your left arm behind your head and using the finger pads of your right hand to do the exam.

While standing in front of a mirror with your hands pressing firmly down on your hips, look at your breasts for any changes of size, shape, contour, or dimpling, or redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin. (The pressing down on the hips position contracts the chest wall muscles and enhances any breast changes.)

Examine each underarm while sitting up or standing and with your arm only slightly raised so you can easily feel in this area. Raising your arm straight up tightens the tissue in this area and makes it harder to examine.

This procedure for doing breast self-exam is different from previous recommendations. These changes represent an extensive review of the medical literature and input from an expert advisory group. There is evidence that this position (lying down), the area felt, pattern of coverage of the breast, and use of different amounts of pressure increase a woman’s ability to find abnormal areas.

Article found on http://www.cancer.org

Ways to Control Stress

Join us at the Eat Earn & Learn Tuesday 

in Room 312 of the Weber Center! 

We may not able to completely eliminate stress but we can find ways to help control it and not let it control us!

The most effective solution is to find and address the sources of your stress. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. A first step is to take an inventory of what you think might be making you "stress out." Ask yourself:

• What do I worry about most?
• Is something constantly on my mind?
• Does anything in particular make me sad or depressed?

Then, find someone you trust (friend, family member, neighbor, clergy) who will listen to you. Often, just talking to a friend or loved one is all that is needed to relieve stress. Most communities also have support groups and hotlines that can help. Social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals may be needed for therapy and medication. It may be beneficial to contact your insurance provider as they can give you information on mental healthcare providers covered by your insurance plan.

Other healthy ways to cope with stress include:

• Eating a well-balanced, healthy diet. Don't overeat.
• Get enough sleep
• Exercise regularly
• Limit caffeine and alcohol
• Don't use nicotine, alcohol, or recreational drugs
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques like guided imagery, progressive muscles relation, yoga, tai chi, or meditation. Contact Health Promotion at (801) 399-7193 to check out a relaxation CD with guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation exercises. 
• Take breaks from work. Make sure to balance fun activities with your responsibilities. Spend time with people you enjoy.

Exercise is a healthy way to deal with stress by relieving your bottled-up energy and tension. It also helps you get in better shape, which makes you feel better overall!

This Weekend in Weber County!

Time for this weekend's roundup of educational, free, athletic, or just plain fun(!) events happening in Weber County!

• Friday 11am-5pm. 2015 Wildlife Baby Shower & Open House at Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah. FREE, donations encouraged.
• Friday 6-9pm. The Charitable Chair Event at The Copper Nickel. $15
• Friday 7:30pm. Les Miserable at The Ziegfeld Theater. $17-20
• Friday 7:30pm. One-Act Play Festival at Weber State, Val A. Browning Center. $10-12

• Saturday 6:30am. Striders Winter Race Circuit 30k at Eden Park. $55. Earn 3 hours of vacation for participating and submitting a Fitness Event Summary form with your End-of-Year Summary!
• Saturday 9am. Run of the Thunderbirds at Utah Military Academy. $14.75-24.75. Earn .5-1 hour of vacation for participating and submitting a Fitness Event Summary form with your End-of-Year Summary!
• Saturday 10am - 4pm. Safe Kid's Day at the Newgate Mall. FREE Earn .5 hour of vacation for attending and submitting this Event Confirmation form with your End-of-Year Summary!
• Saturday 11am-5pm. 2015 Wildlife Baby Shower & Open House at Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah. FREE, donations encouraged.
• Saturday 2pm & 7:30pm. Les Miserable at The Ziegfeld Theater. $17-20
• Saturday 3:30pm. Spring Fashion Show Fundraiser at Marshall White Center. FREE
• Saturday 7pm. Aladdin - Featuring Ballet West II at Weber State, Austad Auditorium. $8-25
• Saturday 7:30pm. One-Act Play Festival at Weber State, Val A. Browning Center. $10-12

• Sunday 11am-5pm. 2015 Wildlife Baby Shower & Open House at Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah. FREE, donations encouraged.

• Movie screenings and various workshops at the Weber County Libraries. FREE

Enjoy Weber County!

National Nutrition Month: Snack-Time! PLUS Enter to Win a National Nutrition Month Goody Bag

Time is running out to take the Employee Health Risk Appraisal worth 

2 hours of vacation time! This survey should only take 10 minutes and will help direct the future of the Wellness Program. 

Hurry! It's only available thru March 31st!

