Health officials prepare for upcoming flu season in Central Valley

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As we caput into the wintertime months, doctors are bracing for what benignant of flu play volition deed Central California.

"We anticipation that that wintertime spike is not truthful big, but it's excessively aboriginal to archer close present what the models are predicting," Dr. Kenny Banh said.

To hole the community, this week, the Fresno County Department of Public Health, successful collaboration with UCSF Fresno and Saint Agnes Medical Center, volition supply no-cost flu vaccination clinics.

They'll beryllium held astatine assorted locations passim the county.

Banh, a UCSF exigency medicine physician, says it's important radical don't beryllium connected anterior flu shots they've received to support them.

"The flu vaccine is important due to the fact that if you didn't get vaccinated the anterior twelvemonth -- that twelvemonth -- it's not effectual the pursuing year. It doesn't past agelong enough. Unfortunately, we don't person a long-lasting flu vaccine yet." Dr. Banh said.

The Sierra Vista Children's Health Center, located astatine Sierra Vista Elementary School successful Clovis, besides has flu shots acceptable to beryllium distributed.

They service anyone successful the Valley and connection escaped vaccinations to those who are uninsured, underinsured oregon connected Medi-Cal.

They are besides offering an alternate to the changeable this year.

"If immoderate household members don't privation to springiness their kid the flu changeable due to the fact that they're acrophobic of needles, past the flu mist is simply a bully enactment for them," Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Wendee Winter said.

The flu mist is administered done the nose.

If the kid is young and receiving their archetypal dose of the vaccine, they whitethorn necessitate a 2nd dose.

Appointments are required astatine the wellness center.

Winter encourages radical to get vaccinated sooner alternatively than later.

"It takes 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to instrumentality effect, truthful it's not similar 'Oh, I got it, I'm good.' No, you person to hold 2 weeks for it to afloat get to wherever it tin support you," Winter said.

The archetypal escaped session volition beryllium held connected Thursday successful Dunlap astatine Dunlap Elementary School from 5 to 7 pm.

To spot each of the upcoming clinics, click here.

To marque an assignment astatine Sierra Vista Children's Health Center, telephone 559-327-7976.

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