County is stressing flu prevention

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004 | 10:40 a.m.

Flu clinics for high-risk patients will be held today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Smith's, 10616 S. Eastern Ave., Henderson; 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Smith's at 4840 W. Desert Inn Road; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Smith's, 3850E. Flamingo Road; 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Costco, 222 Martin Luther King Blvd. ; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Smith's, 6150 W. Flamingo Road; 4 p.m. to 7p.m. Friday at Smith's, 1000 N. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson; 10 a.m. to 1.m. Saturday at the Smith's, 450 N. Nellis Blvd and at 4440 N. Rancho Drive;and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Costco, 801 S. Pavilion Center Drive.

Facing a shortage of flu vaccinations, the Clark County Health District is stressing flu prevention for the general population and plans to target for vaccination only those most at risk for developing possibly fatal complications from the flu.

Meanwhile, a private company is holding nine flu-shot clinics at local Smith's Food & Drug Centers and Costco wholesale stores through Saturday, where the first 300 people at each who qualify as high-risk patients will be able to buy a $20 a vaccination.

To qualify as a member of the high-risk population for the open clinics, a person must fall into one of the following categories:

The health district will focus on getting doses of the vaccination to what Chief Health Officer Dr. Donald Kwalick said are the most at-risk people: those with HIV/AIDS, major organ transplant recipients, patients on renal dialysis, cancer patients and those with chronic respiratory illnesses.

The health district will be coordinating with hospitals, clinics and doctors to find those most at-risk patients, Kwalick said. Anyone who feels they should get a vaccination should contact their doctor, he said.

The health district has control over about 15,000 doses of the vaccine, he said, adding that they will likely go "very quickly."

Last year the health district administered 30,000 flu shots, Public Health Nurse manager Bonnie Sorenson said.

Kwalick said he did not know enough yet about a possible 22 million additional doses that might be available in the U.S. to say how that could affect the supply to the Las Vegas area.

During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Kwalick said, "We are not in a crisis situation."

However, with the supply of the flu vaccine nationwide essentially cut in half because of highly publicized manufacturing problems by one of two suppliers, the local health district is hoping to focus vaccinations on only the most at-risk population and telling others to be take extra care to prevent the spread of the flu.

"If people are sick then stay home. If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue ... or use your sleeve," Kwalick said, adding that health-care providers should prepare to wear masks more frequently, and everyone should wash their hands more often and avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

There have been no reported cases of the flu locally yet, he said. The health district uses reporting from and monitoring of doctors, hospitals, and death reports to try to catch the start of flu season.

Sorenson said flu season generally lasts from late December through February. She said the vaccination takes about two weeks to take effect, so those receiving the shot in November should be OK.

Every year, thousands contract the flu and as many as 40,000 are hospitalized with the flu nationwide, Kwalick said.

He said that last year three people died from the flu in Clark County.

For more information, contact the health district at 383-1351.