Health district has new flu shot

By Bronwyn Turner

Correspondent

Published September 19, 2010

The new flu shot, recommended for everyone 6 months and older, will be available starting today and throughout flu season, the Galveston County Health District said.

The campaign is part of a broader vaccine net being spread by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the wake of last year’s outbreak of the H1N1 flu. The result is ample supplies of a “universal” flu shot for everyone and a higher octane shot for people 65 and older.

“We have more doses this year than we’ve ever had before,” said Dr. C. Glen Mayhall, University of Texas Medical Branch professor of internal medicine and health care epidemiologist.

“If they want to avoid the flu, getting very ill, missing work and missing school, everybody ought to, when they have a chance, step up and take the influenza vaccine.”

New this year is a seniors-only version of the flu vaccine, prepared with higher concentrations of antigens, for those 65 and older.

“As you get older, your immunity tends to drop naturally,” said Mayhall, head of the Department of Healthcare Epidemiology and Infection Control at UTMB. “This is aimed at stimulating a better immune response in older people.”

Both versions of the new vaccine involve a single dose aimed at warding off three influenza viruses that research indicated would be most common this season — H1N1 (often referred to as swine flu), H3N2 and an influenza B virus.

Contracting any one of the three flu strains usually means a sudden illness with fever, sore throat, body aches and headaches. The illness can lead to complications and death — 25,000 to 35,000 people die each year.

“Every year, people die of the flu due to complications,” said Dr. Cassandra Arceneaux, assistant professor in the Medical Student Education program in the Department of Family Medicine at the medical branch

“Everyone should continue to take precautions even though H1N1 isn’t huge in the media as it was last year.

“The same concern should be there. Make sure you cover your coughs, wash your hands, stay home if you’re ill.”

The Galveston County Health District will offer flu shots for $20. Staff will accept Medicare cards for reimbursement. Pneumonia vaccinations also will be available for $30.

“We work to make sure people don’t become complacent and not get a vaccination, because it’s very important they do this,” said Dr. Mark Guidry, CEO of the health district and Galveston County Health Authority. “We do all this as part of our desire to reduce the number of resident who are infected, hospitalized, or worse yet, die, which is a possibility with flu.”

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At a glance

WHAT: Flu shots

WHEN: Monday through Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

WHERE: Main lobby of the GCHD Headquarters, 1207 Oak St. in La Marque.

Beginning Monday, residents also can get flu shots in the district’s immunization clinics in Texas City, Dickinson and Galveston, which have different clinic times. For information, contact Immunization Nurse Manager June Gonzales at 409-938-2244 or see usual clinic times at www.gchd.org/chn/IMM.htm.

WHO: Everyone older than 6 months old. High-risk populations should make every effort to get vaccinated, including children younger than 5, seniors 65 and older, pregnant women, those with chronic medical conditions and caretakers. For more information, see www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm.

COST: Flu shots are $20. Staff will accept Medicare cards for reimbursement. Pneumonia vaccinations also will be available for $30.

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Details To Note

Additional community flu shot clinics will be conducted at the following locations:

• Oct. 5: Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 W Walker, League City, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Oct. 7: Bacliff Senior Center, 4503 11th St, Bacliff, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Oct. 14: Dickinson Senior Center, 2714 Hwy 3, Dickinson, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Oct. 21: Wayne Johnson Community Center, 4102 FM 519, La Marque, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Despite being informally called “swine flu,” the H1N1 flu virus cannot be spread by eating pork or pork products. Like other strains of flu, it typically is spread by person-to-person transmission. Frequent hand washing is recommended. Cover your mouth when coughing. Stay home if you’re ill.

Flu shots take two weeks to take effect, and flu season can start as early as October.

Flu shots do not contain live flu virus, and do not cause the flu.

(News Media: For more information contact Kurt Koopmann, GCHD Public Information Officer, 409-938-2211 or kkoopman@gchd.org)