Particularly Bad Flu Season Continues to Slam California

sick flu ill childThe flu, or influenza, in California this year has been particularly serious–shutting down schools, filling emergency rooms, and causing the deaths of 27 people under the age of 65 so far.

According to an article in the LA Times, “Rates of influenza are even exceeding last year, and last year was one of the worst flu seasons in the last decade,” said Dr. Randy Bergen, clinical lead of the flu vaccine program for Kaiser Permanente in Northern California.”

Yesterday, Humboldt County’s Department of Health and Human Services stated,

Local emergency rooms are currently reporting a high volume of patients coming in with influenza-like symptoms including coughs, sore throats and fevers, but health officials say staying home and getting rest is often the best way to combat the flu.

Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Donald Baird said, “Unless you are experiencing severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing or have chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or kidney disease, that put you at risk for more serious complications, consider staying at home, get rest, drink fluids, take medication to lower your fever and avoid spreading the infection to others.”

Trinity County  Health and Human Services also released a statement. They said,

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has reported increasing widespread influenza activity, with the influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominating so far this season. In the past, the influenza A virus has been associated with increased hospitalizations and deaths in persons aged 65 years and older and young children compared to other age groups.

Both Trinity and Humboldt counties’ departments of health are recommending “All people aged 6 months and older should receive their flu vaccination.”

Below are both departments’ press releases:

Humboldt County’s states:

…While there’s not a lot you can do to treat the flu once you have it, it’s not too late to prevent it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older be vaccinated.Nurse Eric Gordon said in some parts of the world, this year’s vaccine has appeared to be less effective than in previous years, but getting vaccinated is still important.

“It’s a good match and even if only partially effective, it is known that it produces at least an attenuated response, which means you might get sick, but it is less severe,” he said.

There is more you can do to prevent the spread of the flu in addition to getting a flu shot. Health officials recommend practicing the “3 Cs”: Clean your hands, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, and contain your germs by staying home if you’re sick.

DHHS is offering the vaccine at its Public Health Clinic, 529 I St. in Eureka.

The cost of the flu vaccine at the clinic is $17, although no one will be turned away for inability to pay. Medicare is accepted. The vaccine is offered by appointment only. Flu shots are also available through medical providers and at some area grocery stores and pharmacies.

To make an appointment for a flu vaccine, call your health care provider or the Public Health Clinic at 707-268-2108.
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Trinity County’s states,

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has reported increasing widespread influenza activity, with the influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominating so far this season. In the past, the influenza A virus has been associated with increased hospitalizations and deaths in persons aged 65 years and older and young children compared to other age groups.

Flu vaccination will reduce illness, hospitalizations, and deaths associated with influenza.CDPH is recommending the following:

 

  •  All people aged 6 months and older should receive their flu vaccination.
  • Children less than 9 years of age, and who have not received two flu vaccines prior to this year, should
    receive a second vaccination one month after the first vaccine

To prevent the spread of flu, CDPH is also recommending:

 

  •  Stay home when you are sick, and keep sick children home from school.
  •  Cover your coughs and sneezes; cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow; wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face.
  •  If you are ill and seeking medical attention, inform medical staff of potential flu symptoms (fever, malaise, cough).

It is not too late to get vaccinated against flu. Please contact your provider, local clinic, pharmacy, or local health department to obtain vaccination against flu.

Trinity County Public Health Department Clinic is open on Mondays, 9 AM – 5:30 PM, except
holidays. Call 530-623-8209 for an appointment and walk-ins are welcome.

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34 Comments
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Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Wonder if Tamiflu is available, or is there a shortage here, like in LA.

LabeledaNazi
Guest
LabeledaNazi
6 years ago
Reply to  Cowabunga

The second horseman rears its head. A pale horse named death…

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
6 years ago

I had a flu shot this year and still got this flu. It was probably the worst cold/flu I’ve ever had. I even tore my cartilage between my ribs from coughing so hard. Be careful and rest.

