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FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com JANUARY 24, 2013 • THE QUEENS COURIER33 oped HALL OF SHAME RespectFlu DemandsMain Street at the westbound LIRR station BY SCOTT BREIDBART, M.D. In the uni- verse of infec- tious diseases, influenza, or flu, doesn’t usu- ally gather inter- est. Ebola kills almost all infect- ed people, isn’t in the United States, and had a best seller written about it. Tuberculosis, or consumption, is worldwide, con- tinuously threat- ens to become immune to all treatments, and has killed many Incidents of graffi ti have risen. The Courier invites you, our readers, to submit photos of vandalism famous people, from artists to politicians. Polio kills — or addresses where you see graffi ti — for our “Hall of Shame.” and paralyzes, launched the March of Dimes, and its Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up their act,” submit them for induction into our “Hall vaccine – along with that of smallpox – is one of the of Fame.” great triumphs of medicine. Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to editorial@queenscourier.com with a location and a But flu? Flu doesn’t seem to command the same level contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361. of fear and loathing. It’s common – everyone gets it at Help us take our borough back from the vandals! one time or another. People usually feel miserable for a week, and unless they are old, young, immune sup- pressed, or very unlucky, recover with nothing worse street talk BY ROSA MICHAELS spring, sort of like the hockey season, and like hockey,The flu season starts in the fall and lasts into thethan the ire of the co-workers they spread it to. In light of the LIC crane collapse, what do you think bad years. The experts cannot predict whether thesome seasons start later and there are good years and should be done to ensure construction site safety? people than usual.season will start early, last a long time, or kill more So, while it may not win a Golden Globe for Worst Maybe there should be Infectious Disease, you still DO NOT want to get a manager that oversees They should inspect the it. The flu will make you feel rotten. If you are old, safety to make sure what’s construction sites to make young, or have a poor immune system, it can kill you. happening on site is with- sure that it’s safe and to If you spread it to a friend, neighbor or colleague who in the safety regulations make sure this doesn’t is fighting cancer, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, kidney so that things like that happen again. disease or who had a transplant, it can pose a highly don’t happen. Barbara T. serious threat to their health, and they may de-friend Alexander Joseph you on Facebook. So how can you avoid the flu? Get a flu vaccine. Stay away from sick people or peo- They should make sure ple who are complaining that they just feel achy and all the cranes are inspect- I think construction feverish. Get a flu vaccine. Don’t touch them, don’t ed. The person using the sites like that should be shake their hands, and don’t let them cough on you. crane should also be more sectioned off. Get a flu vaccine. Wash your hands. Get a flu vaccine. careful. Denise M. And, of course, always check with your doctor if you Bob D. get it (even after taking all these precautions). This year’s flu vaccine is about 60 percent effective. I think the most impor- That is very good. Statins don’t reduce the death from tant this to do is to train heart disease by 60 percent. Even seat belts don’t the workers. Sometimes I think better security reduce crash related injuries by 60 percent. they hire people who so it’s safer for everybody. Japan mandated flu vaccine for school children from don’t have the proper Gary Oropeza 1962 to 1987 and 40,000 deaths a year were prevented! training. After the vaccination of school children was stopped, Francisco Rivera deaths from flu in Japan rose. The flu vaccine is recommended for just about every- I think we have to make one over the age of six months. Get a flu vaccine. And sure that the cranes are I think keeping better plead (if you must) with your neighbors and friends inspected before and dur- maintenance in areas that to get a flu vaccine if they haven’t already gotten one. ing every job and that the need it would ensure safe- That’s what I’m doing. operators are trained on ty. Better maintenance how much weight each would defi nitely work to Dr. Breidbart is Chief Medical Offi cer for Empire crane can handle. make it safer. BlueCross BlueShield, New York’s largest health insurer, Helen Hadjopoulos Steve L. insuring nearly 6 million New Yorkers.


QC01242013
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