It’s not too late to vaccinate – Get your flu vaccine today

When you see “Get Your Flu Shot Here” signs and banners after November outside pharmacies and in doctor’s offices, you might think, “Isn’t it too late for that?”

The answer is: “No!”

“Flu season typically peaks in January or February and can last as late as May,” says Dr. Anne Schuchat, Assistant Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service and Director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “We are encouraging people who have not yet been vaccinated to get vaccinated now.”

For millions of people each year, the flu can bring a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, fatigue, and miserable days spent in bed instead of at work or school. However, you may not realize that more than 200,000 people are hospitalized in the United States from flu complications each year.

The flu also can be deadly. Between 1976 and 2007, CDC estimates that annual flu-associated deaths in the United States ranged from a low of about 3,000 people to a high of about 49,000 people.

An annual flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. It’s available in two forms: shots and a nasal spray. The flu shot options include the regular flu shot, the new intradermal flu shot, and a high-dose flu shot.

While the regular flu shot can be given to just about everyone, the intradermal flu shot is approved for use in adults 18 through 64 years of age, and the high-dose flu shot is for people aged 65 years and older. The nasal spray vaccine is approved only for use in healthy people ages 2 to 49 years who aren’t pregnant.

“We have lower cases of flu in our clinic due to our vaccination of our patient community,” said board certified, emergency medicine physician, Dr. Anthony Ferrara, an owner-physician with North Atlanta Urgent Care in Decatur and Buckhead. “There is no pain involved and it will keep you from getting sick,” he said.

Anyone can get the flu, but some people are at greater risk for serious flu-related complications, like pneumonia, that can lead to hospitalization and even death. For those at greater risk for complications, getting the flu vaccine is especially important. People at greater risk include:

• Children younger than 5 years old, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• Pregnant women
• People with certain medical conditions like asthma, diabetes (type 1 and 2), or heart and lung disease
• People 65 years and older

It’s also important to get the vaccine if you care for anyone in one or more of these high risk groups, or for babies younger than 6 months because they are too young to get the vaccine. “The flu is not just a cold, said Dr. Pat Meadors, also of NAUC. “You will be sicker for longer and have a higher risk of death. Get your flu shot."

Better Health Resolve in 2012

Whether you are a believer in annual resolution creation or not, January is a good time to do a bit of healthy living housecleaning. Here's a few items to consider as you enter 2012:

1. Go ahead and schedule any necessary health examinations. Get them on the calendar now and you'll avoid conflicts later.

2. Toss outdated prescriptions; each does have its own shelf life which can affect efficacy.

3. Review immunization schedules. Will you be traveling abroad this year? Some countries have specific, vaccinations required for travel.

4. Create a medical i.d. for both you and your family noting name, address, vital statistics, blood type, emergency contacts and any specific health needs. This can be made (business card size) on your home computer, laminated at your local copy & print store and carried in a wallet, backpack or purse. Medical i.d. "jewelry" is available, at nominal charge, for the active person and should be worn when away from home in case of unforeseen medical emergency or accident.

5. Take more water breaks. Adequate hydration is necessary for optimal body functioning. If you feel thirsty, it's too late.

6. Commit to eating all the colors of the vegetable rainbow.

7. Set healthy sleep patterns.

8. If exercise does not appeal to you, try parking a bit further from your destination; taking the stairs; raking the lawn -- it all counts! 15-20 minutes of daily exercise leads to health improvement.

9. If you're undertaking a new physical fitness regimen, and you're an active older adult, come pay us a visit so you'll have benchmarks from which to mark progress or can receive consult on any potential health concerns.

10. And, as always, don't hesitate to call us with your questions or make a quick visit by to meet with one of our board certified emergency room physicians. Most of all...Enjoy a positive, successful and gratifying new year!

New Flu Virus Found in Limited Cases; CDC Has Developed a Candidate Vaccine

The following information is designed to bring our patients the most up-to-date and accurate information available on the prevalence and types of influenza virus noted during 2011.

NAUC physicians continue to encourage all patients and their families to receive the current flu vaccine. A recent report of a new swine-related flu strain has been announced by the Centers for Disease Control. This strain is limited in scope and geography and is being actively monitored. The CDC has also proactively developed a candidate vaccine as a health precaution.

Patients and families are urged to continue to guard against the spread of the virus by supporting their health through healthy eating and exercise; routine hand washing; avoiding contact with eyes and mouth and maintaining distance from those who are currently ill.