We all know it's super hard not to over-eat during lunch or reach for a bag of chips an hour after. After all, we're hungry and live fast on-the-go lifestyles! Lucky for us when you have easy portable ingredients, creating an on-the-go snack becomes relatively simple.

Here are a few nutritious grab-and-go snacks for when hunger strikes!!

1. Whole grains, nuts, and seeds: Whole grain crackers make a tasty snack and nuts pack a ton of protein and fiber as well
2. Greek yogurt: Mix with fresh fruit to take in 7 grams of fiber.
3. Hardboiled egg: Only around 70 calories and you can boil a bunch at the beginning of the week to save time.
4. Whole wheat tortilla and hummus roll up: (1 tortilla, 1 Tbsp. hummus). The first ingredient in hummus is chickpeas (garbanzo beans), which provides you with lots of fiber and protein.
5. Fruits and veggies: You can easily prep and throw into Ziploc baggies to grab-and-go throughout the week.
6. Whole wheat breakfast cereal mixed with dried fruit and almonds: You get plenty of fiber from the cereal and protein from the nuts.

...and last but certainly not least,

1. Water: It is so important to stay hydrated! Dehydration causes you to believe you need to eat when actually you really need liquid intake. Keep a bottle with you at all times and refill it throughout the day.

What are your Go-To Healthy Snacks?

Tell us in the comments below for your chance to win a National Nutrition Month Goody Bag!

Giveaway closes on March 14th. 

Must be a Weber County Employee to win.

Know Your Numbers

 

Knowing your numbers is one of the ways to increase your overall health and well-being, as well as, prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic conditions.

During your annual physical exam, record your numbers and talk to your doctor about what they mean. Earn 1 hour of vacation for getting your annual physical exam and receiving test results for your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose. See the activity menu for more details.

Here are the numbers you should know and the optimal scores:

BLOOD PRESSURE: LESS THAN 120/80

Blood pressure is a measure of the amount of force it takes for your heart to pump blood through your body. High blood pressure has no symptoms and increases your risk of heart attack or stroke, and for developing kidney disease. Have your blood pressure checked regularly.

CHOLESTEROL: LESS THAN 200 TOTAL

Sometimes the body make and stores extra fats and cholesterol. A "sudden" heart attack may not be sudden at all, but caused by years of living with high cholesterol. Since there are no obvious symptoms of high cholesterol, it is important to know your cholesterol numbers.

BODY MASS INDEX (BMI): LESS THAN 25

Your body mass index (BMI) is a measure of your body fat based on your height and weight. A healthy BMI should be 25 or under. carrying extra weight can lead to high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic diseases.

BLOOD GLUCOSE: 80 TO 120

Glucose is sugar in the blood that is the body's main source of energy. Diabetes, or high blood sugar, can cause problems with your heart, eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves, and other body parts. High or low blood glucose should be medically managed.

Healthy Hearts

To avoid heart disease, the American Heart Association suggests the following steps:

1. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure can foster the buildup of fatty deposits in the blood vessels, called atherosclerosis. To control high blood pressure, follow your doctor's advice. Get your blood pressure checked for FREE at the Weber-Morgan Health Department on Friday, February 20th from 9-11 am. You'll also receive a  FREE red dress pin!
2. If you smoke, quit. Nicotine constricts blood flow to the heart, decreases oxygen supply to the heart, and seems to play a significant role in the development of coronary artery disease. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to sign up for smoking cessation counseling. Once completed, you can submit for 2 hours of vacation. Be sure to mention you'll need a certificate of completion upon enrollment.
3. Ask your doctor to check you for diabetes, which is associated with atherosclerosis. Follow his or her advice if you have diabetes.
4. Maintain a normal body weight.
5. Eat a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol. (saturated fats occur in meats, diary products, hydrogenated vegetable oils and some tropical oils, like coconut and palm kernel oils.) High-saturated fat, high-cholesterol diets contribute to the fatty sludge that accumulates inside artery walls.
6. Get some form of aerobic exercise at least three times a week for 20 minutes at a time. Sitting around hour after hour, day after day, week in and week out with no regular physical activity may cause circulation problems later in life. You can earn vacation hours for gym memberships and for participation in a recreation league.
7. Reduce the harmful effects of stress by practicing relaxation techniques and improving your outlook on daily events. Stress has been linked to elevated blood pressure, among other health problems.
8. Get regular medical checkups. Receive up to 2 hours of vacation for getting your annual physical and being screened for various cancers.

