This year California has one of the highest rates of human influenza within the United States. This is probably because the major influenza virus this season was first isolated in San Jose. Often the East Coast is affected early in the season; however, this year the Pacific and Mountain West states are reporting more cases.

“It’s not too late to vaccinate, and we still have vaccine available”, says Beverly Eldridge PHN, vaccine manager at Stanislaus County Public Health. Vaccinations are available for both children and adults on a walk-in basis. (There have been some delays in vaccine supply to private physician offices this year, but the Health Department has received its full supply.)

Flu Shot Clinic: 820 Scenic Drive (building in front of the former county hospital)

• Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• Friday: 8 a.m.-11:30a.m., and 1-4 p.m.

The current vaccine appears to be quite effective, since most of the viral isolates reported match the California strain targeted in the vaccine. It’s still early in the flu season, which can last until March.

Why is vaccination important? Human influenza is responsible for 35,000 deaths annually in the United States. Many of the deaths are related to pneumonia. An additional preventive is the pneumococcal vaccine, which is appropriate for high-risk individuals, especially those over fifty.

“In addition to the vaccine, personal hygiene practices are important”, says Trudi Prevette RN, Communicable Disease nurse. “Proper hand hygiene, including alcohol-based hand cleansers, is also effective in preventing person-to-person spread.”

There is recorded information in English and Spanish on the
FLU HOTLINE at 558-8872.

Information is also available on human influenza and on avian influenza (bird flu) on the Health Services Agency website at www.hsahealth.org. To date, there have been no reported human cases of avian influenza (bird flu) in the United States.