The following information was released, by the CDC, Dec. 3. For more information, or to have your flu questions answered, don't hesitate to call our office to learn more or to be vaccinated.


CDC Released H3N2 Information


On November 20, 2011, CDC confirmed three cases of swine-origin triple reassortant influenza A (H3N2) (S-OtrH3N2) virus infection in children in two counties in Iowa. None of the children were hospitalized, and each has recovered from a mild episode of febrile respiratory illness. All three were in contact with one another, and none had a known recent exposure to swine. No additional human infections with this virus have been detected in Iowa, and no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of this S-OtrH3N2 virus exists; surveillance is ongoing.

Eighteen human infections with swine-origin influenza A (H3N2) viruses have been identified since 2009. Since July 2011, a total of 10 cases of human infection with S-OtrH3N2 viruses have been identified in the United States, all containing the M gene from the pH1N1 virus. Seven of these 10 cases resulted in mild illness, but three of the infected persons were hospitalized for influenza; all patients have recovered. In all seven earlier cases, exposure to swine was identified in the patient or in a close contact of the patient. The lack of known exposure to swine in the three cases described in this report, combined with the known epidemiologic links, suggests that limited human-to-human transmission of this novel influenza virus might have occurred. Preliminary evidence from the investigation of these cases in Iowa shows no evidence of ongoing transmission among humans. Swine influenza viruses are spread from pig to pig but are not known to spread through human contact with pork or pork products.

Although the vast majority of human infections with animal influenza viruses do not result in human-to-human transmission, each case should be investigated fully to ascertain if these viruses are transmitted among humans and to limit further exposure of humans to infected animals, if infected animals are suspected. Such investigations require close collaboration among state, local, and federal public and animal health officials. As part of routine preparedness measures to counter possible pandemic threats posed by novel influenza viruses in the event that they gain the ability to spread easily from person-to-person, CDC has developed a candidate vaccine virus that could be used to produce a human influenza vaccine against these S-OtrH3N2 viruses and has provided this candidate virus to manufacturers.

The 2011–12 seasonal influenza vaccine is expected to provide limited protection from this virus for adults but none for young children. Additional information about swine influenza is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu

Don’t Let the Summer Heat Take You Down

by Dr. Anthony Ferrara


We are seeing a number of heat-related illnesses in the clinic with the outdoor temperatures staying between 95 and 100 degrees. Although death from heat stroke is rare, during the Summer, about 175 to 200 people die from heat-related illness each year in the United States. And, if there's a major heat wave, the number of deaths can increase to over 1,500. There are some easy guidelines to follow to stay cool during a heat wave and avoid heat-related illness or catastrophe. Here are some important tips to remember:


1. Schedule physically strenuous activities for cooler times
2. When working outside, take periodic rest breaks in a cool area
3. Relax, slow down, pace yourself – it’s called heat exhaustion for a reason
4. Avoid being outdoors when it’s hot if you can
5. Dress in light, loose, cotton clothing - natural fabrics like cotton are much cooler than most synthetics
6. Use sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say "broad spectrum" or "UVA/UVB protection" on their labels). You can get painful sunburn even on a cloudy day, so slather on the sunscreen every morning before you start out. Don't forget lips, ears, back of neck.
7. Drink, drink, drink - WATER and Non-Alcoholic drinks!! DON'T wait until you feel thirsty -STAY HYDRATED. In hot weather, as much as 3-4 quarts per day are recommended. Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body. These are necessary for your body and must be replaced.
8. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat.
9. Never leave children, pets or anyone inside a car when it is hot outside, even if the windows are open.
10. Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library—even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.
11. Keep cool with fans, air conditioning, and cool baths or showers. If outside, spray yourself (especially your scalp and face) with water. Evaporation and ventilation of air over this water on your body will cool you down. Cold compresses on your neck and underarms also help.

Our blistering heat can be unbearable, but it doesn’t have to take you down. Keeping your cool in during a heat wave is critical if you want to stay out of the Doctor’s office and stay healthy this Summer.

See the report from Fox 5 Atlanta.

