November 30, 2020 Fight the Flu with DU Getting a flu vaccine this fall is more important than ever. Fall flu shots are available at the Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center, in partnership with Duquesne University School of Pharmacy and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. There is no cost with most major insurances. Social distancing guidelines will be followed and all participants will be required to wear a mask. Location The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Canter 7219 Kelly Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 Date & Time 12/3/2020 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Contact Appointments are recommended for this event. For any questions or special accommodations, please contact the Center for Pharmacy Care at 412.396.2155 or cpc@duq.edu. Please share this flyer with your networks.
September 24, 2020 Walk-In Flu Vaccines Available in Pittsburgh The Allegheny County Immunization Clinic is offering walk-in flu vaccinations at their location in Pittsburgh from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The CDC recommends that every person aged six months and older receive an annual flu vaccination to reduce their risk of experiencing and spreading illness during flu season. About The flu vaccine is available to insured, underinsured, and uninsured Allegheny County residents. The walk-in clinic is for flu vaccines only. An appointment is required for all other vaccinations and services. To schedule an appointment, please call 412.578.8062. Anyone wishing to receive a flu vaccine should bring a form of identification and their insurance card (if applicable) with them. Face coverings are required. Additional evening hours will be available on Thursdays from 4 – 7 p.m. Clinic Location The Allegheny County Immunization Clinic is located on the fourth floor of the Hartley-Rose Building at 425 First Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. The entrance to the building is on Cherry Way. Clinic Closures The clinic will be closed on the following days: Monday, October 12, 2020 (Columbus Day) Wednesday, November 11, 2020 (Veteran’s Day) Thursday, November 26, 2020 (Thanksgiving) More Information For more information on the clinic, please visit the Allegheny County website.
December 3, 2019 Preventing the Flu with Young Children Did you know that “children younger than five, but especially children younger than two years old and children with chronic health conditions, are at a greater risk for serious flu complications?” If so, you probably know how important it is to understand the signs and symptoms of influenza (flu), as the infection can cause “mild to severe illness, pneumonia, and other complications.” To best care for your young child this flu season, consider implementing the following best practices provided by HealthyChildren.org. What is the flu? HealthyChildren.org states that the flu “is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the influenza virus.” As caregivers of young children, it’s important to catch flu symptoms early and implement proper treatment. While most people will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, some individuals, especially young children, have an increased risk of flu-related complications, some of which may result in hospital stays or could be life-threatening. Some complications include pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections. Flu Symptoms If your child has the flu, they may exhibit some of the following symptoms: fever cough sore throat runny or stuffy nose body aches headache chills fatigue vomiting diarrhea Please note that “some people sick with the flu may not have a fever.” Best Practices to Avoid the Flu To protect your child against the flu, consider implementing the following best practices: Make sure your child (age six months or older) receives a flu vaccine every year. This is the most important thing you can do to protect your child against the virus. Children younger than six months are at a high risk of serious flu illness, however, they are too young to be vaccinated. Because of this, caregivers of the young child should be vaccinated instead in order to protect them. For pregnant individuals, receiving a vaccination while pregnant is encouraged, as “the antibody produced in response to the vaccine also offers protection to the developing baby.” Talk with your doctor to discuss the flu vaccine and how many doses are recommended for you and your child. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Wash hands often with soap and running water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if water and soap are unavailable. Encourage your child to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth and encourage them to use a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze into. Keep surfaces in the house and toys clean using household disinfectants according to the directions on the product label. Have a plan in case your child becomes sick with the flu. What to Do if Your Child is Sick If your child is exhibiting flu-like symptoms, call or take your child to the doctor; keep your child at home until they no longer have a fever for at least 24 hours and are feeling like themselves (excluding doctor visits); make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated; ask your doctor about fever-reducing medicines if such medicines are necessary; keep your child in a separate room (sick room) in the house and limit as much contact as possible with other members of the household who are not sick; make one person in the house the main caregiver of the sick child; and, if possible, avoid having a pregnant person as the main caregiver of the sick child. A child should not go back to school, pre-kindergarten, or their child care program until their fever (101° F/38.3° C or greater) has been gone for at least 24 hours without the assistance of fever-reducing medicines. With this, it’s recommended to ask your child’s school or child care provider what their plan is for the flu season. Let them know if your child is at high-risk for flu-related problems. More Information For more information on prevention and best practices, visit HealthyChildren.org. *Information provided by HealthyChildren.org To learn more about Trying Together, visit our home page.
August 2, 2019 National Immunization Awareness Month Immunizations (also called shots or vaccinations) help keep us healthy and safe from serious diseases. As August is National Immunization Awareness Month, take this time to check in on which shots you or your child needs and when to get them. About Vaccinations can prevent serious diseases like the flu, measles, and pneumonia. As an example, at age 6 months and older, everyone is highly encouraged to get a flu shot every year. However, many other shots work best when they are administered at certain ages. Talk to your doctor or nurse to make sure that everyone in your family gets the shots they need and use the resources below for access to more information: Do you have a child age six or younger? Find out what shots your child needs. Checking in for yourself as an adult? Use this chart to see if you’re up-to-date on your shots. Are you pregnant? Check out this recommended immunization schedule. Assistance If you can’t afford vaccinations for your child, the PA Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) provides vaccinations at no cost to children who might not otherwise receive them. You can also apply for the PA Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) which includes coverage of vaccinations. For information on the VFC program, call 1.888.646.6864. For information on CHIP, call 1.800.986.5437. Information provided by The Pennsylvania Key
January 17, 2019 Community Check-Up Community Check-Up is a satellite clinic of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Every second and fourth Wednesday, an advanced practice provider and pediatrician see children and young adults ages birth–26 years old (birthday). Services include: Asthma and Allergy Care Check-Ups Driver Permit Physicals Hearing and Vision Screenings Immunizations and Flu Shots Lead and Anemia Screenings Mental Health Services and Resources Needs-Based Resources Sports Physicals WIC Forms Schedule an Appointment To schedule an appointment, call 412.310.7114. The last appointment begins at 3:30 p.m. Share this flyer with your networks.