UPDATED 4/21/23: Make sure that you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines! Here are the latest guidelines from the CDC:

• Adults and children are 6 years and older are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines if they got a bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine.
• Children 6 months through 5 years of age who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are up to date if:
  • They are 6 months to 4 years of age and got at least 3 COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least one bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
  • They are 5 years of age and got at least 1 bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
• Children 6 months through 5 years of age who got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are up to date if they got at least two Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least one bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine dose.
• You may be eligible for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses if:
  • You are 65 years of age and older and got your first bivalent (updated) COVID-19 vaccine booster 4 or more months ago.
  • You are moderately or severely immunocompromised and received a bivalent (updated) COVID-19 booster 2 or more months ago.
• If you are unable or choose not to get a recommended bivalent mRNA vaccine, you will be up to date if you got the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine doses approved for your age group.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your provider.

10/21/22: The bivalent COVID-19 booster for ages 5-11 is now available at Packard! We are happy to announce that we are able to administer this new booster starting Monday, 10/24. Schedule your child’s appointment now!

10/13/22: We are excited to share that the FDA and CDC recently authorized the bivalent COVID-19 booster for ages 5-11! The Moderna bivalent is for 6 years and older, and the Pfizer bivalent is for 5 years and older.

This is the same bivalent booster that was already approved for ages 12 and up and targets both delta and omicron variants. This updated vaccine will be an important tool for our kids and our entire community to stay healthy through the fall and winter!

As soon as we receive shipment of the vaccines and final guidance for administration we will begin offering bivalent COVID-19 boosters to patients ages 5-11! Check this page for updates and instructions to schedule your child’s booster.

9/20/22: We now have both the Moderna and Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 boosters available! The Pfizer bivalent booster is approved for 12+, and Moderna for 18+. Not sure if you need a booster? Check out the recommendation from the CDC or speak with your provider. Vaccine appointments are available at our Main clinic location on Carpenter Rd. on Tuesdays, and at our West clinic location on Pauline Blvd. on Fridays. Schedule your appointment now!

9/2/22: The FDA recently authorized a new bivalent COVID-19 booster including combined (delta/omicron–bivalent) Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. This is great news and will be an important tool for our community to stay healthy this coming fall and winter.

At this time however, the individual Moderna and Pfizer vaccines we had are no longer authorized as boosters. Therefore, until we receive the new vaccine, we won’t be allowing patients to self-schedule.  In addition, if you had a scheduled COVID-19 vaccination time, we will be calling to cancel and reschedule you.  We are sorry for this inconvenience. You may call to schedule your primary series and/or vaccinations for children under 12 years of age. Call (734) 971-1073.

6/27/22: COVID-19 vaccines for ages 6 months – 4 years are now available! At this time we are happy to offer the Pfizer vaccine to this age group. You can schedule a vaccine through our online portal, or you can call our call center at (734) 971-1073 to make an appointment. We will be scheduling clinics for this age group in the future – check our website and social media for those dates! If you are interested in the Moderna vaccine instead, please contact the Washtenaw County Health Department.

5/20/22: Boosters for ages 5-11 available soon! We are happy to hear that the ACIP and CDC have now approved Pfizer boosters for 5–11-year-olds. We are awaiting final guidance from the MDHHS and expect to be able to provide them starting sometime next week. Please check this page for updates!

3/2/22: All of our locations have openings to receive 1st, 2nd, 3rd or booster vaccines. Click the text above and select the location you wish to visit. The GREEN DOTS on the calendar represent OPEN APPOINTMENTS.

1/19/22: COVID-19 Testing is no longer available at Packard Health. See COVID-19 updates

1/19/22: COVID-19 Free Home Tests are now available. Please use this link and order yours today: https://special.usps.com/testkits

1/6/22: To schedule a COVID-19 Vaccine See COVID-19 updates

Please note the following changes to recommendations and approval for COVID-19 vaccine boosters. 

• Pfizer boosters for ages 12-17 have now been approved for use 5 months after the primary series. J&J vaccine (2 months) and the Moderna vaccine (6 months), has not changed.
  
