www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, October 3, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 905-845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award Neil Oliver Vice President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Believe it or not, getting `shot' could save your life. Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a highly-contagious infection of the airways caused by the influenza virus. According to Immunize Canada -- a coalition of national non-governmental, professional health, consumer, government and private sector organizations -- about 10-20 per cent of the Canadian population is infected with influenza each year. The highest rates of influenza infection are seen in children, but rates of serious illness and death are highest in older persons and those with underlying medical conditions. Other groups at high risk include pregnant women, people who are morbidly obese, people living in nursing homes and Aboriginal peoples. "Some people think that influenza is a mild illness, but it can be a very serious illness in some people," said Dr. Susan Bowles, who chairs Immunize Canada. "While most people recover within a week or two, people 65 years of age and older, children or adults with underlying chronic conditions can have more serious complications like pneumonia." The best time to get immunized against influenza is October through to December, but it is never too late to be immunized during influenza season. "The most effective way to protect yourself from getting influenza is to get vaccinated," according to Bowles. "It is a safe and effective way to prevent spreading the virus where you live, work and play." Studies repeatedly demonstrate that influenza immunization reduces the number of hospitalizations and visits to health-care providers and is effective in preventing influenza-associated deaths. "People who do not get immunized are at risk of infection from the influenza virus and can also infect others," said Dr. Shelly McNeil, vice-chair of Immunize Canada. All children from six months to five years of age, people 65 years of age and older and people at any age with chronic medical conditions placing them at risk of influenza-related complications, and people capable of transmitting influenza to high-risk individuals should be immunized for influenza. Residents are encouraged to talk to their doctor, nurse, pharmacist or public health office about getting this year's influenza vaccine. 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. Get your shot Proud of Town's lead Letter to the editor Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Re: Oakville leads on tanning bed issue, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012 The fact that the Ontario government is taking Oakville's lead to ban the use of tanning beds to those under 18 is amazing news. When I read this, I was so proud to be a resident of Oakville. This is another step towards making being healthy a bigger concern in our society. So much of what is portrayed to our youths as cool and sexy is causing people to take part in unhealthy habits and practices to attain the perceived ideal appearance. Many young people do not have the experience or decision-making skills to weigh how their decision to use a tanning bed will affect them. Our health-care system has enough stresses, and preventing as many future possibilities of cancer is overdue. With statistics that show people who use tanning beds are 75 per cent more likely to get skin cancer, it's appalling people would oppose this law. It's alarming people are more concerned with appearances than health and well-being. It is a relief to see the government doing all it can to protect our kids from becoming one of these scary statistics. Lyn Bedard, Oakville Heritage designation work creates jobs Re: Heritage homeowner irked by `The Designators', Oakville Beaver, Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 I trust it will ease homeowner Labenski's frustration with the Town's `Designators' that there are, indeed, personal rewards for a select few to be obtained from their actions. This activity allows the Town to employ several additional staff members to determine and direct Town Council's interpretation of the word `heritage'. Of course, it also requires the creation of a citizen's committee to represent their perception of the general public's feelings and provide further credibility to the process. Their remuneration comes in the form of a sense of personal involvement in the community. The fact that these people have little, if any, architectural training on which to base their assessment should be of little concern. Any structure that is `old' must surely be worthy of consideration. Could the realization that both the heritage planners and the members of the Heritage Committee must ensure a continuing stream of properties for consideration to maintain their employment possibly have something to do with their apparent eagerness? The cost and inconvenience to individual property owners must surely be overlooked in favour of the `benefit' to the community at large. However, should that individual property owner have the audacity to challenge said designation they do have the option to appeal their case to the Heritage Review Board? While this is most often an exercise in futility, it does have the hidden benefit of ensuring that those well-compensated appointees to the board may also continue in their lucrative positions. One only has to look to the designation of the `old' Oakville Trafalgar High School (OTHS) building as a glowing example of the `Designators' value to the public at large. Perhaps considering this process as simply another government make-work project will make it seem a more palatable exercise. Don MacMillan, Oakville