Doctors say there's still time to be vaccinated against annual virus
Doctors say there's still time to be vaccinated against annual virus
By Susan Abram
Staff Writer
A 55-year-old woman has developed Los Angeles County's first reported case of influenza this season, a sign that the illness could begin to hit its stride soon, county health experts said.
Experts caution that even with only one confirmed case so far, waves of suffering, of aches and pains and deep-chested coughs are possible in coming weeks.
"It is not unusual to confirm flu cases at this time of year," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the public health department for the county.
"For the last several years, influenza peaks in Los Angeles County have occurred after Jan. 1."
While this is the first confirmed, publicly reported case, there may have been others throughout the county because most hospitals are not required to report influenza to the health department.
Flu activity has been deemed sporadic in nearly three dozen states, including California, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And local hospitals also so far have tracked little flu activity.
"It's been a light year for influenza," said Steven Ernst, MD, an emergency room doctor at San Antonio Community Hospital in Upland.
"It's hard to say - it could be because the vaccine has been especially effective this year. It's really unknown at this point why it's been so light."
Ernst said he has only seen two or three patients this winter with influenza.
"It's really difficult to say at this point. It could change rapidly," he said. "There aren't any indications that we'll be getting a big upswing."
But that means nothing to emergency room physicians, who in the past have seen influenza peak later than usual in the season.
Last year's flu season bore down on the county in late January, and the vaccine didn't fully protect against all strains.
This year's vaccine is a better match, but one of the strains remains resistant to the antiviral medication Tamiflu, reports the CDC.
Vaccines are "available now and (patients) can still get them," Ernst said. "It would still be beneficial to get the vaccine because flu season is far from over."
$5 flu vaccines are available at any of the San Bernardino County walk-in public health centers. For more information call 1-800-722-4794.
Staff writer Sandra Emerson contributed to this report.
Read more in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin newspaper.
By Susan Abram
Staff Writer
A 55-year-old woman has developed Los Angeles County's first reported case of influenza this season, a sign that the illness could begin to hit its stride soon, county health experts said.
Experts caution that even with only one confirmed case so far, waves of suffering, of aches and pains and deep-chested coughs are possible in coming weeks.
"It is not unusual to confirm flu cases at this time of year," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the public health department for the county.
"For the last several years, influenza peaks in Los Angeles County have occurred after Jan. 1."
While this is the first confirmed, publicly reported case, there may have been others throughout the county because most hospitals are not required to report influenza to the health department.
Flu activity has been deemed sporadic in nearly three dozen states, including California, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And local hospitals also so far have tracked little flu activity.
"It's been a light year for influenza," said Steven Ernst, MD, an emergency room doctor at San Antonio Community Hospital in Upland.
"It's hard to say - it could be because the vaccine has been especially effective this year. It's really unknown at this point why it's been so light."
Ernst said he has only seen two or three patients this winter with influenza.
"It's really difficult to say at this point. It could change rapidly," he said. "There aren't any indications that we'll be getting a big upswing."
But that means nothing to emergency room physicians, who in the past have seen influenza peak later than usual in the season.
Last year's flu season bore down on the county in late January, and the vaccine didn't fully protect against all strains.
This year's vaccine is a better match, but one of the strains remains resistant to the antiviral medication Tamiflu, reports the CDC.
Vaccines are "available now and (patients) can still get them," Ernst said. "It would still be beneficial to get the vaccine because flu season is far from over."
$5 flu vaccines are available at any of the San Bernardino County walk-in public health centers. For more information call 1-800-722-4794.
Staff writer Sandra Emerson contributed to this report.
Read more in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin newspaper.
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