With the focus of the community on COVID-19 it’s important to remember that the more ‘standard’ annual influenza risk hasn’t gone away either – and the good news is that Warwick’s Peppertree Medical is continuing to offer ‘flu’ vaccinations for locals.
We might not yet have a vaccine for coronavirus but the flu vaccine has been around for a long time and Peppertree practice manager Barbara Austin says it’s not too late to get your 2020 ‘flu shot’.
“Here at Peppertree we’ve completed the bulk of our flu clinics but we still have vaccines in stock for those who are eligible for government-funded vaccines, and can give prescriptions for anyone else,” Barbara said.
“We are doing vaccinations by appointment, including for families who can all be done at the same time.
“So it’s by no means too late to be vaccinated for influenza ahead of the winter season.”
The other good news is that Peppertree Medical are fans of a clever device called the ‘Buzzy Bee’, which they use for kids to block the sharp pain of a vaccination and to distract the child.
Barbara says the Buzzy Bee “has been a welcome tool to use when administering vaccines of any type to children of all ages”.
The Buzzy Bee is a small vibrating bee with blue ice-pack wings and just like cool running water soothes a burn, Buzzy uses a combination of cold and vibration to replace pain with temperature and movement.
Buzzy confuses the body’s own nerves and distracts attention away from the pain, thereby dulling or eliminating sharp injection pain – in the same way that rubbing a bumped elbow helps, or cold running water soothes a burn.
Peppertree Medical is also continuing to offer ‘Telehealth’ services for patients, particularly handy for those in rural areas.
Telehealth utilises phone and video-conferencing and enables vital interactions between GPs and other health professionals and patients which don’t necessarily require face-to-face interaction.
During COVID-19 the Department of Health has temporarily expanded its existing Telehealth guidelines from videoconferencing consultations to include access via telephone where the patient cannot access appropriate technology.
• Peppertree Medical is conveniently located at 107A Fitzroy Street, Warwick. Tel (07) 4661 3722 and visit them at – www.peppertreemedical.com.au
