By Daily Press staff
The first case of the flu in Los Angeles County was reported over the weekend, prompting public health officials to remind people that it’s never too late to get vaccinated.
The patient diagnosed with Influenza A was a child who resides in the eastern San Fernando Valley, officials with the county’s department of public health said.
Influenza A is the leading cause of pneumonia and accounts for 110,000 to 200,000 hospitalizations, and 20,000 to 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
Receiving the flu shot is the most effective way to prevent the flu and its complications, said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, director of public health for the county.
“I urge everyone who has not already done so to get a flu shot,” Fielding said. “Be prepared this year and protect yourself and your family. There is still time to get a flu vaccination.”
There is no shortage of flu vaccine this year, so everyone should be able to get a flu shot or the FluMist nasal spray, Fielding said. It is especially important for infants and children 6 months through 5 years of age to get vaccinated because they are at the highest risk of serious complications from the flu.
Other people at risk include anyone over the age of 50, residents of long-term care facilities, women who will be pregnant during the flu season, health care workers, and people with a medical condition that puts them at risk for flu complications such as those with chronic heart or lung conditions, diabetes or HIV/AIDS.
“There are a number of steps everyone can follow to help prevent the spread of the flu,” said Dr. Laurene Mascola, director of the acute communicable disease control unit for the county. “These include covering your mouth with a tissue or handkerchief when you cough or sneeze, and washing your hands frequently with soap and water. These health habits will help reduce the chances of catching any number of respiratory viruses, including the flu.
Those already experiencing flu-like symptoms such as a combination of high fever, cough, headache and muscle ache should stay home during the first three to five days of their illness to avoid exposing others to the disease, Mascola said.
7F2,“It is important to drink plenty of fluids and use acetaminophen or ibuprofen if needed for pain and fever,” Mascola said.
Aspirin should be avoided in children less than 18 years of age so as to avoid inducing Reye’s syndrome, which is a deadly disease that strikes swiftly and can attack any child or adult without warning. All body organs are affected, with the liver and brain suffering most seriously. While the cause and cure remain unknown, research has established a link between Reye’s Syndrome and the use of aspirin and other salicylate-containing medications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 132 million doses of flu vaccine will be available nationwide.
Although most people think of autumn as the best time of the year to get their flu shot, the vaccine is actually recommended throughout the flu season, which typically runs through mid-March. Flu vaccination can prevent the flu or reduce its complications, but only in people who receive it before they are exposed to the virus.
Roughly 500 people have received flu shots for free or at a reduced cost from Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, which held two community clinics last month, a spokesman from the hospital said. The flu has not surfaced yet at the hospital.
For more information regarding the hours and locations of flu vaccinations clinics at public health centers, go to www.lapublichealth.org, or call 211LA, the county information and referral line. There is also www.findaflushot.com, which lists those pharmacies that are administering the vaccine.
“The supply of flu vaccine is at record levels this year,” said Dr. Alvin Nelson El Amin, the director of the county’s immunization program. “There is no shortage of flu vaccine.”
“Be prepared this year and protect yourself and your family. There is still time to get a flu vaccination.”
Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, director of public health for Los Angeles County. jumphead - shortage of vaccine not expected - plenty of vaccine to go around
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 18, 2007. Read the original PDF.