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OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, October 1, 2009 · 6 The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 905-632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Commentary NEIL OLIVER Vice-President and Group Publisher, Metroland West DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com Guest Columnist A different flu season Gary Carr, Halton Region Chair his year, we know it will be a different flu season than we are used to. We all have questions and concerns about what we can do, and what to expect. The only responsible thing we can do is to be prepared and educated to protect ourselves and our community. That is Gary Carr exactly what we are doing at Halton Region. This year, two types of flu viruses will be circulating -- the seasonal flu viruses and the new H1N1 flu virus and Halton Region is taking the threat of the H1N1 flu virus very seriously. In conjunction with the provincial government, our hospitals and physicians, we will be focusing on public health measures, communications, surveillance, mass immunizations and flu assessment centres. One of the most important things we can do is follow the proper infection control measures including washing your hands regularly with soap and water, coughing or sneezing into your upper sleeve, keeping commonly-touched surfaces clean and disinfected, and staying home if sick with flu symptoms. We are reinforcing the provincial communication efforts and increasing communications with our partners such as physicians, schools, local governments, long-term care homes, hospitals, and other health care settings. Halton's Health Department is implementing local community surveillance through its partners while monitoring global trends. We will use this information to make decisions and allocate resources to where they are most needed. The federal government reports it will have the H1N1 vaccine ready by late fall. We have developed strategies, including mass immunization clinics, to ensure every Halton resident who wants the H1N1 vaccine will have access to it when it is available. While there will be enough H1N1 flu virus vaccine for all Canadians who need and want protection, not everyone can be immunized at the same time. The Public Health Agency of Canada is recommending pregnant women, children between six months of age and five years, people under 65 with chronic health conditions, health care workers, and household contacts and care providers of infants less than six months and persons who are immunocompromised be immunized first. We are working with hospitals and community physicians to ensure residents who become sick with flu have access to appropriate medical care and advice while not overburdening emergency rooms and doctors' offices. Only time will tell the extent of this flu season, but I assure you that Halton Region is ready and prepared. Information about the H1N1 vaccine and virus is changing so it is important to regularly check our website for up-to-date information. If you have any questions about the seasonal flu or the H1N1 flu viruses, contact Halton Region by dialing 311 or calling 905-825-6000, toll free 1-866-442-5866, TTY 905-827-9833 or visit our website at www.halton.ca. T RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville TV AUCTION LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER OUT TO HELP: Appleby College's annual walk on Sept. 24 saw the school's entire student body, including faculty, some parents and alumni participating by walking, running, cycling and inline skating 21.1 km through Oakville. More than $23,600 was raised for the United Way of Oakville, Round Square, Kerr Street Ministries and the Canadian Olympic Foundation. Students have until Friday, Oct. 16 to submit their pledge money. When autumn turns ugly seek out the season's rare gems N o sooner had we said sayonara to summer than I felt the initial irritating scratches in the back of my throat of the first cold of the new season. And before I knew it, half our family was sick. Over time, I've come to equate autumn with influenza, fall with flu. And I've come to think of autumn more as a time to be endured than actually enjoyed. For me, it's certainly the most unsavory season, the season with the most pitfalls and the least positives: shorter days, precious little sunshine, gunship grey clouds, damp and unforgiving winds. Autumn is back to school, back to work, back to the grind, back to reality. Autumn is the intoxicated, abrasive party crasher that kills all summer's fun. In short, autumn is one big bummer, the harsh in my mellow. Or, as my teenage daughter summed up: "I went from sleeping in until noon to getting on a school bus before the sun even comes up." Ouch. But fear not, this missive is not a total downer; I long ago gave up writing downers when I found they, ah, got me down. No, in coming paragraphs I will accentuate the season's positives, give hope to the hopelessness, and guide everyone to fall's pleasure points so, together, we can survive the season and keep passing the open windows. Please release me. Autumn is primetime for the release of new books, music and movies as publishers and record companies begin their Christmas push in earnest, and movie studios get serious in Andy Juniper their attempts to attract Oscar with artsy offerings (like An Education, a British film that's garnered big buzz; wide release: Oct. 22). And speaking of passing the open windows, John Irving's new novel, Last Night In Twisted River, is due in bookstores on Oct. 20. New kids on the block. Each autumn TV networks premiere new shows. Many of these shows chart way off the Dreck-Meter and are mercifully cancelled within weeks. But occasionally a viewer, attempting to find an anodyne-oasis in autumn, stumbles upon a rare gem. If you like to laugh, Modern Family had our modern family in stitches on its opening night, and Community, with Chevy Chase, was deemed to possess potential (granted in the TV biz, `potential' is often the kiss of death). The much-ballyhooed Glee is worth a watch, although a show about a high school glee club surely can't be for everyone. Finally, The Good Wife, which as noted in the L.A. Times, stars "Julianna Margulies and her impeccable eyebrows," has critics raving. About the show. And those admirable eyebrows. Good sports. Personally, about all that keeps me from going crazy (or into a cocoon) come autumn are sports. I'm a yearround jock junkie, but autumn brings out the madman in me. As if my plate isn't full enough with the kick-off of the NFL season, along comes baseball playoffs and I have to pretty much kiss my family goodbye. More, more, more. Need more to keep you passing the open windows? You could warm up to autumn with the season's first fire in the fireplace. Or play a game of golf on an invigorating afternoon. Or go for a long walk on a crisp morning and admire the fall colors. Or how about taking time for a romantic getaway, just you and your main squeeze, to a place that makes you think that the grind is escapable and the reality of autumn ain't so ugly. Andy Juniper can be visited at his website, www.strangledeggs.com, or contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com.