Page 5 - Carolina Panorama Newspaper - October 24 - 30, 2019

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Four tips for flu seasonWellCare and USC’s Coach Dawn Staley to address Preventive Healthcare for South Carolinians

Preventive care is critical to living a healthy life, yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans only use preventive care at half the recommended rate. As a result, nearly 900,000 Americans die prematurely, with 40% of those deaths estimated to have been preventable. This problem is acute in South Carolina, which ranks particularly high for infant mortality, stroke, respiratory disease and accidents, conditions often considered among the most preventable.

WellCare of South Carolina, a WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) company, and three-time Olympic gold medalist, basketball Hall of Famer and women’s head basketball coach for the University of South Carolina Dawn Staley have announced a new collaborative partnership focused on the benefits of

preventive healthcare and education.

Staley grew up in an inner-city housing development in North Philadelphia. During those years, she witnessed first-hand the struggles of those around her to get the resources and information they needed to make the right healthcare decisions for not only themselves, but also their loved ones. Since then, she vowed to give back to children and families in need.

“Regular preventive care for children creates strong, trustworthy relationships among pediatrician, parent and child,” said Dr. Robert London, senior medical director, WellCare of South Carolina. “Regular check-ups also help to ensure your children are growing at a healthy rate, and provide an opportunity for any problems to be diagnosed early.”

“Recognizing that healthcare can make a striking difference in the

quality of life for children, their families and our local communities, I am partnering with WellCare to help spread this important message,” said Staley. “WellCare truly goes beyond healthcare, not only coordinating access to preventive care and services, but helping those in need access relevant social services and programs to help them overcome barriers to care.”

“At WellCare, we are consistently working to improve the overall health and well-being of South Carolinians, and our partnership with Dawn Staley will help us accelerate those efforts,” said Urcel Fields, WellCare’s state president, South Carolina. “By improving preventive care and addressing social determinants of health such as access to transportation, housing and nutritious food, we can help put our members and local communities on a track to better health.”

As of June 30, 2019, WellCare serves approximately 83,000 Medicaid, 13,000 Medicare Advantage and 20,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in South Carolina.About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses primarily on providing government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, as well as individuals in the Health Insurance Marketplace. WellCare serves approximately 6.3 million members nationwide as of June 30, 2019. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company’s website at www.wellcare.com.

By Greg Frank, Ph.D.HEALTH

You know the signs. The thunderous cough. The pounding headache. The full-body fatigue. It’s the flu. Last fall and winter, influenza sickened roughly 40 million Americans and killed 60,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This year’s flu season is nearly upon us. Here are four tips to stay healthy.

1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. People should get the flu vaccine early. Every year, this shot prevents up to 6.7 million flu cases, 87,000 hospitalizations, and 10,000 deaths. The vaccine also helps makes the flu less severe for those who do catch it. The CDC recommends obtaining a flu shot no later than the end of October. The treatment takes around two weeks to become fully effective, so there’s no time to waste.

2. Your mom was right: If you do fall ill, remember your mother’s advice. Drink lots of fluids. Juice, Gatorade, herbal teas, and chicken soup can help fight dehydration. Menthol ointments and humidifiers break up mucus and make it easier to breathe. These treatments aren’t fancy, but they provide real relief.

3. Remember that antibiotics won’t help. Influenza is caused by a virus. Antibiotics, which only treat bacterial

infections, are completely useless against viruses. Not all patients realize this. Many clamor for antibiotics at the first sign of flu-like symptoms.

Such antibiotics won’t make people feel any better. In fact, needlessly taking antibiotics increases people’s risk of future infections. It gives bacteria an opportunity to evolve and become immune to treatments -- a phenomenon known as “antimicrobial resistance.”

4. Antibiotics come with risks. Antibiotic overuse accelerates the spread of drug-resistant bacteria known as “superbugs,” which already kill over 160,000 Americans every year.

To fight these superbugs, Congress is currently considering the Developing an Innovative Strategy for Antimicrobial Resistant Microorganisms Act, or DISARM. This bill would incentivize hospitals to use antibiotics appropriately and sparingly. It would also encourage researchers to develop new antibiotics. Along with a package of market incentives for new treatments, the DISARM Act could save thousands of lives.

So remember -- get your shots early, follow your mother’s advice, and don’t jeopardize your health by needlessly taking antibiotics.

Greg Frank, Ph.D., is the director of infectious disease policy at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization.

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