Agency Emphasizes Influenza Awareness

With the flu season’s first two cases of Type A influenza identified in Orange and Los Angeles counties this week, Ventura County’s communicable disease program director says that anyone who has received a flu shot in Ventura County this autumn is immunized for Type A.

“The vaccine covers both Type A and Type B,” said Marilyn Billimek of the county’s public health department. She particularly encourages those over age 65 or who have chronic medical problems to get a vaccination from their physician, at the county’s four public health centers or at the two remaining November vaccine clinics in Oxnard.

“There’s a lot of flu going around the county right now,” Billimek said, adding that the virus cannot be contracted from the vaccine. She said it takes six weeks from immunization for the vaccine to be at its full strength.

The peak of the flu season usually occurs in late December or early January.

Billimek also strongly recommends the one-time pneumococcal vaccine, which prevents most varieties of pneumonia, to anyone over age 60. The pneumococcal vaccine requires an additional small fee.

“At our public health centers, we have state-supplied vaccine for people age 60 and over--there’s no charge, but we accept small donations,” Billimek said. Others may get vaccinated at the health centers for $7.

Two Oxnard locations will hold afternoon flu vaccine clinics in November: From 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Santa Clara Church Elementary School Auditorium at 323 South E St.; and from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, 1600 N. Rose Ave.

Addresses of the four Ventura County Public Health Centers, open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m., are:

* Santa Paula Public Health Center, 620 W. Harvard Blvd.

* Ventura Public Health Center, 3147 Loma Vista Road.

* Simi Valley Public Health Center, 660 E. Los Angeles Ave., Suite B-2.

* Oxnard Public Health Center, Centerpoint Mall, Suite D, 2500 South C St.

For more information, call (800) 781-4449.