Beat the bug
Get your free flu vaccination on site
Ten people in every 100 are likely to catch flu this year – make sure you’re not one of them.
Opinion is divided on the wisdom of the adage 'feed a cold, starve a fever’, but when it comes to discussing the seasonal outbreak of the flu, doctors agree - we’re looking at a far more serious virus altogether.
Influenza researchers say the illness is largely preventable, so is it worth putting yourself at risk? Medical science has advanced to a point where the flu vaccine can be reformulated every year to target the most recent strain of the virus.
The genetic make up of flu allows the virus to mutate frequently, a bit like a Super Bug, providing good reason to re-vaccinate every year.
For vulnerable people with poor health and others living with medical conditions such as diabetes, respiratory, heart and kidney problems, it is particularly important to boost the immune system against an illness that could lead to a life-threatening complication like pneumonia.
Australia government records (www.fightflu.gov.au) currently show that each year, influenza causes some 2,500 deaths, 80,000 GP visits and 15,000 hospitalisations among groups at risk.
That’s why, in the lead up to winter, we’re offering free influenza vaccinations for the fourth year running to every RTIO employee on site and in Perth.
Research shows the influenza vaccination is 70-90 per cent effective in decreasing the symptoms of flu and what’s more, the World Health Organisation says it is the principle measure in controlling outbreaks.
RTIO units and sites participating in the centrally co-ordinated programme have appointed a flu-vac representative for each location.
All you have to do is complete a flu vaccination consent form before Wednesday April 15 and we’ll organise the rest. If you miss the site vaccination programme, request a flu vaccination voucher, valid for use at any Gemini Clinic for up to three months.
For general enquiries about our flu vaccination programme, contact your site representative:
| Site |
Representative |
| Brockman |
Joel Mowday: (914) 38541 |
| Cape Lambert, Dampier, Infrastructure Pannawonica Rail |
Peter O’Neill: (914) 35218 |
| Hope Downs |
Andrew Golembka: (914) 75181 |
| Marandoo Paraburdoo Tom Price |
Leanne Wood: (915) 95326 |
| Perth |
Caris Baldock: (621) 30367 |
| West Angelas |
Anoop Biswas: (914) 48519 |
| Yandicoogina |
David Prout: (917) 97204 |
Flu Facts
- You cannot catch the flu from the vaccination; it contains only
deactivated virus components.
- Some people suffer minor flu-like symptoms for a short
time after being vaccinated. This is not influenza; it is the
response of the body preparing to fight the virus.
- A sneeze can travel more than 128km/hr over nine metres,
spraying around 100,000 flu germs into the air.
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On your marks, get set…GO!
Countdown to the Be Active Challenge
There’s still time to jump on the 'get healthy bandwagon' with a little help from your friends and put your team in the running for a surprise motivational pack in the 2009 pace-setting event of the year.
Be Active is the first Rio Tinto wide Achieve Health wellness campaign designed to get everyone working out or take their exercise routine to an entirely new level.
Similar to our previous Pedometer Challenge, the aim is to ‘step around Australia and New Zealand’ by recording individual steps and find out exactly how active you really are.
You’re not in it alone because the 10-week event is open to teams of four and if you don’t have a team, you can join one. Registrations have been extended until Sunday April 19 so don’t delay signing up because the clock is ticking.
All you have to do is select the most suitable level of entry for your group.
Choose from:
- Be Active Challenge: suitable for teams with the majority of fitness friends exercising for less than 150 minutes a week.
- Be Active Challenge Premier League: suitable for teams with the majority of fitness friends exercising for greater than 150 minutes a week.
Each team will be given access to a Resource Pack, pedometers, and log books to record steps, advice on how to get started, tips on how to keep the momentum going and online account access to monitor team progress.
Why Be Active?
- A chance to put your fitness to the test
- Drum up a great team spirit with workmates
- Generate healthy competition with rival groups
- Get body smart and reduce your health risks
- Fight the flab, get fit and feel fabulous.
To enter or find out more, contact your site challenge co-ordinator –
Brockman: joel.mowday@riotinto.com
Hope Downs: andrew.golembka@riotinto.com
Paraburdoo and Marandoo: leanne.wood@riotinto.com
West Angelas: jacqueline.cutts@riotinto.com
Yandicoogina: david.prout@riotinto.com
For all other locations: leanne.harvey@riotinto.com.au
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