Flu season hits California hard, 42 dead
People are rushing to get vaccinated, as the dreaded flu season is hitting California hard this year.
“I know it’s a pretty bad flu season and it’s a little late for me getting it, but I thought it’d be a good idea for me to come in and get one today,” said Salinas resident, Nick Becker.
Many Central Coast residents said they’ve waited up to 30 minutes in line to get their flu shot, but that it’s worth the wait.
“Whenever kids bring germs home, I get them too. I need to protect myself,” said Salinas resident, Erika Budde.
42 people have already died this flu season in California. Doctors said that this number is higher than normal. “Right now what we’re seeing, what’s being reported in California, is more visits to the emergency department, for influenza illness, and more visits to outpatient providers,” said Dr. Dean Blumberg with UC-Davis Pediatric Infectious Diseases.
Many of these visits have been linked to the H1N1 strain, commonly known as the “Swine Flu.” The Center for Disease Control said that California has recorded the highest number of positive H1N1 tests than any other state in the U.S, this season. Children and young adults are found to be the most susceptible to this type of flu.
“The main difference is they lack any sort of immunity, or any kind of cross protection, unless they’re immunized. The immunization, the flu vaccine, does provide a good match this year, but if they haven’t been immunized, if they’ve never experienced this virus, they basically have no immunity and then it can be quite severe,” said Dr. Blumeberg.
Doctors are urging everyone to get the shot. Regardless of age, they said it is a necessity, this year and that it’s not too late. “Even if you get breakthrough illness though, it’s less severe than if you’ve not been vaccinated,” said Dr. Blumeberg.
According to the Center for Disease Control, up to 84,000 have been hospitalized, in the U.S., this flu season. Some said the numbers are a wake up call.
“We need to have a strong immune system and definitely the full shot is 50% of it,” said Budde.