RedwoodDan
Guest
RedwoodDan
6 years ago
Reply to  SourTangant

Wow, bummer. Can’t say I feel bad for you. Ya gonna get one next year too? I haven’t had one since I was little. I get a cold once or twice a year if that, and if I look back to what I was doing immediately before, I see that I was pushing my body and my immune system or wasn’t washing my hands enough and poking my eye or picking my nose. The last time i had what I would call the flu was about 3 years ago. Was home in bed sleeping/ eating soup for three days. Then wouldn’t ya know it, I got better. Didn’t even have to got to a doctor. Ill never get another flu shot, but maybe I’m biased because I was almost killed by a vaccine.

Tim
Guest
Tim
6 years ago

Yes inject yourself with poison shit doesn’t work

I_Heart_Alliteration
Guest
I_Heart_Alliteration
6 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Hear, hear! Snake oil for the modern era.

Traveller
Guest
Traveller
6 years ago

My neighbor passed me a joint. Then later in the conversation told me he had not been feeling well. WTF is wrong with people? I am not passing joints or pipes or even shaking hands or ordering food from restaurants from this point as I realize that people who are starting to feel run down- the first symptom and the most contagious stage- will not stay away and they will even go to their jobs in kitchens and make us all sick. I will stay away from everybody I can.

Mike
Guest
Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Traveller

Never could understand people passing a joint around, you’re upset that they weren’t feeling well? Bet you would be more upset if you knew what else they have done with their mouth.

Traveller
Guest
Traveller
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Ha Ha! Yes, well old habits die hard. It used to be a group bonding thing with limited weed. Thanks for that thought as I evolve into the mature and healthy stance of never-sharing in a circle again!

laura cooskey
Guest
laura cooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  Traveller

Use your own personal chillum? Wait, that’s not the word i want… i mean one of those glass or clay (or anything–wood) things where you stick the joint in one end, and inhale off the other, so your lips don’t touch the joint.

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
6 years ago
Reply to  laura cooskey

Combustion is carcinogenic. You should vaporize!

Lt Joe
Guest
Lt Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  Sparklemahn

So are computer screens

You're welcome
Guest
You're welcome
6 years ago

So many flu shots = so many sick people!!!

Starve that fucker at first symptom people.

Cease all solid food until fever breaks !!

If u want to get better quickly subsist on COPIOUS (ie: 2QT – 2X DAY) HOT LIQUIDS.
(Examples 2lemon juiced half cup honey & 1/4ytsp cayenne .
Or 4inch chunk ginger shredded and boiled in 3/4 gallon reduce to 2qt strain add 1/2 cup honey and juice of one lemon (or soy or dairy creamer if u feel u need it)

Mint tea prepared strong 6 tea bag to 2 qt with 1/2 c honey add lemon

Also prepare FRESH soup every other day with copious garlic & onion sauteed at the start add lots of random veggies and USE enchilada sauce /water as your liquid . Eat the broth only… Maybe few of the vegs if u are feeling weak or deprived

Meds:
Phytocillin. (Chatauqua this shit is magic)
Vit c
Advil ….2 of each every 4-6 hours..

Lots of hot bath soaks and showers loosen that plegm and sweat this shit out .

Pray..

Lt Joe
Guest
Lt Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  You're welcome

Is it necessary to be vulgar?

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  Lt Joe

Is it necessary to give something as simple as a word the power to bother you?

Momofmayhem
Guest
Momofmayhem
6 years ago
Reply to  You're welcome

I juice garlic and ginger and take a ginger shot when i get sick…

Allen
Guest
Allen
6 years ago
Reply to  You're welcome

Thankyou.

James reed
Guest
James reed
6 years ago

CDC even now admits the flu shot is crap. 10% at best. Wouldn’t buy an umbrella that only works 10% of the time. I cant believe people still buy into “shots”. Well actually I can. The sheep are blind nowadays

Teresa Mahoney
Guest
Teresa Mahoney
6 years ago

Flu shots are a scam

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
6 years ago

“Health officials recommend practicing the “3 Cs”: Clean your hands, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, and contain your germs by staying home if you’re sick.”

Uh, maybe they could post this in 1000 places in Winco. I love going in this time of year and having some tweeker get in line behind me in PJs hacking all over my stuff.

Lt Joe
Guest
Lt Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  Chuck U

Have you considered moving from the drug infested rathole?

