European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes saturday november 23, 1991songs, stunts give smokers Chance to quit by the associated press health groups traded apples for cigarettes in the big Apple and invited texans to sing along to tunes such As Stop it for the american cancer society a 15th annual great american smoke out on thursday. Quot a i m tired of being a second class citizen a said Ann d. Brinkhous of Durham n.c., who hoped to take her last puff thursday after smoking a pack a Day for 30 years. And in the spirit of the Day co worker Kimberly j. Hamilton gave Brinkhous moral support. A i used to be a smoker and i know How hard it is a Hamilton said. A a in a just there to be a Crutch and to help her realize her  each year the american cancer society asks smokers to refrain from lighting up for one Day in Hopes of encouraging a Long term change in lifestyle. Smoking remains the number one preventable cause of death in this country a said Stan Tannenbaum chairman of the american cancer society a Illinois division. A a that a More than aids crack heroin cocaine alcohol murder and car accidents  . Healthcare a health care group held its annual Apple Swap at new York City a Penn station and Rockefeller Plaza asking passers by to Trade in their cigarettes for apples. Houston got an Early Start tuesday with a Houston sings out for smoke out a with local musicians leading a sing along recorded for an american cancer society television Public service announcement. One song was called Stop it. The Pennsylvania medical society honoured 63 pharmacists for butting cigarettes out of their stores. In California garbage cans at Oakland a City Center were decorated with funereal Black bows to encourage smokers to dump their cigarette packs. Students at Ridge High school in basking Ridge n.j., threw cigarettes into a coffin in a a Bury your Butts events sponsored by local health officials. Rya my a a cd no 224monfhs�?T shies away from toe a Huff less puff less dragon a which was trying to give him a stick Erir sri Quot a Quot sh�w&Quot"8 owes. Is his Mother Ann Marie and his 3-month-old brother Sean. A Hospital in Omaha neb., announced it no longer will hire people who smoke or use tobacco products. A representative of a tobacco lobby called the plan discriminatory. A was a health care institution we feel it is a Correct stance a said Jannette Koch a spokeswoman for Clarkson Hospital. It remains to be seen How Long nebraskans will tolerate this form of discrimination Quot said Thomas Lauria a spokesman for the Washington based tobacco Institute. A no one has a right to Tell you what you can do on your off duty  the cancer society estimates that 50 million americans smoke and that about 18 million people or 37.5 percent joined last years nationwide Effort to quit smoking. Most resumed their habit after just a few hours but 7.5 million refrained for the entire Day the society says. Strike talk snuffing out Hopes of settlement Galesburg Iii. Up a Hopes of a settlement Over the soldering Issue of cigarette Breaks Are going up in smoke at a Western Illinois refrigerator Plant where Union leaders announced thursday they received authorization to strike. Members of the International association of machinists and aerospace workers Union voted overwhelmingly wednesday to authorize a strike Over a nonsmoking policy initiated in april at the Admiral co. Plant. Public announcement of the vote came thursday the Day of the american cancer society so great american smoke out a which encourages smokers to give up their habit for a Day. Jim Norris business representative of local 2063, said an actual vote to go on strike would not be taken until after the first of the year. The local also needs approval from its International office before it can file the legally required 30-Day strike notice. A labor arbitrator last week ruled the smoking policy changes made in april violated the company a Union contract and ordered Admiral to again allow smoking throughout the Plant. The company ignored the ruling saying it did not apply to a revised smoking policy implemented last june that allows workers to Light up in designated areas of Early flu Bug strikes with vengeance the factory. Company officials were not available for comment thursday. Local 2063 officials Are concerned the revised smoking policy May be the first step in an Effort by the company to snuff out pro Union provisions in the current contract. Both the Union and Admiral have filed complaints of unfair labor practices with the National labor relations Board. By the associated press the annual flu season has gotten off to an Early Start closing schools for tens of thousands of students in five states and doubling doctors influenza caseloads from new York to new Mexico. We Don t know if this Means we Are going to have an Early Peak and the season will be Over quickly or whether it Means it will be a Long season a or. Walter Gunn a flu specialist with the Federal centers for disease control in Atlanta said in a Telephone interview thursday. However it is a sure thing that the season for flu with its High fever aches and pains and extreme fatigue has arrived several weeks earlier than expected. Gunn said that nationally flu season normally runs from december to March though in some regions it May Start later and end earlier. It is generally january and february in Tennessee for example. This years flu belongs to three different common strains Gunn said Beijing Taiwan and Panama. One vaccine can immunize against All three. Gunn recommends vaccination for those people at High risk a older people and those with heart or lung disorders a As Well As anyone else who just wants to avoid the flu. But for some people even if they get the shot now it May be too late. It takes two weeks for the vaccine to take effect. And getting vaccinated May not be that easy in some places As demand increases. A the Supply is being stressed at this Point a said Tennessee surveillance coordinator Richard Lasater. He noted that the state health department in Nashville had a waiting list of 600 people. A that did no to imply a Lack of vaccine a he said. A it simply was a backlog in their  but in Xenia Ohio the Greene county combined health District is out of flu vaccine and wont buy More health officials said. They gave out 1,860 flu shots this season and now urge people to be immunized by their own doctors. According to the cd seasonal flu viruses have already been found in 21 states a Oregon Arizona South Dakota Minnesota Illinois Michigan Ohio Pennsylvania new York North Carolina Tennessee Arkansas Oklahoma Texas Louisiana Mississippi Alabama Georgia Florida Hawaii and Alaska. And the 125 physicians who regularly report to the cd Are seeing More than twice the Normal number of visits from apparent flu sufferers in three regions the Middle Atlantic states the Mountain states and the Western quadrant of the South from Alabama to Oklahoma. Doctors in those three regions said flu patients represent about 9 percent of All their office visits this seems to be quite Early for this level of activity a Gunn said. A in Tennessee an outbreak of influenza and flu like viruses closed nine county or City school systems from Nashville to Knoxville this week affecting More thanis it a cold or flu you feel Lousy but is it a cold or the flu Here Are some hints q fever is rare in adults with a cold but common with flu. Infants and children with a cold May have a fever but it is still an uncommon symptom. Q headache is unusual with a cold but prominent with the flu. Q general aches and pains Are generally slight with a cold but often quite severe with the flu. Q colds do not generally make a person feel deeply fatigued or weak As the flu does. A amps Sharon Kilday Tarrant 153.000 students. Blount county Maryville Carter t county and Elizabethton joined the list thursday. In Ohio Public schools in the Cleveland suburbs and c Catholic schools in and around the City closed due to the flu. The 600-student Brookfield school District in North Central Missouri cancelled classes for the week after one of three students in the system was out monday. In Mississippi several schools closed last week after reporting three to four times the Normal Absentee rate because of the flu epidemic