It is a busy time getting ready for either the first year or a returning year to school. One way to be prepared is to ensure every person has up-to-date immunizations. Schools are great places to spread or catch germs and infectious diseases. Protect yourself and others from vaccine preventable diseases.

The number one way to do this is to get immunized.

• Tetanus/Diptheria/Whooping cough is only needed every 10 years.
• You should have had 2 MMRs, (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) or have a blood test that indicates your immunity level is protective. If not immune you can get immunized with vaccine.The same for chickenpox.
• The annual influenza shot is another way of keeping us from getting and spreading a potentially severe and at times deadly illness

We protect each other and our community by being immunized against all vaccine preventable diseases. There are other recommended vaccines against meningitis, human papilloma as well as pneumonia depending on age and medical condition.

Check the Manitoba Health Website for current recommendations and what vaccines are free. Once eligible you are always eligible. A number of vaccines, including Hepatitis B, are given through public school programs so check the school in your area to find out when this will be offered.

From Health Services

Are you traveling to other countries or even to other Provinces in Canada?

Cases of measles are up nearly five times from last year in six provinces. Make sure you and your family are vaccinated for preventable diseases before you travel.

Did you know that measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world?

It is a vaccine preventable disease and in 2013 cases are again rising. Get vaccinated before you go. Watch your health when you return. Measles are being reported in Canada, UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific-Common holiday destinations. It takes only one active case on a plane to expose and potentially infect all passengers. Be safe for yourself and others. Check all the family members are up to date on immunizations-including measles. For more detailed  information on measles check here

Health Services.

Lyme Disease caution has been raised as a reminder for those going out for camping or hiking. The usual wood tick does not carry lyme disease, but blacklegged ticks do. Did you know Manitoba has a lyme disease tick program where, if you have a suspect (like in CSI) ,you can send it in a bottle to a lab? They have instructions and detailed pictures (rather gross, unless you are a bug person of course) about the ticks.

I have heard many ways people remove ticks, but it is recommended to use twizzers and gently pull them without twisting or crushing them. I am sure those with more experience can offer suggestions for what has worked to remove ticks. Some may work better on wood ticks but remember blacklegged ones may carry disease so be careful and do send it in. It helps track where they are. Currently they have been know to be in South Central Manitoba.

Be protected out there while enjoying the wonderful woods and camps of Manitoba. Download the  lyme disease fact sheet from the Government web site and take it with you. Check for ticks daily and carefully remove them. If you feel ill, consult your health provider.

Health Services

Some great reminders from Manitoba Health as we start to enjoy the heat.

Heat affects the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.  The body tries to keep a consistent temperature (about 37 C or 98.6 F) but prolonged exposure to heat can result in conditions such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.  Death can occur if the body’s temperature climbs too high.

High humidity reduces the body’s ability to cope with hot temperatures because less heat can be lost by perspiration.  People with chronic health conditions, older adults, those taking certain medications or people performing strenuous activity, homeless people, infants and young children are at increased risk for heat illness.

Be prepared to cope with the heat and remember to check the weather forecast.

Heat illnesses can be prevented by:

• drinking plenty of water or other liquids before feeling thirsty;
• avoiding too much sun and preventing sunburn;
• planning energetic outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day;
• finding a cool place to go;
• taking a cool bath or shower;
• checking on family members, neighbours and friends when it gets hot, especially older adults and people with chronic conditions;
• not leaving dependents or pets alone in closed vehicles or direct sunlight; and
• limiting alcohol consumption.

Read More →

Yes, we are finally getting some decent weather and we want to spend as much time as possible outdoors.   What’s holding us back?  In Manitoba, blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) may carry the Lyme disease bacteria.  Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted to people through the bite of blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) and western blacklegged ticks.  When a young tick feeds on an infected animal, it picks up a bacterium, normally carried by mice, squirrels, birds and other small animals.  You could show symptoms in three to 30 days if you are the tick’s next meal after it has ingested infected blood.  Health Canada estimates that about 10 per cent of blacklegged ticks in any infected area carry the bacterium which causes Lyme disease.

Adult male, nymph, adult female and larva of blacklegged ticks

Blacklegged ticks exist in three active stages:  Larva, nymph, and adult. Unfed larvae and nymphs are light in colour and very difficult to see.  Unfed adult female blacklegged ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length; and are red and brown in colour.  Adult males are smaller than females and are uniformly brown in colour.

