The Lassen County Public Health Department is advising area residents to ‘get your flu shot, not the flu’ and will be offering a drive-thru influenza vaccination clinic on Monday, January 21st at Lassen High School.
According to the Public Health Department the 2012-2013 flu season has begun. In the United States, flu season occurs in the fall and winter. Seasonal flu activity usually peaks in January or February, but it can occur as early as October and as late as May.
Each year The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks flu threat levels across the United States by providing a weekly report that can be found on their website of visits made to health care providers for flu-like symptoms and influenza activity across the United States. Current reports show that the seasonal flu is now widespread throughout the United States and is considered an epidemic.
You can protect yourself and your family from the flu by getting vaccinated.
The overall health impact of a flu season varies each year. On average, each year in the United States 5 to 20 percent of the population get the flu. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized annually from flu-related complications and deaths from flu-related causes range from 3,300 to 48,600.
People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
Monday’s clinic will be from 11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. in the Lassen High parking lot. For more information call Lassen County Public Health at 251-8183.