• Second dose for immunocompromised kids – moderately or severely immunocompromised 5–11-year-olds receive an additional primary dose of vaccine 28 days after their second shot. At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for children aged 5-11.
  
• Criteria for immunocompromised (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html)

12/10/21: The Pfizer COVID-19 booster has been approved for 16 and 17 yr olds who have at least 6 months since the second shot of Pfizer. Moderna and J&J are still approved for over 18 only, so Pfizer booster only for 16 & 17 year olds. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1208-16-17-booster.html

11/11/21: Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for children ages 5 to 11. Packard has limited appointment availability for vaccines and are focusing on vaccinating our Packard patients at this time. There are many options in the community for 5-11 year olds to get vaccinated that can be found here (https://www.vaccines.gov/) or here (https://www.washtenaw.org/3269/COVID-19-Vaccination).

The post Updates on COVID-19 Vaccines appeared first on Packard Health.

PACKARD HEALTH PROVIDERS & STAFF

ANKOOR SONI, MD | ANA GARCIA-OSORIO | TRACEY WILLIAMS | HOLLY ROSS, MD
BRANDIE T. EKPIKEN, MHA | APRIL BIGELOW, PHD, ANP-BC, AGPCNP-BC
RAVI VADLAMUDI, MD, MPH | RON ROMERO, MD | RANA SMITH

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ANKOOR SONI, MD
PHYSICIAN, MEDICAL DIRECTOR

“I had significant hesitancy when news came out regarding the Covid vaccine. It is easy to say I was plagued with doubt: how did this get done so soon? What is an mRNA vaccine and how does it work? Are the drug companies just trying to make a profit and are politicians just trying to push this through?

Never before in my career have I faced a similar situation; uncertainty led to fear, and all of the information was being given by tweets and press releases.

But then the data came out, and then came the analysis and transparency. I realized that the two available vaccines were well studied and shown to be both safe and highly effective. I have witnessed the benefits of other vaccines, and how lack of access to them leads to devastating consequences around the world. And the data shows that these are some of the best vaccines ever created. We can’t wait for certainty when more people are dying per day than 9/11. We have to rely on the evidence, and the evidence brings me hope for the first time since the pandemic began.

I vaccinated because I am immunosuppressed and have significant health issues that put me at risk of severe disease from Covid. But I also vaccinated for my parents.  I vaccinated for my patients. I vaccinated for my coworkers. I vaccinated so my children can one day return to school safely. I vaccinated to get back to normal. I vaccinated for hope.”

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ANA GARCIA-OSORIO
CALL CENTER STAFF

“When I found out about the COVID-19 vaccine being available for us, I immediately knew I would take it. The pandemic has truly impacted many families, including my own. The vaccine is our only hope to help beat COVID-19. Unfortunately, in November my family and I became infected with COVID-19; I can truly say it was one of the scariest moments due to having health complications. When I announced to my family that I would be getting the vaccine, they were scared and not very supportive. There was very little information on the vaccine and inaccurate information in the media that was not so helpful. I have a big family that includes my son, 3, and my grandmother, 82, who are very high risk. They were my biggest concern and the reason why I got vaccinated. It is very important to get vaccinated to help our body’s immune system prepare for viruses like COVID-19.”

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TRACEY WILLIAMS
PRACTICE DIRECTOR, PACKARD WEST & YPSILANTI

“I chose to get vaccinated because of the herculean effect that COVID-19 has had on the African American community and the devastation that has impacted all of us. We are dying at a disproportionately higher rate and at even more of a lightning speed than any other race in the nation. As an African-American female, I all too well understand the adversities that the minority community has faced. Unfortunately, I also have pre-existing health conditions that put me in the percentage of a negative outcome – if I wasn’t vaccinated. But we as Americans, including all communities of color, need to separate science from society’s construct of race and lack of knowledge. Let us think of inclusiveness, the human race as a whole.   

