Health
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Here is the schedule for November’s free drive-thru flu vaccine events:
• Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 19, from 1 to 3 p.m.
The events will be held at 922 Bevins Court, Lakeport.
Appointments are required. Please call 707-263-1090 or 800-794-9291 to schedule, or for more information. Masks are required to participate in all clinic events.
The dates and locations are subject to change. More dates will be announced if vaccine supply and staffing allow.
Can’t make it to any of these events? Flu vaccinations are available from a variety of sources, including your primary care provider and local pharmacies.
Limiting flu risk: What you can do
The flu virus is easily passed from our hands to the things we touch, and it can enter our system through the membranes of our eyes, nose and mouth.
• Get vaccinated. Again, this is especially important during the time of COVID-19. Anyone 6 months of age or older is encouraged to get a flu vaccine.
• Practice good hygiene. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or the crook of your arm if you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often, and use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available. Avoid touching your face with your hands.
• Avoid close contact with non-household members. When in public, wear a mask.
• Healthy lifestyle choices help keep you well. Get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods, drink plenty of water and stay physically active; all of these help maintain your immune system.
Symptoms of the flu include a temperature of over 100 degrees F combined with a cough, sore throat, body aches, headache and a lack of energy. If you are ill, stay home to keep from infecting others.
Más eventos móviles gratis para la vacuna contra la gripe en noviembre
CONDADO DE LAKE, Calif. – La División de Salud Pública del Departamento de Servicios de Salud del Condado de Lake agradece a todos los que hicieron la salud de sus comunidades una prioridad al participar en los eventos móviles gratis para la vacunación contra la gripe en octubre. Debido a que los síntomas de la gripe y el COVID-19 pueden ser difíciles de distinguir, limitar el riesgo de gripe nunca ha sido más importante.
Este es el calendario * de los eventos gratis para la vacunación contra la gripe durante el mes de noviembre:
• Martes 10 de noviembre de 1 p.m. a 3 p.m.
• Jueves 12 de noviembre de 1 p.m. a 3 p.m.
• Martes 17 de noviembre de 1 p.m. a 3 p.m.
• Jueves 19 de noviembre de 1 p.m. a 3 p.m.
Ubicación: 922 Bevins Court, Lakeport. Se requieren citas. Llame al 707-263-1090 o al 800-794-9291 para programar una cita o para obtener más información. Se requieren máscaras para participar en todos los eventos de la clínica.
* Fecha y lugares sujetos a cambios. Se anunciarán más fechas si el suministro de vacunas y el personal lo permiten.
¿No puedes asistir a ninguno de estos eventos? Las vacunas contra la gripe están disponibles en una variedad de fuentes, incluido su proveedor de atención primaria y las farmacias locales.
Limitar el riesgo de la gripe: lo que puede hacer
El virus de la gripe se transmite fácilmente de nuestras manos a las cosas que tocamos y puede ingresar a nuestro sistema a través de las membranas de nuestros ojos, nariz y boca.
• Vacúnese. Nuevamente, esto es especialmente importante durante la época de COVID-19. Se alienta a cualquier persona de 6 meses de edad o mayor a vacunarse contra la gripe.
• Practique una buena higiene. Cúbrase la nariz y la boca con un pañuelo de papel o la curva de su brazo si tose o estornuda. Lávese las manos con frecuencia y use un desinfectante de manos a base de alcohol cuando no haya agua y jabón disponibles. Evite tocarse la cara con las manos.
• Evite el contacto cercano con personas que no sean miembros del hogar. Cuando esté en público, use una máscara.
• Las opciones de estilo de vida saludable lo ayudan a mantenerse bien. Duerma lo suficiente, coma alimentos nutritivos, beba mucha agua y manténgase físicamente activo; todos estos ayudan a mantener su sistema inmunológico.
Los síntomas de la gripe incluyen una temperatura de más de 100 grados F combinada con tos, dolor de garganta, dolores corporales, dolor de cabeza y falta de energía. Si está enfermo/a, quédese en casa para evitar infectar a otros.
¡Juntos podemos ayudar a reducir la propagación de la gripe en las comunidades del condado de Lake!
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the panel made up of nationally acclaimed scientists with expertise in immunization and public health.
“California has led with science and data through the COVID pandemic and when a vaccine becomes available, we will leverage our scientific expertise to verify its safety to give everyone the confidence they need to make important decisions regarding the health of their families,” said Gov. Newsom. “This virus transcends our borders and we are grateful to partner with our neighboring states through our Scientific Safety Review Workgroup for a healthy and safe path forward for all our communities.”
The governors of Washington, Oregon and Nevada will identify public health experts to join California’s workgroup to guide the review of any vaccine approved by the FDA. While there is no proven vaccine for COVID-19 yet, these top health experts will review any vaccine that receives federal approval and verify its safety before California, Washington, Oregon and Nevada will make the vaccine available to the public.
“We believe in science, public health and safety. That is why I am pleased that Washington is joining California and other western states in this effort,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. “Any COVID vaccine must be guided by the expertise of scientists and medical professionals and that’s just what this workgroup will do. The Western States Pact will continue working together to ensure the best health outcomes for everyone in our states.”
