4J BENEFITS AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER
Prepared by Julie Wenzl • 541-790-7682 • wenzl@4j.lane.edu • February 12, 2019 • Issue Number 310
SELF-CARE: TOOLS TO BUILD RESILIENCE
The 4J Joint Benefits Committee, in partnership with Cascade Health, is offering a free Self-Care: Tools to Build Resilience wellness class to 4J employees. The class will take place:
- Tuesday, March 12, 2019
- 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
- Education Center Auditorium
Do you know that making yourself a priority is not selfish but actually a requirement for healthy living? Building a strong foundation of self-care will help you handle whatever life throws your way. Come to this workshop to:
- Learn what self-care is and what self-care is not
- Discover the benefits of a commitment to self-care and the consequences of not making this a priority
- Create a personalized self-care plan that you can implement immediately
To sign up, please respond by Friday, March 8th to Julie Wenzl: wenzl@4j.lane.edu or 541-790-7682.
ARE YOUR VACCINES UP TO DATE?
Each year, tens of thousands of Americans die of diseases that could have been prevented by vaccines—and most of those fatalities occur in the very young and in older adults. The immune system weakens as we age, making recovery from illness difficult, which is why vaccines are so important for older adults. Flu and pneumonia vaccinations are especially vital because those infections are leading causes of death among older Americans.
The vaccination recommendations below are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and they apply to healthy older adults. If you have one or more chronic conditions or an illness, your doctor may recommend a different vaccination schedule tailored to your health needs. Your doctor will also factor in your age, lifestyle, job, and travel itinerary; past vaccinations; and childhood disease history.
Vaccinations – who should get them and how often:
- Influenza (flu) • Everyone ages 6 months and older; once a year at the start of the flu season (early fall, winter).
- Pneumonia (pneumococcal polysaccharide) • Two types of pneumococcal vaccine are available. Everyone ages 65 and older should get both one dose of PCV13 and at least one dose of PCV23. Adults 19-64 should receive the vaccine depending on their health.
- Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Td/Tdap) • If you were never vaccinated against these diseases, get one dose of Tdap. All adults ages 19 and older should receive a Td booster every 10 years. Women should get one dose during every pregnancy.
- Herpes zoster (shingles) • Two types of zoster vaccine are available. You should get two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) at age 50 or older (preferred) or one dose of zoster vaccine live (ZVL) at age 60 or older, even if you had shingles before. People with a weakened immune system should not get ZVL.
- Varicella (chickenpox) • Anyone who has never had chickenpox; two doses during your lifetime.
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) • For adults born in 1957 or later who have not had these childhood diseases; one to two doses per lifetime. People born before 1957 are likely to have immunity from the measles.
- Hepatitis A • Anyone at risk if they’ve never been vaccinated, such as travelers to regions where hepatitis A is common; two doses per lifetime.
- Hepatitis B • Anyone at risk if they’ve never been vaccinated, such as travelers to high-risk areas, adults with multiple sex partners, partners of infected people, healthcare workers; three doses per lifetime. A combination hep A and B vaccine is available.
- Meningococcal • For some overseas travelers and certain other at-risk groups. Two types of meningococcal are available; you may need one or both depending on your health; one or more doses per lifetime.
- Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) • Anyone with certain medical conditions, including persons who don’t have a spleen, have sickle cell disease or HIV, or have had a bone marrow transplant.
MEASLES
Measles is a highly contagious, potentially severe viral infection that in rare cases can cause encephalitis (infection of the brain), pneumonia, and low birth weight in babies born to infected women. The symptoms of measles generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected. Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth.
Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104°. After a few days, the fever subsides and the rash fades.
The MMR vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. The CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Teens and adults should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination. The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93 percent effective. Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). This vaccine is only licensed for use in children who are 12 months through 12 years of age.
In addition to vaccination, community members can help prevent the spread of measles by staying home if they’re sick – the measles virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. Be sure and cover a cough or sneeze, wash your hands frequently, and dispose of tissue paper used for coughing or sneezing.
In order to decrease exposure to others, anyone who might be showing symptoms of measles should call for medical advice before going to an emergency department, doctor’s office, urgent care office, or the Public Health Department.
People are considered immune to measles if any of the following are true:
- You are a pre-school age child with one MMR vaccine
- You are a school-age child (K-12) or adult who has had two MMR vaccines.
- You were born before 1957.
- You have had measles disease (diagnosed by a health care provider and confirmed with a lab test).
- You have had a blood test that shows you are immune to measles.
Persons vaccinated during 1963 – 1967 with vaccination of unknown type may have received inactivated vaccine and should check with their health care provider to see if they should be revaccinated.
MODA VACCINE COVERAGE
You can receive immunization services at select network pharmacies through your Moda Health pharmacy benefit. One of the many vaccines covered is the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. People who are born during or after 1957 who do not have evidence of immunity against measles should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Lane County currently has a good supply of this highly effective vaccine.
If you have questions about your measles immunity, work with your health care provider. If your provider recommends a blood test (titer test), Moda Health will cover the test at the standard lab benefit level.
To learn more about your Moda Health pharmacy benefit, please visit: https://www.modahealth.com/oebb/members/pharmacy.shtml
4J BLOOD DRIVE RESULTS
On January 24, 2019, 4J hosted the Lane Bloodworks bloodmobile for a blood drive. 18 donors registered to donate, three for the first time, and Lane Bloodworks was able to collect 16 units of whole blood. Since each unit of whole blood is separated into the different components (red cells, platelets, and plasma,) the 4J efforts will benefit as many as 48 patients in hospitals served by Lane Bloodworks.
To learn more about the blood needs in our community and the donation process, please visit: http://lanebloodcenter.org/.
The information in this newsletter has been summarized. It is presented as information – not advice or counsel. In all instances, the benefits, conditions, and limitations as outlined in the 4J Master Contracts prevail over this representation. Please refer to your Benefits booklet or master contracts available at the District offices for additional information regarding your benefits plans.