It only takes 1 person to make a change, I want to be that person, I want to be a part of the change, for all Americans — Let’s stop the spread and get vaccinated against COVID.”

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HOLLY ROSS, MD
PHYSICIAN, CORPORATE COMPLIANCE OFFICER

“I did have a little hesitancy when we first learned that the vaccine was getting emergency use authorization.  My thought was that if it is getting fast-tracked, then what steps are they skipping?

I soon learned that the parts of the study which are usually completed before a vaccine is released, and are yet to be completed for the COVID vaccine at the time I write this, are the parts that prove whether the vaccine prevents asymptomatic transmission of the virus after getting it, not whether you can get sick yourself.  Also, while they did not skimp on establishing efficacy and safety for the general population, the studies on special populations such as pregnant or immunocompromised individuals, are not completed yet.  The information shared has been clear, that we still do not know about pregnancy, immunocompromised people, and asymptomatic transmission, so there are no recommendations yet for those.  For everyone who gets the vaccine, we are still advised to assume it is transmissible until further data comes in (so continue the masking and distancing).  

What is clear, though, is that there is approximately 95% efficacy to prevent infection (which is amazing for a vaccine – the flu shot only has about 40% many years), and even better for preventing severe or life-threatening disease.  Adverse reactions are ones I can live with, temporary discomfort in exchange for not dying and leaving my kids without a mom? Yes, please.  The only serious reaction, which is possible for other vaccines too, is anaphylaxis or severe allergy, and for that we have very effective treatments.  No vaccines in the past have ever shown new side effects to be discovered this long after the trials start.  We do not have any reliable treatment for those who get really sick from COVID.  I don’t mind still masking until we know if I can transmit it still, the peace of mind is priceless.  And now that thousands of healthcare providers have gotten the vaccine, the general population has that many more people to see and observe if it was safe, which I believe it is.

My experience with the second shot was similar to many people – it activated my immune system into having a great practice run (or immune system workout, as I think of it).  I was exhausted and achy for one day.  The next day I had a brief stomach ache that went away if I rested.  I told my friends I was never so happy to feel sick as snot.  It meant the vaccine was working!   I now live with one less fear for my family, and I face possible exposures during daily patient care without fear.  That allows me to focus on the patient and their needs without distraction.  So the benefits don’t just stop with me, and for that I am grateful.”

Or, if you are into numbers, this really spoke to me:

My colleague who is in her 30s and healthy wrote this:

“Based on my age and overall health, there is a 0.05% (1 in 2000) chance that I will die if I get COVID.  Die.  Dead.  Gone.  There’s probably a 10-20% chance I will get it in spite of my best efforts not to.  That means there is a 1 in 10,000 chance right now that I will die of COVID.  (Go here to calculate your personal risk: https://www.covid19survivalcalculator.com/)”

At the time she wrote it, “nearly 100,000 people have gotten the mRNA vaccines to prevent COVID.  None of them have died of the vaccine or of COVID.  A few have had a serious reaction.  In general, the risk of a serious reaction (including, but not limited to, death) is 1 in 1,000,000 from vaccines.  It will likely be the same for the COVID vaccines.  Even if it’s 1,000 times less safe, the vaccine is STILL safer than COVID for me.

So, to summarize:

My personal risk of DYING from COVID: 1 in 10,000

My predicted risk of a serious adverse event from COVID (stroke, lung disease, heart attack, prolonged life-altering fatigue): About 5 in 100 

My predicted risk of a serious adverse event from the COVID vaccine (anaphylaxis, Guillain-Barre syndrome) based on years of vaccine science: 1 in 1,000,000

Hell yeah, I’m taking the vaccine as soon as I can.  This isn’t even starting to look at how it can help my patients and people I love, who are much more likely to die from COVID.  This is purely selfish wanting to stay alive.”

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BRANDIE T. EKPIKEN, MHA
BOARD MEMBER

“Originally, I was 100% opposed to getting the vaccine. My mother told me that she had enrolled in the vaccine trial. When she told me, I was shocked! She even told me that my dad was so angry with her that he didn’t speak with her for 2 days. I respect my mother and she’s my role model. Once I knew she trusted the process, when I received the invite to get the vaccine I went ahead and signed up. I got my second dose last Thursday and experienced virtually no side effects. Best decision I ever made!”

