With flu shots in short supply, here are tips on how to protect yourself and others

While flu shots are no longer available at Kneibert Clinic and in short supply most everywhere, some common-sense tips are available to help you avoid infection or prevent an infection from spreading to others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following:

Avoid close contact - Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

Stay home when you are sick - If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.

Cover your mouth and nose - Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

Clean your hands - Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth - Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

The medical staff at Kneibert Clinic administered 3,000 flu shots at the clinic during the 10-week timeframe from the first week of October to the first week of December, when the clinic ran out of vaccine.

Assistant Administrator Tom Warner doubts the clinic will be able to get more vaccine. "They're not manufacturing anymore. Nobody wants to give any out."

Warner said the lab at Kneibert Clinic can have flu results for patiients in 30 minutes. "We have had 30 cases since October with most of them occuring since Thanksgiving," he said. Warner said in addition to the flu, the clinic has been hit hard with patients suffering from colds, sinus problems and upper respiratory problems.

In mid December there were 2,000 lab confirmed cases of flu in Missouri.

Additional flu information is available at the Centers for Disease control website.

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Click to play - This video which looks at a new national campaign, sponsored by professional and patient advocacy groups, that is raising public awareness of the link between pain and depression
(free Apple Quicktime required to view).

Your Body May Know You're Depressed Before You Do

New Campaign Focuses On Link Between Physical Pain And Depression

December 2003 (Newstream) -- If you suffer from chronic aches and pains, it may be your body's way of telling you you're depressed. A new national campaign, sponsored by professional and patient advocacy groups, is now raising public awareness of the link between pain and depression. The goal is to target millions of Americans who don't get treatment because they think that depression is only associated with mood and sadness.

A survey by "Freedom From Fear," a non-profit patient advocacy group, found almost half of the respondents said physical symptoms disrupted their family life. Forty-three percent said their social lives suffered and 40 percent said their work was adversely affected. According to both psychiatrists and pain specialists, pain is frequently a symptom of depression and often times is a primary symptom that patients express to their doctors.

It's proven that depression can elevate the pain signal in the emotional center of the brain. One key factor may be an imbalance in norepinephrine and serotonin -- two neurotransmitters that regulate mood and inhibit pain. Medically restoring this balance can reduce the suffering of pain and depression.

Depression affects more than 19 million American adults each year and studies show that 80% complain to their doctors first about physical symptoms. Experts recommend that patients talk to their physician about both their mood and their painful physical symptoms.

For more information, log onto www.paindepressionlink.com.

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Produced for Freedom From Fear, American Psychiatric Foundation and The National Pain Foundation

Contact: David Weiss, 212-812-7099