Parents urged to vaccinate

Delta pediatrician James M. Wilson V, M.D., director of the Ascel Bio National Infectious Disease Forecast Center, reports a high level of influenza in Delta County. Local healthcare providers have seen multiple instances of influenza outbreaks involving both parents and multiple children in the same family.

Almost exclusively these were children who were either not vaccinated or incompletely vaccinated.

Based on the above information, Dr. Wilson continues to strongly advise vaccination of all patients for influenza this year.

For expectant mothers, the following recommendations have been issued:

• Breast feed through the winter until April.

• Vaccination of everyone in the immediate family for 1) pertussis, also known as "whooping cough"; and 2) influenza. Both of these diseases can be lethal in infants.

Dr. Wilson reports renewed activity of RSV in the outpatient setting. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done to prevent the spread of RSV. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about this important disease. Home hygiene is an important factor in preventing the spread of RSV, influenza and norovirus.

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