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APRIL BIGELOW, PHD, ANP-BC, AGPCNP-BC
NURSE PRACTITIONER

“I got the COVID vaccine at my first available opportunity.  As a scientist, health care provider, and mother I was excited to take the step to protect my patients, my family, and my community. Getting the vaccine gave me the opportunity to be an example for my family, patients, and students, while providing a platform to talk about how vaccines work and what we can do to be safe and protect our community.  Although being in the midst of a pandemic can seem overwhelming and scary, the opportunity to be part of history and part of the solution is exciting.”

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RAVI VADLAMUDI, MD, MPH
PHYSICIAN, MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE RECUPERATIVE CARE PROGRAM AT THE DELONIS SHELTER

“For me, I just want to see the end of this pandemic. I think we’ve all had way too much of it and I don’t really see any other way out of this other than mass vaccination. I would like to see everybody get the vaccine as soon as they possibly can.”

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RON ROMERO, MD
PHYSICIAN

“When I first heard about the COVID-19 vaccines, I was concerned that it was happening so fast and that usual steps would be skipped in making it safe and effective. Since then I’ve had the opportunity to learn that what usually delays vaccines is not the safety testing but the funding. It usually takes several years for vaccine research to get the funding to run all of the various stages of testing. What made the COVID-19 vaccines possible so quickly is that due to the importance of developing these vaccines, the funding was available from the beginning. The result is that we could go straight to the safety and effectiveness testing rather than wait years for the monetary support. Sometimes it can be hard to feel like you are among the first to get something – like you are a guinea pig. However, that is not the case here. The many stages of testing, hundreds of thousands of people who volunteered for vaccine trials, and now millions of first responders, essential workers, and elderly individuals in the US alone who have had the vaccine, showed me that these vaccines are not only extraordinarily effective (among the most effective for any vaccine) but also extraordinarily safe. Furthermore, getting the vaccine will help me not only protect myself, but the effect is even far more grand–it will also help me protect my family, my patients, my co-workers, my neighbors, and my daughter’s teachers and classmates.

And by protecting them, I am also likely protecting the people they interact with. With a virus that goes from household to household the way COVID-19 does, even one more person getting vaccinated can make a huge difference. As I reviewed all of these factors and the incredible impact that getting vaccinated could have, I felt like it was my duty to my community, my country, and my fellow human beings to get vaccinated and help keep everyone safe. Having now received both doses of the vaccine, I feel relieved and excited to have this protection, to contribute to the safety of our community, and to help ensure an eventual return to normalcy for our community and society.”

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RANA SMITH
BOARD MEMBER

“I did have hesitancy – from family and friends talking about what has happened in the past and trusting the medical system.  There’s something going on in the world.  Who do you trust?  I thought long and hard; I did research.  My daughter works at the Washtenaw County Health Department and she had good information.  If I need to be a model, I will be a model for them.  I’m not being a martyr – people who look like you might trust what you’re saying.

After I got the first shop, people asked me about it.  I told them I had a splitting headache and my arm was sore.  So after I got my first shot, my daughter got hers.  We compared symptoms. My concern after getting it was that I’m telling people to get the shot, but in a lot of communities, it’s not yet accessible because of a lack of the vaccine, of transportation. 

I started sending out information from the Health Department about the vaccine and where people could go to get it.  We have testing sites all over, now we need the vaccines there – especially if it’s in your community. 

After my first shot, I started educating people.  I started with families – tons of questions.  When I got the second shot, that was rougher.  I had the headache and chills.  I was dizzy.  My body felt like a Mack truck hit me.  My daughter got her second shot and my mother got the shot.  That’s what people want to know.  Everyone has their own symptoms; some people feel nothing. 

