Starke County Health Department Holding Flu Shot Clinic Today

Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch

The Starke County Health Department will hold a flu shot clinic today from 1:30–3:30 p.m. The clinic will be conducted in the health department office on the first floor of the courthouse.

Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch said flu vaccinations for adults and children will be administered at a cost of $20. Children who are covered under Medicaid, have no insurance or insurance that doesn’t cover vaccines, can be vaccinated at the Health Department. If a flu shot is covered under insurance, that child will need to go to his/her physician’s office to get a flu shot.

If you have questions, call the Health Department at (574) 772-9137.

Students Return To School Soon – Are They Immunized?

Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch

Students will be returning to the classroom in mid-August, so now is the time to schedule immunizations for your child.

Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch talks about immunizations needed for Kindergarten students.

“They will need their Kindergarten shots,” Lynch explained. “If they’re up to date on everything else, then they should be looking at only having to come in and get their tetanus and their polio boosters, their second MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and a second Varicella (chicken pox) if they haven’t had it already.”

Students in grade six and up also need certain immunizations.

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Starke County Health Nurse Schedules Flu Shot Clinics

Starke County Health Nurse, Frank Lynch, has released information about upcoming flu shot clinics.

Adult flu shots will be given on Thursday, October 13th from 4:30-7:00 p.m. CT at the Health Department in the Starke County Courthouse. A children’s flu shot clinic will be held on Thursday, October 20th from 4:30-7:00 p.m. CT. Some nasal mists will be available for children.

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Starke County Health Department to Hold Flu Clinics Soon

We’re entering into the fall season and there has been a lot of information about the flu as we get into the flu season.

Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch told WKVI that he is ordering flu shot supplies and he will hold evening flu clinics so you can get your flu shot for the season. When he gets the supply, he will also be able to administer flu shots during immunization hours on Tuesdays by appointment.

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Starke County Health Board Introduces New Fee Schedule

Frank Lynch

Starke County Health Nurse, Frank Lynch, presented a new fee schedule for the Commissioners’ final approval.

The fees to obtain copies of birth and death records have been slightly increased to a flat-fee of $10 each. Previously, the fee to obtain birth certificates was $8 for the first copy and $7 for each additional copy, while the fee for death records was $10 for the first and $9 for any additional copy.

A fine of $250 for food establishments operating without a permit has also been approved. This is a very important step in cracking down on food-related infractions, as David Kesvormas, the Starke County Contract Food Inspector, is conducting inspections and will now be able to issue these fines.

On the other end of the spectrum, fees for septic permits have been decreased significantly from $200 for a new install and $40 for repair to a flat rate of $60. This change is due to the retirement of the previous Environmentalist, David Singleton, who was certified and able to perform borings and soil samplings. Because he will no longer be doing so, contractors and home owners will need to hire a soil scientist to perform these procedures, which can get pricey.

State Health Officials Encourage the Public to be Aware of the Use of Antibiotics

State and local health officials have news for parents this cold and flu season. Antibiotics don’t work for a cold or the flu.

According to public opinion research, there is a perception that “antibiotics cure everything”. Unfortunately, taking antibiotics when they are not needed can do more harm than good. Widespread inappropriate use of antibiotics fuel an increase in drug-resistant bacteria. As a result medical research facilities use research peptides in order to develop stronger antibiotics working in conjunction with drug process development services, attempting to thwart this completely avoidable issue. As you can imagine, this research and development time could be far better implemented if this wasn’t the case.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic resistance is the world’s most pressing public health problem. Americans of all ages could lower this risk by talking to their doctors and using antibiotics appropriately during this cold and flu season.

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Number of Influenza Cases Down in Starke and Pulaski Counties

Influenza has not been a big scare yet in Starke or Pulaski Counties.

Starke County Health Nurse, Frank Lynch, said that flu numbers are down right now and no cases of H1N1 have been reported. Whooping cough has been a great concern around the state this season but no cases have been reported in Starke County. Lynch would like to remind Starke County residents that flu shots are available at his office, both adult and child doses. He also recommends that residents wash their hands frequently to avoid getting the flu and spreading germs. Call the Health Department at (574) 772-9137 to make an appointment to get your flu shot.

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