Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
The nerve pain shingles sufferers endure can be paralyzing and last for months, and for some, years. The agony many suffer cannot be overstated. If you’re 50 or over, the Shingrix vaccine is a must.
A reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox, shingles emerges as people age and appears on the skin in a blistering and excruciating rash.
The Food & Drug Administration-approved and Centers for Disease Control-recommended Shingrix is a two-dose vaccine that is 97 percent effective for people in their 50s and 60s and 91 percent for the very elderly. At its best, the longtime vaccine Zostavax was 70 percent effective for people in their 50s and 60s and for those in their 80s and 90s, it was less than 19 percent effective.
Due to high demand, the CDC says, Shingrix maker GlaskoSmithKline began order limits and providers have experienced shipping delays. [1] But not at Passport Health Sarasota which has a full supply of Shingrix.
Meanwhile, ‘tis the season, and we’re not talking about holidays.
Flublok® is the one influenza vaccine, not only approved by the FDA but called “revolutionary” and a “breakthrough,” [2] by scientists there, that does not use eggs, antibiotics, or live flu virus in the manufacturing process.
And in addition to being egg- and antibiotic-free, Flublok® is also preservative-free, latex-free and contains no gelatin or formaldehyde.
With a shorter shelf life and a quicker-to-market manufacturing process, Flublok®, for those 18 and older, is a strong, safe and effective vaccine that will prevent the dreaded flu with its debilitating fever and chills, headache and overall body aches, and the cold-like symptoms of sore throat, chest congestion, coughing and sneezing and just all-over weakness. [3]
The CDC classified the 2017-2018 flu season as “high severity across all age groups” and hospitalizations for flu were the highest ever recorded. [4]
As of early November, the CDC predicted flu activity would be increasing in numbers and severity in the coming weeks. And with flu vaccine delivery delays widely reported, and with infectious disease specialist worried, remember, Passport Health Sarasota has plenty of Flublok®. And while Passport Health anticipates a healthy stock of influenza vaccine, it’s best not to wait.
And a quick word about FluMist. This vaccine, which as the name suggests is a nasal mist. This vaccine is great for young people and others who are unable, or fear, needles. It’s also good for people with severe egg allergies.
Passport Health has plenty of FluMist!
Offices in Sarasota and Bradenton
941-362-0304
PassportHealthSarasota.com
1. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/clinical-resources/shortages.html
2. https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm336267.htm
3. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/consumer/symptoms.htm
4. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2017-2018.htm
5. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/infectious-
diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever
Travelers take note: yellow fever is endemic in some of the most beautiful and sought after African and South American destinations.
The risk of yellow fever virus can be found in 30 African countries and more than 12 in South America. In the latter, the risk for infection is highest during the rainy season, January through May with the peak incidence in February and March, the CDC says. Since early in 2018, there’s been a widespread and ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Brazil and world health officials say a number of unvaccinated travelers contracted yellow fever. [5]
Travelers to any South American or African destination must be vaccinated to protect themselves from the disease and help prevent the spread of the yellow fever.
Delivered by the bite of an infected mosquito, symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting, chills, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal and muscle pain, bleeding, delirium, yellow skin and eyes and in the worst cases, fatal heart, liver, and kidney conditions.
Yellow fever vaccine is only available at a limited number of clinics in the U.S., including Florida. But Passport Health Sarasota has stocked additional yellow fever vaccine to meet the expected demand.
Stacy Koski, RN, BSN, Passport Health nurse consultant says there’s simply no reason why people should suffer from any of these diseases when vaccines are always available at Passport Health.
“Simply put, these vaccines are the best preventative measure one can take to protect themselves and their families,” she said. “At Passport Health, we are here to help.”