My advice is that people speak to someone they trust who has gotten the vaccine.  It doesn’t prevent you from getting COVID-19.  It prevents you from getting sick from it.  I’m pushing people to go now.  It doesn’t matter if you’re Black, white, Latinx.  Everyone is concerned.”

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The post Spotlight: Packard Providers, Staff, and Leadership Share their Decision to get Vaccinated appeared first on Packard Health.

PACKARD HEALTH PATIENTS

There are two options for patients.

1. In-Office Appointment – While we are focusing on using telehealth when appropriate to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, if you do have an in-office appointment, we can bundle your flu shot with this visit.  With the onset of cold and flu season (and the lingering global pandemic), ensuring your health is in tip-top shape is ideal and our priority. Patients under the age of 18 can get a flu shot in-office, too!
   
   Request an appointment via phone, patient portal, or online submission form here.
   
   
2. Drive-Thru Appointment – Packard Health’s COVID-19 testing site is offering flu shots for adults 18+. If you want to minimize your contact with others, this might be a good option for you. It is located at: 2650 Carpenter Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
   
   Register to schedule your drive-thru appointment: English here; Spanish here.

GENERAL PUBLIC

Drive-Thru Appointment
Non-Packard Health patients (for adults 18+) are welcome to a flu shot at Packard Health’s COVID-19 drive-thru testing site. It is located at: 2650 Carpenter Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Register to schedule your drive-thru appointment: English here; Spanish here.

The post Flu Shots Available appeared first on Packard Health.

Packard Health’s COVID-19 testing site is on the move!

The newly created Packard Health CarePort is opening on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 2650 Carpenter Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Hours will be Monday, 1:30pm – 6:30pm; Tuesday – Friday, 8am – 2pm (or until tests run out). To save time and to minimize lines, please register for testing using the linked buttons at the bottom of this post.

The creation of this new drive-thru option is to not only keep our staff safe and warm but to also minimize contact and provide added convenience to our patients.

An existing garage owned by Packard Health is being converted into a one-stop-shop for select drive-thru services. Like the current testing site, COVID-19 tests and flu vaccinations (for adults 18+) will be administered by appointment. As we get deeper into the cold and flu season, more services will become available.

Packard Health is grateful to Reverend George Waddles, Jr. and the Second Baptist Church for their hospitality and allowing us to share their space while we create a more permanent home for our offerings.

The post COVID-19 Testing Site is Moving to a Permanent Home appeared first on Packard Health.

The thought of a schedule can be intimidating. They can be complicated to create, follow, and maintain.

Children’s immunization schedules are no exception. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that this schedule, which includes the prevention of 13 diseases, be carefully followed.  Packard Health understands that taking the time to educate our patients’ parents or guardians about each vaccination on the schedule is an important part of this process.  Packard Health providers are willing and eager to answer questions and discuss concerns around vaccinations.

The global pandemic has caused fear and uncertainty about leaving the safety of home and risking exposure.  While no public place can be deemed entirely “safe,” a medical facility rests at the top of the list of the safest given the safety and cleaning protocols and procedures firmly in place, such as enforcing mask wearing, physical distancing, and plexiglass barriers.  Skipping an important medical appointment can have serious consequences.  Packard Health is helping to ensure that its patients’ medical needs, including disease prevention, are attended to during COVID-19.

“The avoidable suffering and death caused by children missing out on routine immunizations could be far greater than COVID-19 itself,” according to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization Director-General. “But it doesn’t have to be that way. Vaccines can be delivered safely even during the pandemic.”

Echoing such statements on the importance of vaccinations is Packard Health Nurse Practitioner Cathy Buiten, APRN-C.

“SARS-CoVid-19 has rocked the world,” said Buiten. “More personally it has taken us away from school, work, and the gym, and it has taken some we love in painful ways.  Scientists are developing vaccines to prevent us from this personally, socially, and economically destructive disease.”

In the meantime, we need to continue to take advantage of the vaccines we already have. It is easy to forget the tragedies that led to their development.

