Thurston County reports first flu death
Health officials have reported the first flu-related death in Thurston County. A 23-year-old woman has died due to complications from the flu.
“This young woman’s death is a sad reminder that the flu must be taken seriously,” said Dr. Diana Yu, Health Officer for Thurston County. “We’re encouraging unvaccinated people of all ages to talk to their doctor about getting a flu vaccine. It’s not too late to get vaccinated.”
So far this season, 28 flu-related deaths have occurred in Washington in King, Snohomish and Thurston counties.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the best way to protect yourself against the flu virus is to get vaccinated. Seniors, pregnant women, children younger than five, people with chronic medical conditions like asthma or heart disease, and people who work in healthcare, senior care, and childcare are all strongly encouraged to get a flu vaccine.
Dr. Yu says you can prevent the spread of the flu and other respiratory illnesses by covering your mouth and nose; coughing or sneezing into your elbow or with a tissue; staying home if you are sick; and washing your hands often with soap and warm water. When hand washing is not possible, Dr. Yu advises using antiseptic hand gels that contain alcohol.
The link below provided by Joseph Ratliff has two very key points. Â First off the vaccine status of this woman is unknown. Â Secondly the cause of death is still unknown. Â Ok so you can right an article stating she died of the flu and everyone go out and get their flu shots and we don't even know if she did get one and still died? Â We also don't know if there were other contributing factors to her death. Â This is the fear based media BS that makes people rush out and get a flu vaccine. Â Of course the vaccine companies want you to get a shot. Â There are roughly 300,000,000 people in the US. Â If everyone got a shot @ 20.00 each (you do the math) Â That is BILLIONS of dollars made each year on just the flu shot alone. Â Of course they want you to get vaccinated.
 @keri555 thanks for the reference . I'm very skeptical of this "fear-based" media reporting about the flu. If the vaccine were soooo good for us, if it was a viable solution, with nothing to debate or discuss (hint: it isn't, and there is a TON to debate and discuss)... then why use "fear" to market it at all? If it were so good, so effective a solution, it wouldn't need to be promoted so heavily.
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Not to mention, our outbreak of influenza this year (2012-2013) represents 2003-2004, when the same type was the dominant strain (type A)... yet with more people vaccinated (at least 112 million or more), with a vaccine that supposedly was "nicely targeted" to the strain... we've had a similar "widespread" nature of the outbreak itself (perhaps even worse).
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Strange how a solution that is marketed as "the number one way to protect yourself"... simply isn't.
 @Joseph Ratliff  @keri555 There is only one way to obtain true immunity to a strain of the flu, and that is to contract it and then recover from it.  The bad news is, it is very unpleasant, the good news is you will never get that strain of the flu again.  I have 4 children and have been battleing the fear based media reporting about the flu.  I admitt at first I bought into it, the fear that is.  I have never taken or had a flu shot administered to my children however.  I just think it's so unatural.  I think that we as a society have lost sight of the simple preventative measures regarding disease and the spread of.  Stay home when you are sick, keep your surroundings clean and sanitary and practice good sanitation and courtesy to others if sick.  I don't know how a vaccine replaced our common sense and natural bodies immunity but somehow it has. Â
@keri555 @Joseph Ratliff amen to the "simple" preventative measures keri555. Amen :)
According to the alert I just read at http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/personalhealth/communicabledisease/dryuupdates/PDF/FluCDUpdate2-13.pdf this 23 year old probably had type B, which is by far not the most common of the flu viruses in circulation (type A is, according to Thurston County DOH). She also had some type of secondary bacterial infection.
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The alert also said that official cause of death is pending.