“The vaccines currently in development, once approved, are what Americans have been waiting for to protect their families, their children, and their loved ones in long-term care facilities,” said Oregon Governor Kate Brown. “The independent review conducted by this panel of doctors, scientists, and health experts will ensure that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone, especially communities that have been disproportionately impacted by this disease.”
"Once again, I am thrilled to work with other states in the Western States Pact to ensure we take care of all our residents by bringing together the best and brightest scientific minds across states’ borders. We know we are stronger together," said Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak. "When the time comes, Nevadans will be able to feel confident in the safety of the vaccine knowing that an independent review by experts across the West gave it their seal of approval."
This is not the first time Western states have collaborated in response to COVID-19. In April, California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Nevada joined in a Western States Pact which shared a vision for fighting COVID-19 and reopening their economies.
Western state leaders in May urged congressional leaders to approve $1 trillion in COVID-19 relief for states and local governments and are partnering to pilot a project testing new exposure notification technology pioneered by Google and Apple.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Savings from the months’ long deferral of medical care and treatment for ailments unrelated to COVID-19 has resulted in record net profits this year for health insurance companies and specialized health insurance companies, such as dental insurance plans.
“Health insurance companies are seeing record net profits this year due to lower policy benefit use, so I am urging they return some of those profits back to consumers, families, and businesses that they insure, many of whom are struggling financially due to COVID-19,” said Commissioner Lara. “As the regulator of the largest insurance market in the nation, it is my duty to make sure consumers are protected and insurance companies remain solvent.”
He added, “I am doing all within my authority to strike that delicate balance but, right now, the scales are not balanced for consumers and businesses with health insurance. With this notice, I am expecting health insurance companies to help contribute back to the recovery of services by businesses and get money back into the hands of consumers when they need it the most.”
The notice asks health insurance companies to provide premium refunds on either the November 2020 or December 2020 consumer statements in the form of a refund, credit, premium reduction or other adjustment.
Specialized health insurance policies, such as dental insurance, that have a maximum annual benefit may also comply with this request by increasing the 2021 annual benefit by a percentage equal to the period during which covered services were not available during 2020.
For example, as dental practices were essentially closed for a quarter of calendar year 2020, the 2021 maximum benefit would be increased by at least 25 percent.
The department has already worked with two health insurance companies who proactively sought to provide premium credits to their policy and certificate holders in the individual and group markets, returning between 5 percent and 15 percent of policyholders’ July 2020 premium.
Two other health insurance companies are currently working with the department in considering such credits as well.
This notice is the latest in a long list of consumer protection actions that Commissioner Lara has taken since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, including previous orders similarly directing insurance companies to provide premium relief for automobile insurance and commercial liability policies to reflect the lower risk that policyholders are experiencing in the current COVID-19 landscape, which has thus far resulted in more than $1.2 billion in premium relief and reduced future premiums for California consumers and businesses.
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- Written by: Rural Association of Northern California Health Officers
In spite of the well-established safety and efficacy of the influenza (“flu”) vaccine, too few people get vaccinated each year. This is true even in challenging work environments such as face to face educational settings and healthcare facilities.
The evidence supporting universal influenza vaccination is overwhelming and in other parts of the world where vaccination is widely accepted by the populace, there are fewer influenza
cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
RANCHO feels it is important to bring to everyone’s attention the critical need for vaccination this fall among area residents and especially among healthcare workers and school staff. While we always recommend that all members of the public get flu vaccination annually, this fall in particular we are most concerned about these particular groups.
Since early reopening this summer and fall, schools and colleges around the nation have
seen significant transmission of coronavirus. Healthcare workers are at increased risk of acquiring and transmitting both influenza and coronavirus, and some of our most distressing coronavirus outbreaks have occurred in healthcare settings.
We recognize that these same settings are historically places where influenza is easily transmitted as well. We also recognize that with COVID-19 prevention measures in place, it is possible that we will see a reduction in influenza cases compared to previous years,” the group said.
The flu season in Australia this summer, for example, was mild but it is important to point out that this success was likely attributable to both a vigorous campaign to raise vaccination rates and implementation of COVID-19 prevention measures.
The combination of influenza and coronavirus circulating at the same time this year will not only make diagnosis challenging (since the two have similar symptoms) and increase demands on testing, but it will likely threaten our healthcare system’s capacity to provide care for everyone who needs it, when they need it.
Reducing flu cases as much as possible makes diagnosis easier, and preserves the ability to continue to care for all.
“With that in mind, we strongly recommend that all high risk work environments for influenza transmission, especially those in the health care and educational settings, strengthen workplace policies to ensure that staff are vaccinated for their own protection and the protection of members of the public,” the group said. “Some counties within our group have even written public health orders to this end.”
The traditional fallback of wearing a surgical mask for those who refuse vaccination is inadequate at a time when mask-wearing indoors is nearly universal, the group said.
“We are in agreement that the need for widespread influenza vaccination is critical this year, and we support both our joint and independent efforts to achieve that goal,” RANCHO members said.
Universal flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older will make our communities safer for everyone this fall and winter, particularly those most vulnerable to serious complications of both influenza and coronavirus.
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