Buiten shared a story about a childhood neighbor. “She had polio. She remembered being sent to the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Chicago for eight months in her childhood.  No one from her family could visit her.  She was disabled until her natural death at age 88.”  According to Buiten, since the development of vaccinations to combat polio, there has not been a case of type 2 wild poliovirus since 1999, and cases of type 3 wild poliovirus have not been found anywhere in the world since 2012.

It can be difficult for the current, post-vaccine generations to comprehend what life was truly like during those times. In some way, the fear that has resulted from the current pandemic gives us all a taste. The significant drop in the number of vaccinations since the pandemic began is of great concern. While vaccinations have been challenged, they work, but only when widely administered.

“Smallpox was the first disease combated with a vaccine, which was developed in 1796.  We no longer immunize the general population against smallpox,” shared Buiten. “However, measles, pertussis, hepatitis and other diseases run through our world.  Fortunately, we have immunizations that prevent these diseases from having a harmful impact on our lives.”

Advice from Buiten, “Talk to older neighbors – learn about what they lived through.”

Make an appointment today for immunizations:
https://packardhealth.org/contact/

Learn about the steps taken to develop a vaccine:

Schedules & Resources:
Birth – 6 Year Schedule – Español
7 – 18 Year Schedule – Español
Vaccines for Children Program (no cost vaccinations) – Español
Vaccination Guidance During a Pandemic

Cervical Cancer Screening

Like immunizations, cervical cancer screening is all about prevention.

Having access to a simple screening tool can be the difference between discovering the onset of cancer or an advanced diagnosis.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 4,290 women will die from cervical cancer in the United State this year. Cervical cancer is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 44 and was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women.

The cervical cancer death rate dropped significantly with the increased use of the Pap test, which detects both changes in the cervix before cancer develops and early, curable cancer.  In conjunction with the more recently developed HPV test, which detects infection by high-risk types of HPV that are more likely to cause pre-cancer and cancers of the cervix, prevention is even better versus a Pap test alone.

Risk factors that can be managed include: HPV vaccines, HPV treatments, sexual history, smoking, a weakened immune system, chlamydia infection, long-term use of oral contraceptives, multiple full-term pregnancies, young age at first full-term pregnancy, economic status, and a diet low in fruits and vegetables.

In the United States, Hispanic women, followed by Black/African-American women, have the highest risk of developing cervical cancer.  Fifty two point nine percent of Packard Health patients are women and approximately 80% of those women are in the age range for regular cervical cancer screenings. Of the almost 65% of female patients that disclosed their race, about 33% are Black/African American. Approximately 43% of women disclosed their ethnicity, just fewer than 14% of them identified as Hispanic.

Many in our Packard Health community are at a higher risk of being impacted. Let us help to prevent and detect.

Source: American Cancer Society

Make an appointment today for a cervical cancer screening:
https://packardhealth.org/contact/

The post Disease Prevention: Keeping Our Community Healthy appeared first on Packard Health.

• The coronavirus, COVID-19, is expected to spread in the US.

Don’t fool with the flu – Still Time to Get Vaccinated

Everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated. Flu shots are safe and protect you and your loved ones. A simple shot saves lives!

Make an appointment to get a flu shot: 734-971-1073. 

If you have flu symptoms, all 3 Packard offices can do a swab test to quickly determine if you have the flu and start treatment right away.

Global outbreak – Coronavirus, COVID-19

Coronavirus COVID-19 is expected to spread in the US. The outbreak is a rapidly evolving situation and at this time Packard Health encourages patients to refer to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the most up-to-date information.
Information about COVID-19 from the CDC

The Washtenaw County Department of Health is closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and their web site is a good source of local information:
Information about COVID-19 from Washtenaw County Health Dept.

The post About Flu Season and Coronavirus, COVID-19 appeared first on Packard Health.

A vaccine each year is the best way to avoid the flu. Early October is the ideal time to get your shot before the flu season begins. The vaccine is for everyone older than 6 months, and there are high dose influenza vaccinations for those above 65 years old.

