Be Healthy

article 1: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119031468354034206.html?mod=health_home_stories
article 2: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119020873012232400.html?mod=health_home_stories

These two articles, both from the online Wall Street Journal, focus on health issues that are affecting us today. The first article talks about a number of students on a high school band trip who contracted TB from their bus driver. The bus company was sued and ordered to pay 5.25 million dollars to those who contracted the disease. TB is not a very common illness these days but still a very serious one. The bus company had not kept up with the physicals of their drivers and because of it they suffered greatly.

The second article is about the lack of people getting flu shots this season. People may think the flu is just a really bad cold but it is much more serious than that. The illness is especially harmful to those under the age of 5 and those over the age of 50. I can tell you from personal experience that you want to get your flu shot ASAP! last year I got the flu and it was the worst two weeks of my life. No I was not in any grave danger, but as a result I lost quite a bit of weight which I wasn't big to begin with, and I also missed out on a lot of things during school. No one wants to get the flu, I can promise you that.

These two articles together focus on the importance of our health and how if you don't keep up with all the vaccinations you could be greatly affected. If only the bus company had checked up on their drivers' medical records, if the students had kept up with their TB vaccinations, if people made sure to get their flu shots every year, etc. then we would be much better off.

I definitely think that the bus company is to blame because the driver was showing symptoms of the illness while on the trip and had a family history of the illness. But I also think the school system who sent the students on this trip should have checked up on their medical records to be sure they had had their vaccinations. If both parties had been a little more careful, none of this would have happened. The bus company would be 5.25 million dollars richer and the students would not have this illness which could possibly affect them for the rest of their lives.

As for the small number of people who get their flu shots. I think that is totally a personal issue. It was my fault for not getting my flu shot last year. And if you get the flu, it's your fault for not taking the 30 minutes out of your day to get a shot.

Basically keep track of your medical record, get your shots. And if you are around someone who is coughing a lot...move away.