February Is Heart Health Month!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

Join the Weber County Employee Wellness Program in learning more about preventing heart disease this month.

Bring awareness to the fight against heart disease by wearing red on National Wear Red Day - Friday, February 6, 2015 - and every Friday this month!

Heart Health Events for this month include:

• Blood Pressure Checks at the Weber-Morgan Health Department, Nursing Division.                                                                                                 Stop by on the following days to get your blood pressure checked for FREE and receive a FREE red dress pin!
• Friday, February 6. 1-3pm
• Friday, February 20. 9-11am
• Eat Earn & Learn at the Weber Center Room 312.                                   This month we have Jennifer James of Ogden Regional Medical Center's cardiac rehab program to educate on steps we can take to protect our hearts. Two presentation times are available.
• Tuesday, February 24. 12:15-12:45pm
• Tuesday, February 24. 1:15-1:45pm

Eat Earn & Learn

What is Eat Earn & Learn? Bring your own lunch (that's the "Eat"), Earn vacation hours, and Learn ways to improve your health!

Each month we discuss a different topic related to your health & wellness. Some topics include; heart health, nutrition, stress prevention, safety, fitness, goal setting, and more!

Eat Earn & Learn's take place the 4th Tuesday of each month at 12:15 and 1:15 pm in Room 312 of the Weber Center. Presentations will be 30 minutes long. You will earn .5 hour of vacation for every  two presentations you attend.

To kick off 2015's Eat Earn & Learn series, we'll be discussing the Wellness Program. You'll get an overview of the program, gain a better understanding of how it works, and discuss the changes for 2015. 

Bring your lunch and a co-worker on Tuesday, January 27 and learn how to earn vacation hours in 2015!

Download the Eat Earn & Learn flyer HERE 

and post in your office.

Getting Started

Looking to earn more vacation hours in 2015 through the Employee Wellness Program? It's a new year and that means the clock has re-set to zero. Where should you start?

First, review the activity menu and decide which activities you want to complete. We all know if you don't want to do it, you're not going to do it! 

You can complete any combination of activities for up to 10 hours of vacation. There are a variety of activities available that suit all interests, ages, activity levels and health needs. Best of all? YOU decide what YOU want to do. If you don't want to do something, or can't, pick something else! There are 40 hours worth of different activities for you to choose from. Pick what works for you!

Want some quick and easy ideas for hours right now? 

Check it out!

• Complete the Employee Health Risk Appraisal and earn 2 hours (only available thru March). This survey should take around 15 minutes and will help us to provide health-related information and programs that are tailored to your health concerns.
• Complete 3 short Health Risk Assessments and earn .5 hour. Go HERE and click on “Health Risk Assessments.” Complete the “General Health” assessment survey, plus two other assessments that either interest you, or are identified as risks through the general health assessment. Submit a Health Assessment Summary Form stating which assessments you took, and one thing you learned about your health from each one (download the form HERE).
• Follow the Weber-Morgan Health Department on Social Media and earn .5 hour. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest to stay in the loop about emerging health threats, wellness events, healthy recipes and more!
• Read the Weber-Morgan Healthy Living Resource Guide and complete a 10 question quiz about the guide and earn .5 hour. The resource guide can be found by going to www.WeberMorganHealth.org, and clicking on the WMHD HEALTHY LIVING RESOURCE GUIDE. The quiz may be downloaded HERE.

Remember, only pre-approved activities are accepted. If you have a good idea for an activity please let us know! Email us at weberwellness@co.weber.ut.us Activities submitted for consideration should be broadly applicable (I.E. something that any employee could do, not something that applies to you, personally) and should promote overall wellness and disease prevention. Activity submission is not a guarantee of approval. Accepted activities will be opened up to ALL employees. To to be fair to everyone, please submit suggested activities as soon in the year as possible.

The Flu 101

What is the flu?

Influenza, more commonly know as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. The flu is different from a cold, and it usually comes on suddenly. Symptoms generally start 1 to 4 days after exposure, meaning that a person with the flu may pass on the virus before they know they are sick, as well as while they have symptoms. Some people may be asymptomatic, meaning they show no symptoms, but they can still infect others during this time.

People who have the flu often have some, or all, of the following symptoms: fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness), and vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults. It can range from mild to severe illness, and sometimes lead to death.

