Flu Cases Up 15-Fold in Arlington This Season

It's not too late to get vaccinated.

Arlington has 77 confirmed cases of the flu so far this season, a more than 15-fold increase over the town’s five confirmed cases last season, Christine Connolly, the town’s director of health and human services, wrote in an email Thursday evening. And the 77 confirmed cases only represent a fraction of people in town who have had the flu, according to Connolly. “The confirmed cases are only those that are tested by a doctor or at a hospital,” she wrote. “The actual number of cases is expected to be much higher.” This flu season started in early December. The last flu season went from late March through early April, Connolly wrote. Boston Under ‘Public Health Emergency’ Arlington is one of many communities in Massachusetts experiencing a …

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Harriet

12:32 am on Saturday, January 12, 2013

sounds like you've been mixing scotch, whiskey, bourbon, and nitequil. YIKES   more ›

Flu Cases 'Widespread,' Says Red Cross

Boston declared a public health emergency on Wednesday and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 18 flu-related deaths so far this season.

The Red Cross says there's still time for folks to get flu shots and be covered from what is considered to be a more active flu season.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said flu outbreaks are high for this time of the season, with "widespread activity" in Massachusetts. Boston Mayor Tom Menino declared a public health emergency on Wednesday, boston.com reported, at the city has 700 confirmed cases of flu so far and four flu-related deaths. The state Department of Public Health reported 18 flu-related deaths so far this season. How do you prevent the flu? If you're considering getting a flu shot, here are some places in and near Arlington that offer the flu vaccine. According to the CDC, in addition to getting the vaccine, you can: …

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The Season Is Here: Where to Get Flu Shots in Arlington

Here's where to get an influenza vaccine, how to recognize symptoms and what to know about treatment if you get sick.

Flu season is coming early in parts of the United States: This time last year, flu cases were lower in Massachusetts than they are now, according to data on Google's Flu Trends. (Arlington-specific data is not available on Flu Trends.)  Overall in Massachusetts, activity is considered high now, while it was considered moderate at this time in 2011, according to Flu Trends. If you're considering getting a flu shot, here are some places in and near Arlington that offer the vaccine: More locations According to this week's CDC Flu activity report, influenza levels are on the increase across the country.  Five states—Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee—are reporting flu rates not normally seen until January, according to the …

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Play Date

E.R. Finale

Lainey plays hard, then visits the hospital.

  My daughter Lainey is five years old and I love her. There was a lot of excitement the other day, some of which was unplanned. Festivities began with a 9:30 a.m. showing of The Lorax. Lainey said the plot strayed from the book, but she still enjoyed the movie, especially the popcorn for breakfast. Next, we attended a belated pi/pie party. Everything from Key Lime to Shepherd’s to Whoopie Pie was on hand, and Lainey chose Ice Cream Pie as her favorite. Then we hit a Mexican themed party. Lainey ate quesadillas, and ran around with her buddies. When the kids moved outside, Lainey had an accident on the swing set. “Lainey, are you okay?” a father asked. Once I made eye contact with her, the tears flowed. Lainey had forcefully bonked heads …

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Week in Review

Week in Review: More Affordable Housing Coming to Arlington, State Testing Air and Soil Quality at High School, and a Changing American Dream

A look at the week that was in Arlington news.

The Housing Corporation of Arlington is set to begin renovating three apartment buildings—totaling 32 units—early next year in what would be the largest affordable housing project built in the town in about 30 years, housing officials said. State officials are testing groundwater and indoor air quality at Arlington High School, after a preliminary examination identified low levels of a commonly used degreasing and dry cleaning chemical near the school. And Patch has a new editorial project coming down the pipe—"Dispatches: the Changing American Dream." We don't think there's one American Dream, but a multitude of American Dreams, which a multitude of people are working toward. Our goal is to take snapshots of those different dreams, and …

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