Wear gloves!
Guest
Wear gloves!
6 years ago

Many viruses are going around too, let your body burn it up, antibiotics dont work on a virus.
Eat whole foods, cut out sugars, and drink lots of good water, you cant expect your body to fight off infections when you fill it with crap.
Think of it as an opportunity for your body to get stronger, resting is key!

Even if youre not dealing with it now, get your system strong before HSU is back in session, germs&flus our bodies havent dealt with before will be coming with students from around CA & the country. With no real hard freeze the bacteria are going to multiply like crazy here this winter!!

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
6 years ago

Love this website. On another, more “straight world” website, I was called a “dangerous idiot” (which I was actually impressed by and have taken to using as my username on other sites) for advocating skipping the flu shot and working, instead, to enhance the immune system through healthy living. They don’t call Humboldt the GodLand for nuthin’!

Lt Joe
Guest
Lt Joe
6 years ago
Reply to  Sparklemahn

I thought they called it a “drug-infested tweaker’s paradise”…..

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  Sparklemahn

Well the key word you mentioned is WORKING. Most people don’t want to put the effort into being healthy. They want simple and easy like just pop another pill or get another shot. I 100% agree with you on enhancing your immune system. I Never get any shots and I can’t remember the last time I got sick. Maybe once in the last 10 years. If one is simply healthy and doesn’t abuse their body its amazing how much of the hard work it will do for you.

Lt Joe
Guest
Lt Joe
6 years ago

I thought ya’ll up in the woods had some pride about the truth?!
http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f3037
“Here’s the exact quote from Peter Doshi’s BMJ review, “Influenza: marketing vaccines by marketing disease” (BMJ 2013; 346:f3037):

“…even the ideal influenza vaccine, matched perfectly to circulating strains of wild influenza and capable of stopping all influenza viruses, can only deal with a small part of the ‘flu’ problem because most ‘flu’ appears to have nothing to do with influenza. Every year, hundreds of thousands of respiratory specimens are tested across the US. Of those tested, on average 16% are found to be influenza positive.”

Me
Guest
Me
6 years ago

Just curious.. Kim: is the picture used in the header you from a couple years ago?

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

After getting the Flu shot for about 10 years, I finally contracted the Flu last year. Another immunized high-risk family member never contracted the Flu during this time. This is just my personal experience.

Someone
Guest
Someone
6 years ago

The biggest problem is that nobody actually stays home when they are sick and you cant actually miss work or keep kids out of school every time they are sick(like you should) without getting in trouble or without having to go out in public to prove to teachers/bosses that you are in fact: sick. Really counter productive to the whole ” stay home ” order…

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
6 years ago

The flu vaccine isn’t for you, it is for the highly leveraged financial system. A repeat of the spanish flu would wipe out the system. Plus it ended WW1 and all those juicy profits for the death dealers.

Poster formerly known as Matt
Guest
Poster formerly known as Matt
6 years ago

After reading all the intelligent posts on here, I had a decision to make: listen to the public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control or listen to the anonymous non-expert posters on this internet site.

Road Weary
Guest
Road Weary
6 years ago

Thousands of lives are at stake. If you get sick, how severely ill you become is a factor of your own genetic make up, your general health, age, and the virulence of the offending virus. Some infected people show no symptoms what so ever, some rapidly destabilize and die. The virus usually colonizes the upper airway leading to coughing. If, due to a persons personal vulnerabilities or virulence characteristics, the virus grow deep in your lung tissues, the infection is much more likely to be serious of fatal. Unfortunately for humanity these virus are able to remix their DNA rapidly. That is why human, pig, and bird viruses are able to recombine sometimes with deadly results. The Spanish Flu at the end of WW-I is estimated to have killed 50-100 million people world wide, 3% of the world’s population. The rapid ability of these viruses to mutate can diminish the effectiveness of vaccines targeting a specific viral strain. This is called, ‘genetic drift’. At this point the science is such that specific sequences of altered sections of DNA can be analyzed and understood. The dedicated scientists, the technology, the army of public health epidemiologist and line staff are no scam. Again, thousands of lives are at stake, including yours and every single one of your loved ones. Consider that.

Laura
Guest
Laura
6 years ago

If people knew how the flu vaccines are made, nobody would get one. Do your homework, friends. The flu vaccines are just a guess as to what the next winter’s strain will be …be “nosey” and learn how they’re made before you get one!