Most people who get the flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people who get the flu may develop serious complications that can results in hospitalization, life threatening illness, or even death. Some complications can include pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections. In addition to these complications, the flu can make chronic conditions worse.

Anyone can get the flu, even healthy people, but there are some people who are at a greater risk. Those who are at the highest risk of contracting the flu, and suffering serious complications are; young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma, and older adults, namely those over 65.

How does the flu spread?

The flu is spread person to person, and most experts think that is spread by droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouth or nose of people up to six feet away. Less commonly, someone might get the flu from touching a surface that is contaminated with the flu virus and then touching their own mouth or nose.

To avoid getting the flu it is important to take some simple precautions.

• Hand-washing and other techniques: to avoid the flu, stay away from people who are sick and stay home from work or school if you are sick. It is important to wash your hands often with warm, soapy water, and if water is not available then use an alcohol based hand sanitizer. Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to sick people should be washed thoroughly before sharing. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work, and school, especially if someone is ill.

• Vaccination: an annual seasonal flu vaccination, either an injection or nasal spray, is the best way to reduce the chances of getting the seasonal flu and spreading it to others. When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread throughout the community. Flu vaccines cause antibodies to form in the body about two weeks after vaccination. For this reason it is recommended that people get their flu vaccination as early as it is available, or ideally by the beginning of October. A flu vaccine is needed annually for two reasons. The first is the body's immune response declines over time, so an annual vaccine is required for optimal protection. The second is the flu virus changes over time, so the vaccines are updated to protect against the changing flu viruses. Because of these changes, it is still possible to get the flu after getting a flu vaccine, but the severity and chance of complications are reduced.

Who should get vaccinated?

It is recommended that everyone over the age of 6 months who is able to get a flu vaccine should.  It is important for those at high risk to get the flu vaccine. If you have any questions about whether you or your family should get vaccinated, talk to your doctor.

Flu vaccines are available from many sources in the community. Doctor's offices, pharmacies, grocery stores, schools, college campuses, and the local health department are just some of the places where vaccines are available. Go HERE to locate areas in your neighborhood.

DON'T FORGET, GETTING YOUR ANNUAL FLU SHOT CAN EARN YOU .5 HOURS OF VACATION AND HELP PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM GETTING THE FLU THIS WINTER!

Get Immunized and Earn a Half Hour of Vacation!

If you're not insured by Weber County you can get the flu shot at Weber-Morgan Health Department. The flu shot costs $30 for adults, $15 for children, and $42 for those over 65. Most insurance plans will pay for the flu shot at no cost to you.

Register for this Fall's Challenge: OcktoberFIT 2014!

Time is running out to sign up! 

Don't let two vacation hours slip away!

On October 6th, the new Fall employee wellness challenge, OktoberFIT 2014, will begin! The challenge will benefit all in a variety of ways and is catered to individual needs. It is easy to participate and participants will be measured on an even playing field regardless of fitness level.

Follow these steps to join the challenge:

1. Go to www.vitalitywins.com and click "Join Now" at the top right corner of the screen.
2. Follow the prompts to set up your account. 
3. Save your account.
4. Next click on "add/join another team."
5. Then click on "join an existing team" and type OktoberFIT2014.
6. Finally click "ask to join."
7. Email internhe@co.weber.ut.us your Vitality Wins username and county department.

Benefits include:

• Daily access to accurate health information on topics such as nutrition, sleep, exercise, and emotional & social health
• Gain personal insights about the decisions you make regarding health
• Tips to improve your health
• Feel inspired and motivated as you compete against fellow Weber County employees
• Weekly newsletters addressing various health related topics
• Brown bag lunch presentaion on the effects music has on your health; Wednesday, October 29th at 12:15 and 1:15. Bonus points awarded to all who attend
• Bonus points for completing a health assessment
• Prizes award to top Participants
• Catered lunch will be served to all participants who complete the challenge; Wednesday, November 19th from 12 pm-2 pm*
• 2 hours of vacation to all who complete the challenge, as part of the Weber County Employee Wellness Program*

If you would like to participate sign up through the Vitality Wins website (instructions above). Email your Vitality Wins username and county department to internhe@co.weber.ut.us. This will allow your name to be identified to receive your well deserved prizes!

*Challenge Rules:

• Completing the challenge is defined as having a minimum of 1% of possible points listed in each weekly column for the 6 weeks.
• Weekly winners will be determined from end of week percentages taken on Sunday nights at 11;59 pm each week. For this reason make sure you update your Vitality Wins account before 11:59 pm Sunday night. 
• The overall winners will be determined from the game total percentage after 6 weeks. 
• The challenge will end Sunday November 26th at 11:59 pm. Any entries posted after these times will not be considered when awarding prizes but will still count toward completing the challenge.

