Features
Flu shots now recommended earlier
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahomans need to receive their influenza shots earlier this year, and children need to keep getting the shots into their teens, according to state health officials.
Until this year, federal recommendations called for children from 6 months to 5 years to receive flu shots. Now that guideline has been extended until children turn 18.
Some flu vaccine already is making its way into Oklahoma, said Don Blose, the state Health Department's immunization director.
"That's earlier than normal ... unusually early for any flu vaccine to be available," he said.
The earlier shipments are occurring because health officials want to have 30 million more Americans receive the vaccine than in past years.
"We must not forget that anyone can get the flu," said Susan Mendus, the training director for the Health Department's immunization service. "It might not kill you, but if you take it home to your babies or to your grandparents it might kill them."
Health Department statistics indicate that nationwide, 83 children died during the last flu season from the illness. About 36,000 people in the U.S., many of them elderly, die from the illness during each flu season.
Flu can occur at any time of year, although the first cases in Oklahoma typically aren't reported until late November or early December of each year. The average flu season lasts through April.
Five manufacturers are expected to supply about 143 million doses of vaccine during the coming flu season. Of that, the state Health Department has ordered 195,000 doses of adult flu vaccine, which will be distributed through county health departments.
Also, a federal program will allow 184,000 doses of vaccine for children to be made available to both the public and private sector. Another 416,000 doses of flu vaccine for children will be able to be purchased privately, officials said.
Blose said the vaccine will offer protection against three strains of flu.
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Copyright not always necessary
Q: I have a small business, and periodically I send my customers a newsletter. Several of my employees contribute articles to the newsletter. Should the newsletter be copyrighted?
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What do today’s children lack?
Question of the Week: What do today’s children seriously lack that children in the 1950s and before enjoyed in abundance?
To assist the reader in figuring out the answer before it is revealed in the last sentence of this column, here are a set of clues mostly taken from the real-life childhood adventures of yours truly, a representative member of his generation. -
Feast, famine will find you
I’ve known feast and I’ve known famine, and they’ve taught me that too much is too much either way. You can glut your maw with food and your bank account with gold, but either excess will eventually be too much. I don’t have to tell you what a famine of either will do.
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Brown wins final Yard of the Week
The final Yard of the Week winner for the 2010 season goes to Melissa Brown, 829 New Bond Circle in the Kingston addition.
This colorful yard that has 56 containers of flowers that provide quick splashes of color and texture. The yard has several tall northern red oaks, bur oaks, pines, Japanese weeping red maple, carrisa hollies, nandinas and beds of red and pink wax leaf begonias. -
What if Jesus were president?
It is painful to listen to Democrats and Republicans attack each other. One hundred years ago, Helen Keller called the Democrats and Republicans Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum. Today it’s more like Dumb and Dumber. They assume that we are stupid and that we only care about ourselves. The test of whether the economy is doing well is whether consumer spending is up.
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Oklahoma City University hosts Islam Day
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City University hosted its second annual Islam Day Thursday to encourage cultural understanding with various campus activities.
Islam Day at OCU falls in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan, which is celebrated this year from Aug. 11 to Sept. 9. Celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, more than 1 billion Muslims around the world fast from dawn until sunset each day. -
Edmond church plans flood relief benefit
An Edmond church is planning a second event to benefit victims of the June 14 flash flooding.
John Huss, pastor of outreach and discipleship for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 308 N.W. 164th St., said the flood is nearly three months past, but the recovery continues for those affected. They include dozens of Edmond-area families.
On Sept. 12 the church will have a community picnic event beginning at 4 p.m. There will be food, live music and games during the event at the church. -
7 imprisoned Iranian Baha’i receive harsh sentences
Once again, the American Baha’i Community including Baha’is from the Oklahoma City metro area are calling on Congress for help in the case of the seven imprisoned Baha’is of Iran.
The international Baha’i community was outraged at the news of the 20-year sentence for the seven Baha’i leaders which was just recently confirmed. The five men and two women imprisoned were arrested in May 2008 and later falsely charged with “spying for foreigners,” as well as “spreading corruption on Earth” and “cooperating with Israel.” -
30,000 expected to attend National Baptist Convention
The country’s largest African-American denomination, the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc., will hold its 130th annual meeting Sept. 6-10 at the downtown Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo.
About 30,000 delegates and visitors are expected to attend. The theme is “Solidarity With the Savior.” -
9-3 Religion: in brief
Hopewell Church nominated to This Place Matters Community Challenge
Hopewell Church in Edmond has been nominated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s This Place Matters Community Challenge. - More Features Headlines
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Copyright not always necessary