FLU SHOTS FOR PACKARD HEALTH PATIENTS  

• At your scheduled appointment
• During specified drop-in hours, when no appointment necessary.
• Please call our office, (734) 971-1073, before you drop in
  to ensure that we have the flu vaccine in stock.
• Many insurance plans cover this cost.

DROP IN HOURS

Packard Health Principal
Mon & Fri – 8:00am – 5:00pm
Tues, Wed, Thurs – 1:00 – 4:00pm

Packard Health West
Mon & Fri** – 1 – 4pm
Tues, Wed, Thurs – 8am-12pm

Packard Health Ypsilanti
Mon – Fri – 9-11:30am and 1:30-4:30pm

 **Friday 10/27 and 11/3 – ALL Day 8:00-5:00pm

Flu & You

Why should people get vaccinated?

• Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes death. Even healthy people can get very sick from flu.
• An annual flu vaccine is the best way to reduce chances that you’ll get the flu.
• When more people get vaccinated, less flu can spread through the community.

Who should be vaccinated?
Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine EVERY YEAR.

Why is a higher dose vaccine available for adults 65 and older?
Human immune defenses weaken with age, placing older people at greater risk of severe illness from influenza. Also, aging decreases the body’s ability to have a good immune response after getting influenza vaccine. A higher dose of antigen in the vaccine is supposed to give older people a better immune response, and therefore, better protection against flu.

How effective is the flu vaccine?

• Flu vaccine reduces odds of getting the flu by 70% to 90% according to the CDC
• Effectiveness varies year to year. The vaccine is often updated each season to protect against what researchers believe will be the dominant strains of the flu that year. Predictions are generally accurate, but not foolproof.
• Flu vaccine may make your symptoms milder if you do become sick.

Can the flu vaccine give me the flu?

No, a flu vaccine cannot cause flu illness as it is does not contain a live virus.

All the latest info about influenza from Centers for Disease Control

The post Influenza is serious – Get a flu shot! appeared first on Packard Health.

Childhood immunizations are a safe and effective way to keep kids from getting 14 serious and sometimes deadly diseases.

Saturdays at Packard Health – Kids’ Immunizations 

Call Packard Health, (734) 971-1073, to determine if your child is due for vaccines. We can schedule a convenient Saturday appointment.

Saturday, 8am – 12pm
Packard Health Principal  
3174 Packard Road

We’re here to answer questions and educate parents about recommended childhood vaccines. Give us a call!

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT VACCINES  

1. Children should have 80 percent of their immunizations by age two.
2. Infants are often more vulnerable to disease than older children and adults, and often the diseases are more serious.
3. A child’s risk of having a health problem from an immunization is MUCH LESS than his or her risk of suffering from the disease itself.
4. Many diseases that can be prevented have no cure or treatment.
5. Vaccines not only protect the child who receives the immunization, but they also protect others who:

• Have weakened immune systems
• Cannot get shots because of a medical condition or because they are too young or too old
• Are not fully immunized

The post Child immunization – Let’s do our best for our kids! appeared first on Packard Health.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis) continues to be diagnosed in Washtenaw County

Be sure you and your family are up-to-date on pertussis vaccinations, including boosters.

What is Whooping Cough (Pertussis)? 

• Pertussis is a contagious respiratory infection caused by a bacterium
• Initial symptoms include runny nose, sneezing, and mild cough, which may seem like a typical cold.
• Usually, the cough slowly becomes more severe, and eventually the patient may experience bouts of rapid, violent coughing followed by the “whooping” sound that gives the disease its common name.
• Whooping cough can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening complications, permanent disability, and even death, especially in infants and young children. See CDC Whooping Cough Fact Sheet For Parents

Babies are at higher risk for severe cases

• They have smaller airways and less developed respiratory systems
• They’re not optimally covered until completing the vaccine series at 18 months

Create a circle of protection around babies

• All adults who are around infants should receive a pertussis booster-Parents & grandparents, childcare workers, siblings
• Protection diminishes over time so get a booster!

Whooping cough rates in the US have been increasing since the 1980’s. Be sure ALL of your vaccinations are up to date! Contact Packard Health.

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