Evaluating Ice Injuries

By Dr. Anthony Ferrara

For most of the Metro Atlanta area, there are only a few lingering patches of snow and ice to remind us of last week’s unplanned weeklong Winter vacation. However, some Atlantans are having to deal with much more than simple ice patches after venturing out last week. The day after the ice storm, at the Clinic, we saw 22 upper extremity fractures, mainly of the wrist and elbow. All of those cases had the same common theme that it was a fracture with pain and swelling from a fall on the ice.
Since Winter is nowhere near over, and chances are good that we could see some more slippery weather, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with handling injuries that occur from falling, regardless of whether the fall occurs on ice or any other surface:


After a fall, DO NOT MOVE UNTIL THESE CHECKS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED:
1. Check for any deformity in the affected area
  a. Check for deformity of the bone – does the bone appear to be out of place
  b. Check for any breaks in the skin

2. Check for pulses in the extremities to ensure that blood is flowing in the affected area
  a. Check fingers and the nail bed color – squeeze the nail bed, and then release pressure – if the color returns to normal in less than 2 seconds, then you have good circulation

3. Check for nerve damage by lack of movement or numbness of the body parts close and far from the affected area – not lack of movement because of pain…lack of movement because it won’t or can’t move

If any of the above checks show a problem, the person should be seen by a medical professional immediately. Call 911 if the person cannot or should not be moved.

If the person can be moved, but the injured area needs to remain immobile, use a splint or a sling. A splint or a sling is an excellent pain reliever and can help keep the injured area stable until you can get to a medical facility for an x-ray and evaluation.

• A splint can be made from common materials such as firm cardboard or a wooden board

• The board should be about 2 inches wide and long enough to span the affected area

• For a wrist or arm injury, you place the injured arm, palm down on top of the board

• The board should be lengthwise along the arm

• Using gauze or other material, wrap the arm and board

• Place the immobile arm in a sling, which can be made from a scarf or other similar material


If all of the above checks show that there is not a bigger problem, and there is pain and swelling:

• Apply ice on the affected every 4 hours for 20 minutes

• Keep the injury elevated and rested

• Use pain relievers in moderation

• See a medical professional if the pain and swelling worsens



Fractures from falling are commonplace at any time, but walking on ice is a sure way to increase your chances of falling and injuring yourself. Whether for fun or necessity, walking around on ice is risky business, regardless of your footwear or athletic ability.

Besides being aware of how to handle these kinds of injuries, the number one piece of advice we can give you is… Stay off the Ice!

Special Hours on Monday, December 27

We will be open from 9am to 12pm only, on Monday, December 27th. We are closing early so our doctors and staff can be in attendance at the memorial service for Ellen Landsman, our dear friend and a member of the North Atlanta Urgent Care family.

Memorial Service for Ellen Landsman

Services will be held Monday, December 27th, at 2pm at the Catholic Church of St. Ann, 4905 Roswell Rd. Marietta 30062. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in honor of Ellen to Hosea Feed The Hungry. H. M. Patterson & Son Canton Hill is honored to be serving the family of Mrs. Landsman. Online condolences may be expressed at H.M. Patterson & Son Canton Hill Chapel.

Thoughts and Prayers

North Atlanta Urgent Care is grieving the sudden loss of our Community Outreach Coordinator, Ellen Landsman. Ellen died in a tragic car accident last night, and our thoughts and prayers are with her family today and in the coming days and weeks. Ellen was a bright light in all of our lives. She worked tirelessly on behalf of our growing clinic, and her sunny disposition, her genuine smile and her thoughtfulness will be missed every day. Please keep the Landsman family and our Urgent Care family in your thoughts and prayers as we cope with this heartbreaking loss.

Staying Healthy This Flu Season ... Just Got A Lot Cheaper

North Atlanta Urgent Care Offers $5 Flu shots

ATLANTA, Ga. (December 11, 2010)— North Atlanta Urgent Care, a prominent and popular doctor-owned and operated urgent care medical clinic in Northeast Atlanta, is providing inexpensive and easy flu shots for everyone who visits their website, fills out the flu shot form online, prints the form and brings it with them to the clinic. “The CDC has determined that Georgia has been hit first and hardest this flu season, and even though this past week was National Flu Vaccination Week, many people haven’t made the flu shot a priority this year,” says Dr. Anthony Ferrara, one of the Doctor Owners of North Atlanta Urgent Care.


North Atlanta Urgent Care offers their flu shot forms online, at www.nauc.net, so that individuals can read about the flu shot, fill out their form online and print it out to bring it with them to the clinic when they get their flu shot. In addition to the deeply discounted flu shots, North Atlanta Urgent Care has provided over 1,000 free shots to community organizations this year.


Explains Ferrara, “We know that the flu is not a hot topic in the news like it was last year, but the flu vaccine is still important, and we want to make flu shots accessible for everyone. The health of our community is the most important thing to us.”


Flu shots are available 7 days a week inside the clinic.