Feel free to contact Fall Challenge coordinator, Jason Davidson, with any questions at (801) 399-7181 or internhe@co.weber.ut.us.

Week Four of Healthy Family Mealtimes Month!

Don't forget to complete this week's challenge at Utah Family Meals and win!

Need help planning your family meal time? Here are some simple ideas that will get food on the table faster!

Keep it Simple: It's not only "okay" to serve simple meals, it's smart! Simple, easy-to-prepare meals can be just as tasty and healthy as meals that take hours to prepare. Use shortcuts to save time including, pre-washed salad greens and pre-cut veggies. Frozen fruits and veggies are easy to keep on-hand, as well as canned beans. Potatoes and onions store well for a long time and are a great staple.

Time-Saving Tips: Stocking your pantry with some convenient yet healthy ingredients is key for the busy family that only has a few minutes to put a meal together.

• Have pre-cut, pre-washed salad greens on hand. Salad can form the base for the whole meal or it can be a quick side dish. Be ready to break some rules when making a salad - just about anything goes! From nuts and seeds to cut up fresh or dried fruit.
• Whole grains provide fiber and minerals and they can be super easy to prepare. Instant brown rice cooks up in minutes. Quinoa and whole wheat couscous are also easy grains to prepare and cook in under 10 minutes. If you're making breakfast, oatmeal is a whole grain that is quick to prepare and enjoyed by most.
• Look for whole grain or partially whole grain pastas and bread dough and keep them on hand for quick meals. Simple load them up with fresh or leftover vegetables with some shredded cheese. Dinner is on the table in minutes. Add a tossed salad and you've got a balanced meal!
• Keep some long-lasting vegetables available - like frozen of canned vegetables as well as some fresh vegetables that last a long time, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and carrots.
• Having canned beans and vegetables on hand will come in hand to make a one pot meal like soup or chili.
• Make the most of the your leftovers! Add cooked leftover vegetables to soups or casseroles. 

On-the-Go Meals: Sometimes a family meal is a sandwich in the car on the way to music lessons or a meal on the sidelines of a sporting event. But it's still a family meal that makes an important contribution to the days' nutrition total, and to family time together! Try making wraps, tacos to-go, sandwiches, or salad to-go. 

Cook Once - Eat Twice: Plan for leftovers! Whenever you are grilling, braising or pan-frying meat, poultry, or fish, make some extra so that it can be repurposed the next day in a salad, sandwich or soup. 

Same goes for whenever you have something in the oven - fill your oven up! Throw in a pan of cut up veggies tossed in olive oil and seasoned with spices. Carrots, celery, onions, peppers, and potatoes cook up wonderfully in about 30-40 minutes. The next day you'll have some flavorful roasted vegetables to eat as a side dish. 

Making a casserole in the oven? Why not double the recipe and freeze an additional pan for another day when you're pressed for time? Casseroles are also an easy way to sneak in an extra serving of veggies - we all know we need more of those!

Another idea for when you have the oven already on is to bake some potatoes - enough for at least one per person. The next night, or even a day or two later, you can serve a kid-friendly favorite, "top your own potato bar."

Quick Stove Top Pleasers: You will love these stovetop meal ideas that you can make in minutes!

• You might think stir-fry requires lots of time consuming vegetable preparation, but here's a great rick. Simply brown and cook some chicken tenders (or an other lean protein) in a pan and add a frozen vegetable blend (thaw in the microwave first), toss with some soy sauce for flavor, and serve over instant brown rice. Super easy!
• Make ham and beans on the stove or even crock pot with ham, great northern beans, and whatever spices you like.
• Whole wheat pasta with jarred pasta sauce, a side of steamed veggies and a bagged salad in another dinner conquered in under 30 minutes.
• Taco night is fun because everyone can put whatever they want on their tacos - beef, chicken, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, salsa, cheese, etc.
• Seafood curry can be cooked in minutes. Start with your favorite fish (you can use chicken, tofu, or lean beef) add in your favorite vegetables, spice it up with some curry or other spice blend and serve over a quick cooked grain such as quinoa, couscous or instant brown rice.

For other ideas on making your family meal times healthier visit the 

Weber-Morgan Health Department Pinterest page! 

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