Flu Season in Full Swing, Wellesley Health Dept Warns

With the flu season looking far more severe than last year, Wellesley Health Department and others are seeking to spread the word about flu shots.

  If you feel sudden dizziness, confusion or have blue lips, you could have a serious case of the flu--one worth calling a doctor about.  Whether flu season is something you take seriously or dismiss as Just Hype, the Wellesley Health Department wants to be sure you know the difference between the flu and a cold.  Below is the Wellesley Health Department's announcement posted at the end of last week:  Flu season is in full swing, and many people are feeling the affects of colds and the flu. Visit www.flu.gov to learn the difference between colds and flu and what you can do to protect yourself and your family If you are in need of a flu shot, please contact your primary care physician or your child's pediatrician. Walgreens is offering flu …

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Femina Ali, D.M.D.

10:55 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013

It's so important for everyone this year to get a flu shot. Thanks, Patch, for keeping the community informed about this serious virus!   more ›

Where in Wellesley to Get a Flu Shot

The Wellesley Health Department offers information on flu shots.

  Earlier this week, the Red Cross reported flu cases were “widespread,” and in Boston on Wednesday, Mayor Tom Menino declared the flu outbreak a health emergency after the city saw a tenfold increase in flu cases over last year. The Wellesley Health Department has listed on the town website information on the flu and the flu vaccine. The health department recommends those who did not get a flu shot this season to contact their doctor, their child's pediatrician, or visit a local pharmacy. Walgreens offers flu shots to those 18 and up, while some CVS' have flu vaccines for adults and children.  The health department also directs residents to visit www.flu.gov to learn the difference between colds and the flu, and what to do to protect …

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Seasonal Flu Clinics for College-Aged Students and Older

Flu clinic aimed at getting flu shots to returning college-aged kids, and others 18 and older.

Residents No Longer Allowed to Bring Used Needles to RDF in July

The ban on needles in all household trash is statewide.

The Wellesley Health Department is reminding residents that they may no longer throw used needles away via curbside private trash haul or at the RDF beginning July 1. Residents can only bring needles to the Wellesley Police Department during designated fall and spring needle take-back days, according to a press release issued by the department. The law was put into effect in an effort to reduce the risk of accidental contraction of HIV/AIDS, according to a press release issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. “In Wellesley, the law will be important for employees involved in sharps collection at the RDF, and private trash haulers, as it will significantly reduce the risk of needle-stick injuries and disease,” according to …

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School Department Addresses Concerns Over Lunch

Multiple media outlets are reporting that the school has sent a letter to families addressing student concerns.

The beleaguered Wellesley School Department recently sent a letter to families addressing the health concerns brought up by a group of students last week. The Swellesley Report and Boston.com both reported that the administration’s letter defends Chartwells, the school system’s food vendor under a one-year contract, and in some cases denies student allegations of undercooked food, small portions and a claim that students became ill after eating macaroni and cheese. Chartwells had problems from the beginning. They were in violation of the health code at the beginning of the school year and at risk of being unable to open for lunch in time for school to start. Also, a group of former cafeteria workers say they were betrayed by the town …

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Wellesley Health Department Urges Seniors to Get Shingles Vaccine

The Center for Disease Control recommends that people age 60 or older get vaccinated for shingles.

The Wellesley Health Department is urging people age 60 or older to get a shingles vaccine, which will be made available through the department following a phone screen. Those who want the vaccine should call this special health department line: 781-283-5730 and leave their name, address and phone number. The department will generate a list, once there are enough people, the vaccines will be ordered and the department will contact those who left their information with dates and times. A prescription is required to receive the vaccine, according to the department. There will be a $25 fee to receive the vaccine. Here is the full text of the Wellesley Health Department’s note to the public: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC…

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Walking Pneumonia Still Being Diagnosed In Schools

The school and health departments are asking parents to watch for symptoms which can include fever, coughing and fatigue.

With the incubation period for walking pneumonia one to four weeks, the school and health departments are again reminding parents to keep students home from school and see a pediatrician if their children experience fever, cough or fatigue. The symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia, commonly known as walking pneumonia, are similar to the flu and or other cold-like illnesses and can include shortness or breath or wheezing, especially in children with asthma. Several cases of walking pneumonia have been discovered in the elementary schools after an outbreak in a first grade class about three weeks ago, according to letters emailed to parents from Superintendent Bella T. Wong and Health Director Lenny Izzo. They also wrote that incidents of the …

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Wellesley Health Department Provides Tips on Keeping Cool

The heat wave will continue throughout this week.

The temperature will be in the 90s this week – and pay even pass 100 degrees by week’s end – which means it’s time to think about getting cool. The Wellesley Health Department will be providing cooling centers this week at the Wellesley Community Center, 219 Washington St., between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and the Wellesley Library’s main building and branch libraries during their normal hours. Here are some heat related conditions as described by the Center for Disease Control via the Wellesley Health Department: Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature: the body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. …

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