The Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club is holding their annual community adult flu clinic from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, October 23 at the Clubhouse, 901 Haverford Ave.
The flu vaccines are free for all adults in the community. No registration is required, just stop by and one can receive the shot. Call: (310) 454-9012 or Judy Hatchett (retired RN) at (310) 459-8344.
A government poll found that only 52 percent of Americans will get the flu shot and health experts are alarmed.
The 2018-2019 flu season saw up to 42 million cases of the flu reported, with approximately 647,000 people hospitalized from it and nearly 61,000 people died from the flu virus.
This year experts have concerns about the upcoming flu season (which typically starts in October), because of the number of cases reported in Australia, which is just ending its winter.
A child’s death from flu has already been reported in California.
Doctors recommend getting the shot in October because the vaccine lasts about six months.
Some people make excuses that the flu shot is not that effective, but U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention stresses that even small increases in immunity can make a big difference.
According the CDC: “Some people who get vaccinated may still get sick. However, flu vaccination has been shown in some studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick. A 2017 study showed that flu vaccination reduced deaths, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, ICU length of stay, and overall duration of hospitalization among hospitalized flu patients.
“Another study in 2018 showed that a vaccinated adult who was hospitalized with flu was 59 percent less likely to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit than someone who had not been vaccinated.”
Some people do not get vaccinated because they think the flu vaccine gives them the virus.
This myth is not true, people receive either a flu shot based on an inactived (dead) virus or from proteins made from a flu vaccine virus and it “Cannot cause flu illness,” the CDC reports. But it also notes that after a shot you may experience soreness where the shot was given, a low-grade fever or aches.
There’s also new warning and a recommendation for a flu shot this year for people who vape. In an NBC News story “Passing on the Flu Shot? Here’s why You Should Reconsider,” Dr. Gregory Cannon said, “Those who vape or use e-cigarettes, they have a decreased immune response in their lungs, and that makes them a little bit more susceptible to viral infections.”