The Windom Police Department reported 125 calls in the week of September 28th to October 4th. Officers handled 2 Citizen Complaints, responded to 6 Suspicious Activities, 2 Suspicious Person and 1 Suspicious Vehicle calls. Officers conducted 3 Concerns for Wellness Checks, 1 Public Assist, 3 Motorist Assists, responded to 4 Harassment calls and conducted 53 Traffic Stops. For a full listing of all calls in the Windom Police Department’s Weekly Citizens Report, click on link below.
Windom Police Dept Weekly Citizens Report
—————————————————
October is Energy Awareness Month and it’s time to prepare your home for winter! Now’s the perfect time to make sure your furnace or boiler is running efficiently. Regular maintenance helps your heating system work better, last longer, and avoid costly mid-winter breakdowns. Don’t wait until the first cold snap schedule your tune-up today and enjoy a warm, cozy, uneventful winter… which, believe it or not, is less than 60 days away!
—————————————————————
Believe it or not, but we are heading into Flu Season! And that means it is time to start thinking about getting your flu shot. The influenza vaccine, or flu shot, is the best weapon against influenza. Influenza is a viral infection that causes many symptoms. It is still a deadly virus in Minnesota, especially for certain people at high risk. According to Windom Lewis Family Drug Pharmacist Joel Luitjens, the flu season typically starts around the end of November for our area which coincides with getting together at holiday gatherings, it seems to usually run into early April. January through March are the highest infection rate months. Luitjens went on to explain that the flu vaccine covers two strains (types) of Influenza A and two of Influenza B. They determine which strains of vaccine to use based on what was happening here last year and what was the dominate strain in South America during their winter (May – July). So the vaccine covers the most likely strains. Of course, viruses continue to mutate so it keeps changing, but most of the time, the vaccine matches up pretty close to what is going around. Luitjens stated that it is recommended to get the flu vaccine later in September all the way till January. It is recommended to not wait until there are a lot of cases of influenza in the community as you can likely be exposed before getting fully immunized. People aged 6months and older are eligible for the flu shot and according to Luitjens, for most people, vaccines are free with their insurance. Luitjens adamantly stated is YOU CAN NOT get influenza from the influenza vaccine. This is a misconception amongst many. The Influenza vaccine, according to Luitjens is not a live virus so it cannot replicate and cause an infection. A vaccine takes 7-10 days to develop full protection and Luitjens stated that unfortunately, people can get exposed on the day they were immunized or a day or 2 later at which time the virus they were exposed to can grow so rapidly that it overwhelms any immunity that is still being developed by the vaccine. Be proactive with your health this Fall and get your Flu Shot, it is the very best way for you and your loved ones to stay healthy this winter and it can help prevent serious symptoms. Call you doctor or pharmacy today to schedule your appointment for the flu shot! Don’t wait…