You can get COVID-19 and the flu at once. Fresno health officials urge: Get a flu shot
The California Department of Public Health reported 59 new cases of COVID-19 in Fresno County on Friday, which brings the county total to 26,783.
To prevent a double whammy of flu and coronavirus infections, county health officials on Friday announced a countywide effort to get residents vaccinated ahead of the flu season, warning that individuals can contract both illnesses simultaneously.
“We can’t stress strongly enough how important it is to get your flu shot this year, and that’s just because with COVID, there’s so many unknowns,” said Fresno County Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra. “It can look a lot like influenza. It may actually co-occur with influenza, in some patients, and there’s just so many unknowns. We don’t want to take that chance.”
Health officials recommend residents visit their primary health provider or a pharmacy to receive a vaccine, but are also rolling out between 14 and 15 vaccination clinics across the county to provide flu shots. County leaders are also relying on community-based organizations and federally qualified health clinics to assist in distributing vaccines. This year, county clinics will also be screening individuals for the coronavirus.
“We want to vaccinate at least 1% of our population, and we strive for that every year,” Department of Public Health Educator Leticia Berber said. “It’s going to be a little different because we are going to be screening for COVID-19 symptoms. If you do have those symptoms, you will be forced to go back home.”
Under the state’s new blueprint for tracking cases, Vohra on Friday said Fresno is poised to move from its standing as a purple-designated county to the second-tier red stage within the next week or so.
Under the purple designation, many indoor businesses, deemed non-essential by the state, remain closed. The county needs to remain in the second-stage red tier for at least two weeks before opening schools.
To enter the red stage, the county will need to lower its rate of new cases from 12.6 per 100,000 residents to seven or fewer. The county’s positivity rate as of Friday was 9.6%, slightly higher than the state’s required 5-8% to reopen schools.
“I’m just hoping that everyone continues to be very mindful about health and safety and that these good trends continue,” Vohra said.
As of Friday, Fresno had 122 confirmed cases in hospitals, including 29 patients in intensive care units. The hospitals also have an additional 25 suspected cases, including 4 in ICUs, according to the state health department.
The Fresno County Department of Public Health reported no new deaths on Friday, keeping the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 as 326. The county reports deaths on Tuesdays and Fridays.
State officials reported an average of about 115 new cases for COVID-19 in Fresno County over seven days.
Valleywide, the state reported 287 people were hospitalized, 847 total deaths, while 45,678 had recovered. Total Valley cases amounted to 61,580.
The California Department of Public Health on Friday reported 3,326 new cases statewide, 3,142 hospitalizations, including 1,023 ICUs, and 111 new deaths, bringing the total amount of deaths to 14,089.
Around the region
Madera County: 71 new cases as of Friday, 4,150 to date, no additional deaths, 58 to date; 24 hospitalizations; 3,644 people recovered.
Mariposa County: No new cases reported Friday, 74 to date; no additional deaths, two to date; one hospitalization; 71 people recovered.
Merced County: 47 new cases as of Friday, 8,541 to date; one additional death, 127 to date; 28 hospitalizations; 7,687 people recovered.
Tulare County: 147 new cases as of Friday, 15,114 to date; one additional death, 247 to date; 59 hospitalizations; 14,401 people recovered.
Kings County: 121 new cases as of Friday, 7,039 total cases to date, one new death; 4,610 people recovered; 3,018 of the cases and six deaths are connected to prisons in Avenal and Corcoran, while 172 cases and 24 deaths were linked to nursing home facilities.
Resources
County health officials plan a mass flu vaccination event on Oct. 3 at the Westside Church of God, 1422 W California Ave., Fresno.
County health officials have also provided a list of resources for those experiencing “disaster fatigue” or high levels of stress and depression amid the pandemic and recent fires. Residents can receive additional information valleyhopeincrisis.com or call the Disaster Distress Hotline at 800-985-5990.
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 5:56 PM.