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A message from the Tuolumne County Health Department Being Ready for Flu Season It is time to make plans for you and your family as the 2009 flu season officially moves into gear. As everyone should know, this year we are expecting to be visited by both the seasonal influenza or “flu” virus, and the pandemic H1N1 influenza, previously known as the “swine flu” virus.
Two main differences between these versions of the flu are: 1) The seasonal flu affects very young people and people 50 years and older, while the H1N1 flu affects primarily very young people, and 2) The seasonal flu typically causes infection in about one out of ten people during the season, but the H1N1 flu is expected to cause illness in over one third of the population. Otherwise, the behaviors of the two forms of flu are very similar. The strategy for controlling the flu involves three tactics. First, every person should be familiar with the ways we can avoid sharing the virus, including washing the hands or using alcohol-based hand gels, covering coughs and sneezes with a sleeve or disposable tissue, and staying away from work or school until 24 hours after disappearance of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. The second very important step to reduce infections in the community involves achieving a high rate of vaccination in the population. There are two forms of the seasonal flu vaccine available: the inactivated vaccine shot and the live vaccine nasal spray. Seasonal flu vaccines are now available through many local health care providers and pharmacies. The following persons are advised to receive a seasonal flu vaccine:
• Pregnant people
• Adults 50 years and older
• Those at any age with long term illnesses like diabetes, asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer or weakened immune systems.
• Health care providers who work with patients
• Household contacts of people in the high risk groups or of children under 5 years of age.
• Children 6 months to 18 years of age (although they will not be offered vaccinations at the Tuolumne County Health Fair)
• Finally, anyone who wishes to decrease their risk of illness from the flu should eventually obtain the seasonal flu vaccine. However, they should wait until November, so those at highest risk can be immunized first. The seasonal flu vaccine shot will also be available to Tuolumne County residents 18 years and older as usual at the Tuolumne County Health Fair at the Fairgrounds on October 20 and 21 from 7am to 3pm, while supplies last. Medicare payment will be accepted. For people who are in the vaccination target groups (see below) but who do not have Medicare, shots are free but donations are accepted. Seasonal flu vaccinations for children, including the nasal spray vaccine, will not be available at the Health Fair but will be available beginning October 27th at the Health Department and will also be distributed to high risk children through “Bob,” the school-based mobile health van with full parental consent. H1N1 influenza vaccine will not be given at the Health Fair. Because the most vulnerable people for the H1N1 flu are young people, the vaccination campaign for the H1N1 vaccine will focus on schools and high risk individuals. Further plans await the delivery of the H1N1 vaccine to local providers. The public will be informed when those plans are finalized.
The final important way to control influenza illness is for people at higher risk of severe disease to be treated with anti-virus medications if their health care provider finds this necessary. While this treatment is indicated only for certain people, you may want to ask your doctor or provider about this if you develop illness and believe you are at special risk.
Last year 2656 county residents received flu shots through the Health Department program.
For more information about the Health Department’s flu vaccination program, please call 533-7400. Tuolumne County Health Department
20111 Cedar Road North
Sonora, CA 95370
209/533-7400 or 1-800/585-6606
Fax Number: 209/533-7406
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