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Health officials say get a flu shot early

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By Elizabeth Marie Himchak

Health officials are urging locals to get their flu vaccinations early, advice many might want to heed considering last season’s record outbreak.

During the 2012-13 season there were 5,438 lab-confirmed influenza cases and 65 deaths due to flu-related complications in San Diego County, said José A. Alvarez, spokesman at the county’s Health and Human Services Agency. The latter surpassed the previous high of 58 deaths during the county’s 2009-10 H1N1 Pandemic flu season. County officials cited a more severe strain of influenza A (H3N2) as a factor.

Senior Medical - Flu ShotPalomar Health is starting its community flu shot clinics on Sunday in Poway, the first of 26 scheduled in the immediate area and 73 it is holding.

The shots are $20. Only cash or checks (with name and address printed by bank plus photo ID) are accepted. Seniors should bring their Medicare and supplemental insurance cards. Receipts are available upon request.

For the first time, those as young as 9 years can get vaccinated at Palomar Health’s community clinics. Previously only adults could get their shots there. The change is due requests made last year when 3,278 adults were vaccinated, said Registered Nurse Luanne Arangio-Law, Palomar Health’s community health nurse supervisor.

Children under 9 years can go to their pediatrician. If over age 2 another option is Palomar Health’s Expresscare Clinics, including in the Rancho Penasquitos Albertsons. For details, go to

www.PalomarHealth.org/expresscare

.

Many area grocery stores and pharmacies are also providing flu shots at various prices.

People can wait until later in the year to get their annual vaccination, but Arangio-Law said getting the shot early is best since it takes two weeks for immunity to develop. People cannot catch the flu by getting the shot.

Protection lasts six months to one year. The flu season can start in October and last through May.

The 2013-14 flu vaccine protects against what are predicted to be the three most common influenza viruses as determined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It includes an influenza A (H1N1), an influenza A (H3N2) and an influenza B virus.

The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated unless they have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination or history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Those with a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever should wait until they recover.

People at higher risk of flu complications are those 50 or older; those with heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, HIV, blood disorders, kidney disease or a weakened immune system; children 6 months and older; pregnant women; nursing home or assisted living facility residents; those with difficulty breathing or swallowing; health care providers; and anyone who is a caregiver to or lives with anyone in the above categories.

“Influenza ... can be very unpredictable,” Arangio-Law said. “Nobody knows, so you presume (the season) will be bad and get the shot. When you hear in the press that it’s really bad, you might be getting (vaccinated) too late.”

FLU SHOT LOCATIONSListed are Palomar Health’s community flu shot clinics in the immediate area. For all locations, go to www.palomarhealth.org/flu.

POWAY• St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 15546 Pomerado Road — 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 1.• St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 16275 Pomerado Road — 9 a.m. to noon, Sunday, Sept. 8.• Pomerado Hospital lobby, 15615 Pomerado Road — 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9; noon to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21; noon to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27; 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 1; 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9; noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23; 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6; noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9; noon to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22; 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4; noon to 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9 and noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2.• Mt. Olive Church, 14280 Poway Road — 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 22.• Poway Senior Center, 13094 Civic Center Drive — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4.• Poway Fire Station No. 1, 13050 Community Road — 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 5.• North County Inland Older Adult Center, 15905 Pomerado Road — noon to 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7.• The Connection Church, 14047 Twin Peaks Road — 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24.

RANCHO BERNARDO• Ed Brown Senior Center, 18402 W. Bernardo Drive — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11.• San Rafael Catholic Church, 17252 Bernardo Center Drive — 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 15.• The Church at Rancho Bernardo, 111740 Bernardo Plaza Court — 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13.• Rancho Bernardo Senior Services, 16769 Bernardo Center Drive — 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Oct. 14 and Tuesday, Oct. 15.

RANCHO PENASQUITOS

• Canyon Rim Apartments, 10845 Via Los Narcisos — 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5.

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