• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
NC Council of Churches

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

Get Involved Donate
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Statements
    • Board
    • Careers
  • Voices
  • Our Priorities
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • The PHW Collaborative
      • Focus Areas
    • Eco-Justice Connection
      • Faith
      • Advocacy
      • Energy
      • Environmental Justice
      • Food
      • Global
      • Health
      • Resiliency and Restoration
    • Racial Justice
      • Confederate Monument Removal
      • Reparations to Restoration
    • Criminal Justice Reform
      • Cash Bail Reform
      • Death Penalty Abolition
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Workers’ Rights
      • Paid Sick Leave / Paid Family Leave
      • Raising Wages
    • Overdose Response
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Healthcare Justice
    • Farmworkers
    • Public Education
  • In the News
    • NCCC in the News
    • Press Releases
  • Events
  • Resources

Search NC Council of Churches

Protect Yourself and Others This Flu Season

January 10, 2013 by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Over the holidays, North Carolina State Health Director, Dr. Laura Gerald, put out a press release urging all North Carolinians over the age of 6 months to get their annual flu shot. Public health professionals have deemed this year’s flu season to be the worst in recent years. By the end of December 2012, North Carolina had recorded 12 flu-related deaths.

There are preventive steps a person can take to help contain the spread of flu, as outlined in a previous PHW Newsletter. They are as follows:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with sick people.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; DO NOT cough or sneeze into your hands.
  • If you get sick with flu, stay home.
  • Get the recommended seasonal flu vaccine.

Anyone who wishes to reduce their chances of contracting seasonal flu can, in most cases, get vaccinated. However, the following high-risk groups are strongly encouraged to do so every year and are given priority when vaccines are in short supply: pregnant women, children between the ages of 6 months and 19 years, those with chronic medical conditions, the elderly and health care workers.

According to Dr. Gerald, “this year’s vaccine is well-matched to the strains of flu we are seeing in North Carolina”, so it is imperative that all North Carolinians over the age of 6 months get vaccinated. The vaccine is provided free of charge at most health departments. To locate other flu vaccine clinics near you, please visit flu.nc.gov.

–Willona Stallings, PHW Program Coordinator

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Aging, Children & Youth, Health, Healthcare Reform, People with Disabilities

About Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) connects congregations with existing resources in the community and provides them with the tools necessary (sometimes in the form of mini-grants) to implement healthier practices, policies and programs. I live in Raleigh and enjoy good food, area greenways and bargain shopping.
Learn more about PHW and our efforts to improve the health of God’s people: healthandwholeness.org

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Subscribe

Click here to subscribe to newsletters and blog updates.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine