Holiday Hours
Both Three Rivers locations will be closing at noon on December 24, closed December 25 AND 26. We will re-open with our usual hours on December 27. We will also close at noon on December 31, be closed January 1 and re-open with usual hours on January 2. Please time your refill requests and other healthcare needs accordingly. Remember, when the office is not open you can avoid a trip to the Emergency Room for routine health care emergencies that could typically be cared for in the office by paging the on-call provider and being seen in our Inland After Hours Clinic.
Winter Health
Winter can be a challenging time for many Mainers and unique health issue may present themselves. Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can include tiredness, decreased energy and oversleeping, mood change with sadness, increased irritability and loss of interest in enjoyable activities with social withdrawal, appetite change with possible weight change and difficulty concentrating. SAD can be treatable. If you experience these symptoms, discuss with your provider. For more information, clink this link to the Mayo Clinic: SAD-Mayo Clinic
Fall and winter is when Pertussis is most prevalent. Pertussis is a respiratory illness commonly known as whooping cough
that is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. Pertussis is
spread from person to person through the air. A person may even catch
pertussis by standing close (less than 3 feet away) to an infected
person who is coughing or sneezing. A person has to breathe in droplets
from an infected person to get sick.
The first signs of pertussis are similar to a cold (sneezing, runny
nose, fever, and a cough). After one or two weeks the cough gets worse
and occurs in sudden, uncontrollable bursts where one cough follows the
next without a break for breath. Pertussis can be very serious, especially in infants.
Many infants who get pertussis are infected by older siblings, parents
or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.
There are two pertussis vaccines available (Dtap and Tdap). If you are a teen or adult under age 65 and are not sure if you have had a Tdap vaccine, please speak to your provider. Tdap is also indicated for adults age 65 and older who are in close contact with infants under age 12 months (ie grandchildren).
Heating our homes can also pose some health risks if we are not aware of these risks. Please visit the Maine CDC website for tips on staying warm and heating your home safely.
Heat your home safely-CDC information
