THIS ISSUE AVAILABLE ONLINE WITH EXPANDED INFORMATION AND PHOTOS AT:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/newsletter/weekly
IN THIS ISSUE:
1) Secretary Thompson Pledges U.S. Support To China
2) U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona Speaks to the March of Dimes Leadership Conference
3) Influenza: The Disease; Influenza (the flu)
4) Secretary's Challenge
5) Secretary Thompson's Public Schedule:
Secretary Thompson Pledges U.S. Support To China
Secretary Thompson pledged continued U.S. assistance to China in their efforts to detect, fight and treat diseases and named several steps that the U.S. will take to fulfill the nation's pledge. The Secretary also urged openness between Chinese and world health officials in the fight against the spread of diseases including HIV/AIDS, SARS while protecting the rights of people suffering from them.
"We are ready and willing to do more with China in its fight against HIV/AIDS, but true success will only be achieved when all members of the community are welcome to take an active role in the nation's efforts," Secretary Thompson said. "That includes protecting the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and treating them with dignity and respect."
President Bush and Secretary Thompson have developed a strong working relationship with the Chinese and other states to improve communication and prevent another disease outbreak such as what was experienced with SARS last year. Secretary Thompson chairs the Global Fund, which granted $21 million to China to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria last week for the Henan Province. The Global Fund urged the Chinese central government to work closely with the Fund staff and local and provincial officials to ensure the funds are spent in an effective and efficient way.
HHS will also provide support to improve public health laboratories, information technology and research. These activities will be integrated with similar efforts by the department in other regions of the world to understand and control the impact of SARS and other infectious diseases.
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U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona Speaks to the March of Dimes Leadership Conference
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced a new initiative called "Safe and Bright Futures for Children". The initiative is designed to prevent children from continuing the cycle of violence.
U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona spoke to the March of Dimes leadership conference recently in Washington, D.C. about the importance of reducing the number of birth defects and ensuring persons living with disabilities have healthy and fulfilling lives.
"I am grateful that science is moving us forward quickly" Dr. Carmona said. "Think of this: 50 years ago, we didn't know what D-N-A was. Today, we are already beginning to screen genetic information and target appropriate interventions to help people avoid physical and mental conditions and diseases years before their first symptoms would have otherwise appeared. Someday, simply by altering the genotype of a host, an organ will resist disease or heal itself. Someday, we will look back and only remember when we worried about birth defects."
The March of Dimes is a national organization that has worked to mobilize people at the grassroots level, across the country, to improve the quality of health care for healthy babies and children.
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Personal Health
Fever
Headache
Tiredness (can be extreme)
Dry cough
Sore throat
Nasal congestion
Body aches
Anyone can get the flu, but the disease is more severe for some people.Most people who get influenza will recover in one to two weeks, but some people will develop life-threatening complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of the flu. Millions of people in the United States - about 10% to 20% of U.S. residents - will get influenza each year. An average of about 36,000 people per year in the United States die from influenza, and 114,000 per year have to be admitted to the hospital as a result of influenza. Anyone can get the flu (even healthy people), and serious problems from influenza can happen at any age. People age 65 years and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions, and very young children are more likely to get complications from influenza. Pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections are three examples of complications from flu. The flu can make chronic health problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the flu, and people with chronic congestive heart failure may have worsening of this condition that is triggered by the flu.
For a list of groups that are at high risk for complications from influenza, see: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/who.htm Who Should Get a Flu Shot
The flu is spread, or transmitted, when a person who has the flu coughs, sneezes, or speaks and sends flu virus into the air, and other people inhale the virus. The virus enters the nose, throat, or lungs of a person and begins to multiply, causing symptoms of influenza. Influenza may, less often, be spread when a person touches a surface that has flu viruses on it - a door handle, for instance - and then touches his or her nose or mouth.
A person can spread the flu starting one day before he or she feels sick. Adults can continue to pass the flu virus to others for another three to seven days after symptoms start. Children can pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body. Some persons can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons can still spread the virus to others.
Your respiratory illness might be the flu if you have sudden onset of body aches, fever, and respiratory symptoms, and your illness occurs during November through April (the usual flu season in the Northern Hemisphere). However, during this time, other respiratory illnesses can cause similar symptoms and flu can be caught at any time of the year. It is impossible to tell for sure if you have the flu based on symptoms alone. Doctors can perform tests to see if you have the flu if you are in the first few days of your illness.
Rest
Drink plenty of liquids
Avoid using alcohol and tobacco
Take medication to relieve the symptoms of flu
Influenza is caused by a virus, so antibiotics (like penicillin) don't work to cure it. The best way to prevent the flu is to get an influenza vaccine (flu shot) each fall, before flu season.
Do Not Give Aspirin To a Child or Teenager Who Has the Flu
Never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms - and particularly fever - without first speaking to your doctor. Giving aspirin to children and teenagers who have influenza can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome. Children or teenagers with the flu should get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquids, and take medicines that contain no aspirin to relieve symptoms.
Many people use the term "stomach flu" to describe illnesses with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. These symptoms can be caused by many different viruses, bacteria, or even parasites. While vomiting, diarrhea, and being nauseous or "sick to your stomach" can sometimes be related to the flu - particularly in children - these problems are rarely the main symptoms of influenza. The flu is a respiratory disease and not a stomach or intestinal disease.
This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Secretary's ChallengeBe a champ, and make sure that you are logging your activities into the Web site www.presidentschallenge.org!
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Secretary Tommy G. Thompson's public schedule:
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Last updated October 20, 2003
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Contact the HHS Newsletter Team.