Read More →

Working as a sports official, or referee, is a noisy job. In fact, a recent study suggests that referees who use whistles are more likely to suffer from symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss compared to people in a similar age group in the general population. Whistles commonly used by referees can be as loud as 106 decibels, and science tells us that regular exposure, even briefly, to sounds above 85 decibels can lead to permanent hearing loss. Nearly half of the referees who participated in the survey reported ringing in their ears after a game, which is a symptom of damage to sensitive inner ear sensory cells that can lead to noise-induced hearing loss. The findings were published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.

Gordon B. Hughes, M.D., program director for clinical trials at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at the National Institutes of Health, has first-person experience of the perils of loud whistles acting as a referee at club soccer matches. “Everyone on the field needs to hear the whistle, so I would blow it hard,” says Dr. Hughes. “No matter how brief the sound was, it would hurt my ears every time. That’s a warning that the sound is too loud and potentially harmful.”

So what can referees do to protect their hearing? Dr. Hughes suggests using “vented” ear molds. “They are custom-fitted to the ear canal and reduce sound by up to 25 decibels,” he says. “That reduction will let referees perform their duty while protecting their ears all day.”

Whistles aren’t the only things making loud noises at sporting events, however. Cheering fans, marching bands, or other signaling devices such as starter pistols, add to the cacophony. So, whether you’re a professional referee or a spectator, think about wearing hearing protectors to save yourself from hearing damage.

What do you do to protect your hearing? Molded vented plugs do work so you can enjoy the noise and excitment as well as protect your hearing. It is a Win Win!

Health Services

Summer is fast approaching and with school soon over for children, camp time starts. Whether assisting in a camp or sending your child to a camp you should check if immunizations are up to date! Vaccine preventable diseases are more likely to occur in groups of susceptible children and adults. Illness and severe complications can and do occur from these preventable diseases.

If sending a child to camp:

• Send a signed consent for them to be seen and treated by a health provider;
• Provide your contact number in case you have to be called for any reason; and,
• Send a copy of their immunization record along with any allergies and health instructions.

This helps them receive the attention they may need in as quick a manner as possible.

Camps are a special time for children and some may have health conditions or medications that make them more susceptiple to illness than the average child and they may not even be able to have certain protective vaccines. Feel good that your child is immunized for their protection so they can create an environment that helps others have a fun experience and be protected.

Check here for Manitoba Health information about vaccines and immunization schedules specific for various age groups.

Health Services

Want to get into shape? Want to make a difference? How you approach the later may actually help you to achieve both.

As raising money for charity is becoming increasingly difficult, taking on extreme challenges for charity can both capture potential donors’ attention and drive your motivation to work out like never before. After all, those adrenaline fueled stunts and epic, unforgettable, adventures do demand a certain level of endurance and physical prowess, non?

What can better capture the imagination than a six day multi-terrain race across the great, stony Gobi desert in China? Or perhaps eleven days whitewater rafting down the Zambezi into the depths of Victoria Falls, wrestling with the biggest commercial white water rapids in the world? Read More →

As the weather improves, we get inspired and anxious to work in the garden, get rid of the old left overs from the fall and start planting for the summer. It is important to realize that Tetanus lies in soil and dirt and is a toxin that can enter our system in even the smallest scrape. If unprotected it makes you very ill. Children get protection from tetanus with their childhood immunization programs. Did you know as an adult (young or old) we need a Tetanus booster every 10 years? That is not often, but very necessary to keep us protected from this toxin.

Here’s a short video on the importance of tetanus.

Just let your health provider or clinic know it has been 10 years since your last shot.

Whether for work, or play, be protected.

Be wise Immunize!

Health Services

Well, it may not be a perfect May 10, but it’s a perfectly good day to announce that your Red River Rebel Riders (rrrr…) are back with a goal of raising $10,000 for MS in this, our 10th year! This year’s ride will be September 7 & 8 in Riding Mountain National Park.

Yes, 2013 marks 10 years! How can you help to make it a perfect 10?

• Come out to our first event Saturday June 1: Bowling at the Dakota Bowling Centre from 5 to 8 pm. $20 ($10 for children 12 and under) will cover your bowling, shoes, pizza, pop, popcorn, and a donation for MS. Bring friends and family for a fun evening with the team. Call Marnie at 204-949-8521 for tickets (click here for details).
• Join the 2013 team. We already have 5 registered riders: Marnie Boulet, Guy Dugas, Gurdeesh Ghuman, Dayna Graham, and Michael Poitras. Train with us this spring and summer to get in shape for the big ride Sept. 7. Email guy@spright.ca for details or simply click here and then click on the Join this team button.
• Donate securely online at http://mssoc.convio.net/goto/rrrr. All monies raised go to supporting those suffering with MS or to MS research.

Together we can end MS. Help make 2013 a perfect 10! rrrr…