The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is urging members of the community to update their vaccines following an uptake of pertussis cases.

Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, acting medical officer of health, said some pertussis cases, commonly known as whooping cough, develop a “very severe cough and they develop the characteristic whooping sound.”

“The cough can be so profound that people actually vomit at the end of a coughing spell,” he said.

He said the cough can last for many weeks and some people have convulsions and have problems with injury to their brain.

Pneumonia is also a common complication.

“It is an unpleasant illness for many people who develop whooping cough,” he said.

“The good news is it’s a disease that is preventable by vaccination.”

He said most young people in the region have been vaccinated against it.

The health unit is also asking health-care providers to consider whooping cough when evaluating patients with respiratory symptoms.

The WECHU said it’s gotten 18 reported cases of the disease since Nov. 1, 2022, an “extraordinary increase” in the number of cases.

He said the cases are predominantly among people who are unvaccinated or not adequately vaccinated, and encouraged everyone to ensure vaccinations are up to date.

“Cases have predominately been clustered in the Leamington and Kingsville communities, and exclusively in children who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated,” a WECHU news release said.

The health unit asked parents and guardians — particularly of children less than a year old — to be alert for symptoms of pertussis, which “start with a runny nose or nasal congestion, sneezing, mild cough, and mild fever” and it is highly contagious.

“Untreated pertussis in infants, young children, and the elderly can lead to complications such as pneumonia, dehydration, brain damage, hospitalization, and death.”

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TORONTO — A new report that looks at the prevalence of marketing to children inside grocery stores and restaurants suggests regulation is needed to help reduce unhealthy food temptations.

The report funded by Heart and Stroke audited displays at more than 2,000 restaurants and 800 stores across Canada and says children may be bombarded with messages that make junk food seem appealing.

Researchers found nearly 53 per cent of stores had “junk food power walls” at checkout aisles, which it says are prime areas to market to kids because products are placed within their reach.

The research says that placement encourages “pester power” — when children nag or pester their parents to make impulse purchases.

University of Waterloo associate professor Leia Minaker says designs and themes such as “magic, adventure and zoo animals” are also commonly seen in beverage and ice cream fridges.

The report says healthy checkout aisle policies and prohibiting toy giveaways with children’s meals could help reduce consumption of unhealthy food.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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Are you in charge of running a medical facility but feeling overwhelmed by all the tasks that need to be done? Managing and overseeing any business, let alone a medical one, can be daunting and time-consuming. Fortunately, modern technology has made it easier than ever to maintain your operations while maintaining control over everything that goes on.

In this blog post we will explore 6 ways operating a medical facility can be made easier through established workflow processes and investing in some quality equipment. We’ll explore how streamlining specific processes helps save both time and money so you can focus on what matters: providing quality care for your patients!

Think Of Partnering When Releasing A New Product

When you’re crafting a new product, there are plenty of things to consider. Amidst all the decision-making and strategizing, it’s also wise to consider partnering up with another organization. Collaborative partnerships can often bring new perspectives and insights into play. They can also introduce complementary skills and shareholders that may help your product reach its potential much faster. Looking for medical production services offered by PolarSeal can make this process much easier. Thinking of this before launching a product can make your life much easier than if you had gone it alone — so why not consider partnering today?

Automate Payment Collection Processes

Automating payment collection processes in medical facilities is an effective way to save time and resources. The ability to quickly and efficiently collect payments allows you to focus on providing quality patient care. Automation also reduces the time spent manually entering data, improving accuracy while speeding up transactions.

Minimize Paperwork

Medical paperwork can feel like a never-ending task, but it’s possible to reduce the amount of time you have to spend dealing with it. Taking advantage of technology and investing in automation can help minimize paperwork and increase efficiency. By using automated systems for billing, scheduling, and patient data entry, you can track data more easily and streamline operations. Additionally, digitizing records can make it easier to store and retrieve information quickly — no more searching through stacks of files! Automating paperwork processes helps eliminate manual errors, making the workplace safer for everyone.

Manage Patient Communication

As a medical facility manager, one of the most important challenges you face is how to effectively manage patient communication. You want to make sure that all patients feel comfortable communicating with your medical staff and trust that their needs will be taken seriously. To achieve this, there are several ways that you can streamline patient communication. Using tools such as automated scheduling systems, online communication portals, and doctor-to-patient messaging boards can help you integrate effective methods of communication into your workflow while keeping things running smoothly.

Optimize Your Workforce

Doing more with less is the mantra of any successful operation, and nowhere is this necessity felt more acutely than in a medical facility. To optimize your workforce and maximize efficiency, consider delegating or outsourcing specialized tasks or workflows that demand expertise that may not be available internally. Cross-training staff to efficiently cover multiple roles can also help reduce overstaffing and absences.

In addition, maintaining an open dialogue with personnel about the expectations of their essential duties ensures greater consistency among employees and better productivity.

Embrace a Culture of Data-Driven Decisions

In the fast-paced world of medical facilities, embracing a culture of data-driven decisions is becoming essential to stay organized and successful. By collecting data on areas such as patient wait times, staff efficiency, and budgeting, decision-makers can make the most informed choices that will have a positive long-term impact on the facility’s performance.

As a manager of a medical facility, there are many different ways to optimize your processes for the highest level of efficiency. From automating payment collection processes to embracing a culture of data-driven decisions, the above tips can help improve your operations and make sure that you are providing the best care to your patients.