The sign on the front door of the Stanislaus County Public Health Department in Modesto reads: “No more flu shots available.”

It’s been called the worst flu outbreak for young children in the western states in about 30 years, according to health experts.

Hospital emergency rooms are literally clogged with patients, and the supply of flu vaccines has already been all but used up.

“The situation is that we have exhausted our supply,” said John Walker, M.D., public health officer for the county’s Health Services Agency (HSA).

Two hundred emergency doses of the vaccine have been ordered from the State of California, but have already been ear-marked for very high-risk patients, according to David Jones, public information officer for the HSA.

Walker suggested that people who haven’t had their flu shot contact their personal physician to see if they have any stockpiled vaccines. If not, he said, there are alternative sources, such as Flu Mist, a new nasal spray used to combat the disease.

“It’s very effective,” said Walker. “It’s just expensive.”

There are more age-related restrictions surrounding use of the mist, he added. Unlike the vaccine received by injection, it is not recommended for infants or those over 50.

There is also a new anti-viral medication available that can be used to fight influenza, he said, but that, too, has its drawbacks.

“Our concern is that you feel better,” he said, “but if you don’t stay home, you’re still spreading the virus.”

Walker said the HSA has asked physicians who prescribe the anti-viral medication to make patients aware that they are still contagious, even though they may feel better.

“We urge patients to stay home,” he said.

Washing your hands frequently or using a gel-based sanitizer are still the best ways to halt the spread of the flu virus, according to Walker and the Atlanta, Ga.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This has been under-emphasized in the past,” said Walker.

This year’s flu season - which usually begins in January or February - got an earlier start this year, with cases appearing in Texas and Colorado as early as October and November. And that’s one reason it seems to be so much worse this year, according to health experts.

“We’re not seeing anything that we can describe as an epidemic,” said Walker, “but clearly it’s earlier than usual.”

And whether or not the season will end earlier, “we don’t know,” he added.

Walker said the HSA is “just as concerned with the walking worried,” those who don’t realize that there’s a difference between influenza and stomach flu.

They hear the word “flu” and immediately think the worst, he said.

“That’s what scares them.”

The latest information on the flu and how to keep yourself healthy can be found at the HSA’s Web site, www.hsahealth.org, or by listening to a recorded message by calling (209) 558-8872.

But there’s one good thing about this year’s flu season, according to Walker. It’s the public health concept of a “herd mentality.”

“The number of vaccines (we have distributed) in our county this season is a record,” he said. “The more people in the community who have received the vaccine the better.

“We are more than doubled where we were last year,” he added. “It’s marvelous. It’s a good thing, and I’m encouraged by that.”

How to stay healthy

The HSA and CDC offer important guidelines to help prevent the spread of viruses, such as the flu.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them.
• Stay home when you are sick. If possible stay home from work, school and errands to prevent spreading the infection.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
• Clean your hands. Wash them often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her face.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Get lots of rest, eat healthy foods and limit stress.
• Watch and help toddlers. Toddler-age children, under the age of 6, are most frequently the “carrier” of the flu virus due to their lack of hand hygiene.
• Always contact your personal physician for questions about your health.

Managing Editor Jackie Kaczmarek can be reached at 634-9141 or news@turlockjournal.com.

Reprinted by permission of the Turlock Journal.